Allegations over improper conduct involving the Greens' perennial Batman candidate, Alex Bhathal, were referred to the party's disputes panel in 2013.

The motion was moved at a July 2013 state council meeting by Senator Richard Di Natale, who is now the party's leader.

The revelation comes just eight days before the closely contested by-election in the inner-Melbourne electorate of Batman, where the Greens are in a head-to-head battle with Labor.

Senator Di Natale's motion followed what the ABC has been told was a lengthy and "heated" discussion over the alleged misuse of confidential information from the party's executive meeting.

Senator Di Natale said his motion was merely "procedural".

In a statement to the ABC, he said: "The issue of in camera minutes was already being debated at state council and remained unresolved so I simply suggested a procedural motion to refer it to another forum.

"This is common practice and we regularly refer contested matters from state council to other working groups."

The ALP's margin in Batman is just 1 per cent.

The March 17 byelection, triggered by David Feeney's resignation over his dual citizenship, pits Ms Bhathal against ACTU president Ged Kearney.

It is Ms Bhathal's sixth attempt to win Batman.

But this campaign has been coloured by internal acrimony over the candidate.

Several Greens told the ABC they are so opposed to Ms Bhathal that they would prefer she lose the poll.

2013 state council

The issue of alleged misuse of in-camera information from the executive meeting had been the subject of internal party ructions for months, correspondence seen by the ABC showed.

Party members claimed Ms Bhathal had misused confidential information from in-camera meetings she attended in her role as Victorian co-convenor.

The July 2013 state council was attended by 53 party members, including current and former senior party figures such as state director Larissa Brown, current state leader Samantha Ratnam, former state leader Greg Barber, state MP Colleen Hartland, Senator Janet Rice and Senator Di Natale.

The minutes record that Ms Ratnam requested permission "to view [the] in-camera minutes and if the matter cannot be resolved [it] be referred to Disputes [the Greens' Disputes Resolution Panel]".

That proposal was unsuccessful.

But a second proposal, put by Senator Di Natale, was passed: that the party's Dispute Resolution Panel — which has powers to investigate complaints about Greens members — consider whether the use of the in-camera minutes had been "appropriate", and report back to the executive.

Minutes from a meeting of the Greens' state council in July, 2013. ( ABC News )

The minutes did not name Ms Bhathal, and the disputes panel inquiry did not specifically investigate her conduct, instead broadly examining the use of in-camera information in the Victorian Greens.

The inquiry made no findings in relation to any person but made a series of recommendations about how the party should manage in-camera information.

Asked about the historic complaints on Friday, Ms Bhathal told Sky News: "There may have been complaints over processes … But they didn't involve just me.

"They involved other people as well, and they were about process rather than conduct, in my understanding."

Earlier, a spokesman for Ms Bhathal's campaign said the issues raised "relate to a period over five years ago when the party was undertaking significant reforms including the establishment of a position of state director".

"These reforms were vigorously debated but once passed, have been an important factor in the Greens recent success," he said.

Ms Ratnam told the ABC that she had never instigated a complaint against Ms Bhathal, nor had she sought her expulsion.

"Alex and Samantha have had disagreements about process from time to time, as you would expect with people who have worked together over many years," a statement issued by Ms Ratnam said.

2014 – use of party email list

The ABC can also reveal that in 2014 the party executive formally informed Ms Bhathal that it had "concerns about an email sent by you to branch office bearers".

Ms Bhathal's email was about internal party mechanics. It was sent to "an email list not widely available across the party".

Prior to the official letter to Ms Bhathal, correspondence from then party state secretary Judy Cameron, to senior officials states: "I strongly believe this is a risk management issue.

"This is repeat behaviour and in dealing with the matters last year Alex showed little judgement, no remorse, or understanding that what she did could embarrass or damage the party.

"This is not just any member, this is a person who desires to represent us at the highest level."

Ms Bhathal did not respond to specific questions about her claimed use of a party email list in 2014.

2018 - 101 page dossier

In mid-January 2018 Greens branch members filed a 101-page dossier canvassing a range of complaints against Ms Bhathal, with some calling for dis-endorsement as Batman candidate and expulsion from the party.

Last week when news of the dossier broke, Senator Di Natale said the claims were "unsubstantiated".

"The complaints were considered very carefully by the Victorian Greens and what they have resolved to do is completely back Alex Bhathal as their candidate for Batman," he said

In response to the dossier, and following David Feeney's announcement on 31 January that he was quitting parliament, the Green's Endorsement Review Committee resolved to back Ms Bhathal's by-election tilt.

However, the ABC has been told by several Greens sources that the substance of the allegations about her conduct have not been investigated, as required by the party's rules.

In response to a series of questions on Thursday, a spokesman for Senator Di Natale said: "None of these allegations have been substantiated and Alex continues to have the overwhelming support of her branch and the party."