Cathy McGowan questioned in electoral fraud investigation. May 29, 2015, midnight
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FOUR people have been referred to the federal prosecutor over accusations of electoral fraud in Indi.
And it has been confirmed the independent MP for Indi Cathy McGowan was questioned as a witness as part of the Australian Federal Police investigation.
The AFP revealed last night its investigation of the 27 people for allegedly enrolling in the electorate when they were not entitled, was now completed.
Four names have been put forward to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, for providing “false or misleading information”.
It will now be up to that department to lay charges.
The AFP launched its investigation last October, after accusations arose that a group of young supporters of Ms McGowan switched their electoral details back to Indi before the 2013 election, despite no longer living, working or studying in the area.
Those votes may have contributed to Ms McGowan’s 439-vote win over former Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella.
There were also accusations the group, as well as Ms McGowan’s campaign, actively encouraged other young voters to change their electoral details.
No reference was made to this by the AFP yesterday however.
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The AFP’s deputy commissioner of operations Leanne Close yesterday told a Senate estimates hearing four briefs of evidence in relation to providing false or misleading evidence were handed to DPP on May 18 and 19.
That charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months.
There was insufficient evidence to act on the remaining 23, she said.
The AFP received one further allegation in March this year, bringing the total to 28, but that new matter was rejected as there was no evidence a Commonwealth offence had been committed.
Deputy Commissioner Close said that as of April 30, the AFP had spent a total of 1741 hours on its investigation.
She also confirmed Ms McGowan had been questioned as a witness only and the AFP required nothing more from her.
Ms McGowan and the grassroots group that helped her campaign, Voices 4 Indi, have maintained they did not encourage young people to switch their details to Indi to boost her vote.
Ms McGowan could not be contacted for comment last night.
