REBEL Frankston MP Geoff Shaw will be kicked out of State Parliament if his apology today is not considered genuine, Premier Denis Napthine says.
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The South West Coast MP said members on both sides of the political divide are likely to vote to expel Mr Shaw if he failed to offer a sincere and comprehensive apology.
“Mr Shaw will be judged on his statement to the house, whether he is sincere or not should be apparent to everyone,” the Premier said.
“Victorians take a very dim view of how Mr Shaw has acted in the past and this is his final opportunity to fully apologise for his actions.
“If he does not give a full and frank apology, he will be in contempt of Parliament and therefore expelled.”
To remain as a member of Parliament, Mr Shaw must make a full and genuine apology and repay nearly $7000 in fines by 1pm today. The fines were imposed three months ago after he was found to have misused his taxpayer-funded car.
Under the rules of State Parliament, Mr Shaw’s apology — technically for breaching the parliamentary code of conduct — could be delivered either as a personal explanation, through a 90-second member’s statement, or if Mr Shaw were to seek leave of the house to speak.
News Limited reported last month that there was a push from within state cabinet to expel Mr Shaw as he had failed during his suspension to properly atone for the rorting of his car allowance and petrol card.
If Mr Shaw is expelled today, it will be the first time a Victorian parliamentarian has been kicked out of Spring Street by his peers in more than a century.