These young men, Dwyer alleges, ran a major branch stacking operation that was designed to take over the Liberal party and promote their conservative agenda, while at the same time using their influence to deliver the outcomes their benefactor sought.

It was not just idle boasting by Nassif. Soon after that taped call, he got what he wanted: the Baulkham Hills MP, David Elliott, lost his preselection. Kevin Anderson, the minister responsible for the building commissioner, was replaced and Chandler, under enormous pressure, resigned.

Its good that these things are being uncovered by ICAC, but it is really a weakness of our democracy that its so easy for these branch level activities to happen unnoticed. I think one of the problens is definitely low political party membership. Be much harder to pull this shit where there are large and active membership bases whatever the colours of the Party.