Victoria's independent complaints agency is considering an official referral to re-investigate the government's 2014 election rorts scandal, as the fallout from a parliamentary motion continues to play out.
The state's upper house narrowly passed a motion last week calling on Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass to launch a fresh probe into the so-called "red shirts" affair, in which $388,000 of taxpayer money was misused to pay political campaign staff.
Moved by disgraced former Victorian Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek, the motion specifically requested Ms Glass investigate any role Premier Daniel Andrews may have played in the scheme.
Ms Glass has confirmed she will now consider the referral and consult with the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption, including on elements linked to their ongoing joint investigation into Labor branch stacking which centres on Mr Somyurek.
"I will consider the extent to which the matters subject of the referral have already been investigated or are currently being investigated," Ms Glass said in a statement on Tuesday.
"The public needs to have confidence that public resources are not being misused for political ends, and, as always, any investigation I lead will be independent and based on evidence."
Ms Glass has already investigated the red shirts scheme and in 2018 found more than 20 past and present Labor MPs breached parliamentary guidelines by diverting staff to help campaign for members.
Labor paid back the money and no criminal charges were laid following a separate probe by Victoria Police.
Ms Glass has pledged to report to parliament in "due course" with an update on the latest referral.
Last week's Legislative Council motion has further exposed division within party ranks after Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela crossed the floor to cast the deciding vote.
Under Labor rules, caucus members must vote with the party or face expulsion.
Ms Vaghela has since claimed she has been threatened by party bullies as far back as 2019 after leaving Labor's socialist left faction to join Mr Somyurek's right faction.
A historical complaint from the Western Metropolitan MP has been dealt with and led to the dismissal of a staff member, Mr Andrews confirmed.
Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allen declined to say whether she believed Ms Vaghela's claims after Mr Andrews described them as a "fantasy".
"A series of statements have been made against the premier but they've not been substantiated with any evidence," she told reporters on Tuesday.
Ms Vaghela said she plans to refer her complaint to WorkSafe at the same time, she claims, the party is moving to expel her from caucus.
"If this is the Labor Party's response to fighting corruption and going public with (a) systematic bullying complaint, it is not a party I wish to belong to," she said in a statement on Monday.
