Former Melton mayor and Labor candidate Justin Mammarella and his father Umberto ‘Robert’ Mammarella, a former electorate officer, have been sentenced following the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission’s (IBAC) investigation Operation Naxos.
IBAC’s Operation Naxos investigated allegations of fraudulent practices within the electorate office of former member of the Victorian Parliament Khalil Eideh. The allegations related to the misuse of taxpayer funded resources to assist Justin Mammarella’s preselection campaign for the 2018 state election through branch stacking.
In 2018, Justin Mammarella and Robert Mammarella conspired to give false evidence to IBAC regarding the use of stationery within the Cairnlea electorate office.
Earlier this month, Justin Mammarella pleaded guilty in the Melbourne County Court to conspiring to attempt to pervert the course of justice, perjury and possessing an imitation firearm without the proper permit. He was sentenced to a three-year Community Correction Order with 375 hours of community work.
Robert Mammarella pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and one charge of perjury. He was sentenced to a three-year Community Correction Order and fined $12,000.
Her Honour Judge Rosemary Carlin indicated that if not for Robert Mammarella’s plea of guilty she would have sentenced him to a total effective sentence of two years imprisonment with a non-parole period of one year and six months.
Following the sentencing of Justin and Robert Mammarella, Operation Naxos has now concluded.
Background
Operation Naxos resulted in a total of four people being charged including two former electorate officers previously employed by the Department of Parliamentary Services and a volunteer. The charges related to conspiracy to attempt to pervert the course of justice, perjury, conspiracy to mislead IBAC and disclosure of IBAC information.
In July 2022, IBAC tabled its Operation Watts special report, a joint IBAC and Victorian Ombudsman (VO) investigation into allegations of serious corrupt conduct involving Victorian public officers, including Members of Parliament (MPs). Operation Watts highlighted widespread misuse of public resources for political purposes. Operation Watts examined a range of matters including allegations of misuse of electorate offices, ministerial office staff and resources for branch stacking and other party-related activities.
The Operation Watts special report tabled 21 recommendations for reform including the establishment of a Parliamentary Ethics Committee and a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner, and reforms to the Department of Parliamentary Services and electorate officers’ employment arrangements to improve accountability arrangements for MPs and ministers.
Premier Daniel Andrews has made an in principle commitment to implementing the report’s recommendations in full. IBAC will be following-up in due to course to ensure that the recommendations have been adequately acquitted.
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