AN INTERNAL inquiry is being sought by key Liberal Party figures over allegations Wattle Range Mayor Peter Gandolfi was asked by Federal Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne to stand as an independent against endorsed Liberal Tony Pasin for the seat of Barker at the 2013 poll.
Mr Pyne has reportedly denied the allegations, while neither Mr Pasin nor Mr Gandolfi are making any extensive direct comment.
Within hours of allegations being published on Wednesday, the Barker Federal Electorate Convention submitted a formal request to the Liberal Party State Executive for a probe.
Barker FEC chairman Stuart Andrew said he had consulted with the body’s seven other members and they had agreed to making this request.
Mr Andrew told The South Eastern Times the allegations were serious and warranted further investigation.
He said he was unaware of the allegations before they were published in The Australian.
“I made the request to the Liberal Party State Executive on behalf of the Barker FEC,” Mr Andrew said.
“I have been in the FEC position for the entire period that Mr Pasin has been in Federal Parliament.”
Mr Andrew works as a solicitor at Berri and is the brother of retired House of Representatives Speaker Neil Andrew.
The current Liberal Party state president is John Olsen, who employed Mr Gandolfi as a media adviser during his time as premier over 15 years ago.
Mr Gandolfi told The South Eastern Times yesterday he did not dispute the claims made in the article in The Australian.
“No-one from the Liberal Party secretariat has contact me about any probe,” Mr Gandolfi said.
The South Eastern Times is aware that local members of the Liberal Party across Millicent and district are disturbed by the allegations in The Australian, but they are unwilling to go on the record with their comments.
The Labor Party has sought to make political capital of the situation with State Environment Minister Ian Hunter referring to the allegations at length under parliamentary privilege in the Legislative Council on Wednesday afternoon.
According to Mr Hunter, there had been a series of very damaging leaks against Mr Pyne in the national media.
“We have Christopher Pyne indulging in factional warfare, trying to run independent candidates against Liberal candidates and trying to fan the flames of internal division and disunity in the South Australian branch of the Liberal Party in the lead-up to the state campaign,” Mr Hunter said.
