Queensland Labor threatened by electoral fraud

BY GRAHAM MATTHEWS

BRISBANE -- The Queensland Labor Party has landed in hot water after ALP member and Townsville political identity Karen Ehrman, jailed for nine months in early August, alleged that electoral fraud was widespread in the party's Townsville division.

Ehrman was found guilty of falsifying electoral enrolment declarations in order to stack Labor party preselection ballots. She tendered a statutory declaration alleging that ALP figures maintained their children's electoral registration long after they had moved elsewhere.

The allegations have become the subject of a Criminal Justice Commission investigation. Labor Premier Peter Beattie has pledged the party will call an early election if any evidence of electoral fraud affecting the result of state seats is uncovered.

Ehrman's conviction follows persistent allegations of branch stacking by the Liberal Party in a Brisbane seat and media reports of branch stacking by the Victorian and NSW ALP.

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