Mr Ayres says the revelation about ballot changes "calls into question the integrity and transparency of the NSW Branch's membership system, the conduct of the staff of the NSW Branch and the conduct of a Senator." NSW Labor officials want an investigation into the ballot that saw Bill Shorten elected party leader. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In February Fairfax Media revealed that the ALP's internal Review Tribunal found the mailing addresses for 50 ballot papers in the leadership ballot between Mr Shorten and Anthony Albanese were altered by NSW Labor head office. The changes were made at the request of Michael Buckland, then a staff member of Labor Senator Dastyari, who is a senior member of the right faction that backed Mr Shorten in the ballot. Twenty ballot papers were diverted to Hicham Zraika, an Auburn councillor who the tribunal found engaged in "unworthy conduct" during an unrelated preselection for the state seat of Auburn, in which he was accused of branchstacking offences.

He was subsequently suspended from the ALP for six months. Senator Dastyari has repeatedly denied knowledge of the request to change the mailing addresses for the leadership ballots, which in itself would not have affected the result. The tribunal heard membership address changes were requested in an email from Mr Buckland to NSW Labor head office, but the email was never produced and Mr Buckland did not give evidence. On Wednesday, Mr Graham wrote to Mr Clements proposing the NSW administrative committee instruct the tribunal to "investigate this matter further". This should involve a "full independent audit" of membership records "to determine exactly how many changes to membership addresses took place during the ballot period".

The letter, obtained by Fairfax Media seeks the whereabouts of Mr Buckland's email, precise details of how many ballots were changed and proposes that the Australian Electoral Commission conduct future ballots. "What is to stop similar events occurring in the ballot for National President about to be conducted by the Labor Party?" Mr Graham asks. The letter from Mr Ayres, sent in February, also seeks an audit and requests a "full report" on the matter be provided to the NSW administrative committee, which meets on Friday. On Thursday, Mr Clements said there was no need for an independent audit. "I have provided Mr Ayres and Mr Graham documented proof to assure them that the irregularities identified by the Review Tribunal were isolated to the Auburn electorate alone," he said.

Mr Clements said Mr Buckland's email does not exist and that the request was made by phone. He would write to the electoral commission seeking a quote for having it run future Labor ballots before a decision is made. A spokesman for Mr Shorten and Senator Dastyari declined to comment.