By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Holt MP Anthony Byrne has resigned from his long-held intelligence and security committee position in the wake of his branch-stacking testimony at IBAC.
In a statement on 14 October, Mr Byrne said he offered his resignation as Deputy Chair and member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
The offer was accepted by federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese.
“The work of the PJCIS is crucial to Australia’s national security and its integrity should never be questioned,” Mr Byrne stated.
“I have always put the work of this bipartisan Committee first and have always served in its best interests.”
Mr Byrne was appointed the committee’s chair in 2010. He had served as deputy chair since 2013.
At the IBAC Operation Watts inquiry three days earlier, Mr Byrne had outlined explosive allegations of his role in ALP’s use of taxpayer-funded staff for branch-stacking in Victoria.
He also described the role of factional colleagues in the South East, Adem Somyurek and Luke Donnellan. The latter resigned from State Cabinet on the same day.
“I will continue to fully cooperate with the IBAC inquiry and will not be making further comment while proceedings are underway,” Mr Byrne said.
