By Olivia Condous
A former four-time Melton mayor and Labor candidate has been sentenced following an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) that resulted in him being charged with electoral fraud.
Justin Mammarella avoided jail time after pleading guilty to conspiring to attempt to pervert the course of justice, perjury and possessing an imitation firearm without a permit, receiving a three-year community correction order with 375 hours of community work.
His father Robert Mammarella was also sentenced to a three-year community correction order and fined $12,000 after also pleading guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice and perjury.
The charges relate to allegations of fraudulent practices within the electorate office of former Victorian upper house MP Khalil Eiden.
It is alleged taxpayer funded resources were used to assist Justin Mammarella’s 2018 preselection campaign for the Melton seat through branch stacking.
In 2018, Justin Mammarella and Robert Mammarella conspired to give false evidence to IBAC regarding the use of stationery to cover up branch stacking practices within the Cairnlea electorate office.
The father-son duo were aided by two other Labor staffers to construct a false story to provide to the IBAC investigation, initially claiming that the resources they used for fraudulent practices were actually for a mail-out to raise autism awareness for service provider Autism Plus.
Justin Mammarella was preselected by Labor to contest the safe seat of Melton in the 2018 state election, but stood aside a month before the election after citing family reasons, and was first charged by IBAC in December that year.
The sentencing comes after IBAC released another report in conjunction with the Victorian Ombudsman last month, detailing allegations of serious corrupt conduct of multiple Victorian public officers, including Kororoit MP Marlene Kairouz.
Premier Daniel Andrews has committed to the implementation of the 21 recommendations for reform from IBAC, including the establishment of a Parliamentary Ethics Committee and a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner.
