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THE Victorian Premier and his deputy are standing by Murray Valley MP Tim McCurdy despite allegations of misconduct linked to the sale of two rural properties near Cobram.
Just two months out from the November election, PGW Agriservices Australia has lodged a writ suing the former real estate agent for $375,741, claiming he wrongly sought commissions for the properties in 2009 — a year before he was elected to Parliament.
The MP is also facing a possible fraud investigation, with a Victoria Police spokeswoman yesterday confirming detectives had “received a report of an alleged fraud involving the sale of two properties in Cobram” and that “the matter is being assessed to determine if criminal activity has occurred”.
Mr McCurdy yesterday declined to comment except to deny any wrongdoing.
A Nationals spokesperson, however, spoke out in his defence, saying PGW Agriservices — understood to be part of leading New Zealand agribusiness PGG Wrightson — had issued the writ after “hawking their story unsuccessfully to media”.
He said Mr McCurdy, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Tourism and Trade, had the full support of Premier Denis Napthine, Deputy Premier Peter Ryan and the Nationals, and would not be standing down from his duties.
Mr McCurdy sold his Cobram real estate business TTRM Real Estate to PGG Wrightson Real Estate Australia in June 2008, but remained on board as a sales agent.
PGG’s New Zealand parent company wound up operations just eight months later, terminating all staff including Mr McCurdy and selling the business for $1 to the then-manager Andrew Gilmour, who began operating as Gilmour and Co Real Estate.
PGG Wrightson changed its name to PGW Agriservices in December 2011, according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission register.
The writ alleges Mr McCurdy negotiated the sales of two properties between June and December 2008: a dairy farm called “Malmo” at Boosey for $7.8 million, and a Katamatite property called “Pinegrove” for $3.9 million.
But in February 2009, Mr McCurdy allegedly told Mr Gilmour both sales had “fallen over” .
In the coming months, when Mr McCurdy had moved on to work for a Shepparton real estate firm, the sales proceeded.
Mr McCurdy is alleged to have sent letters to the vendors on a “Gilmour and Co” letterhead seeking commission on the Pinegrove sale and a second with an “Andrew Gilmour Real Estate” letterhead regarding the Malmo sale.