Andrews shoots down exiled MP’s hopes of returning to Labor
Premier Daniel Andrews has dampened Will Fowles’ hopes of returning to the parliamentary Labor Party, as the exiled Ringwood MP comes under increasing pressure to resign as chair of a high-profile parliamentary committee.
Fowles, who was booted to the crossbench on Saturday night after a “serious assault” alleged to have occurred earlier last week, has vowed to clear his name.
Premier Daniel Andrews says party room resignations are not, in his experience, temporary. Credit: Justin McManus
“I strenuously deny any allegation of assault,” the Ringwood MP said in a statement on Sunday.
“I was asked to stand aside as a member of the parliamentary Labor Party, a situation I expect will be temporary.”
But the premier rejected that assessment during a Tuesday morning press conference.
“Resignations are not, in my experience, temporary,” Andrews said.
Ringwood MP Will Fowles.Credit: Facebook
“I just remind everyone ... that this was not a leave of absence. This was not a suspension. A resignation was sought. And a resignation was given.”
Fowles has been contacted about the premier’s comments.
Fowles previously said he would not make any further comment until he is cleared of wrongdoing. While the premier’s office has referred the allegation to Victoria Police, the agency has not received an official complaint from the alleged victim.
Asked whether the Ringwood MP would be allowed to rejoin the parliamentary Labor Party if a legal process finds no wrongdoing, the premier told reporters: “I’m not going to speculate on that.”
One Labor MP, speaking to The Age on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said Fowles’ return to the party room would need to go to a ballot. Even if it got to that stage, Fowles was highly unlikely to secure the majority of votes given the premier’s strong stance, the MP said.
Fowles has not resigned as chair of the electoral matters committee, due to hold hearings this week, or from parliament altogether. Chairs of parliamentary committees can receive pay bumps of almost $20,000.
“He’ll fight it,” the MP said of any further push to expel Fowles.
Another MP, who sits on the electoral review committee and who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, said members have been told it’s unlikely Fowles will be in attendance for Thursday and Friday’s hearings.
If that is the case, upper house Liberal MP Evan Mulholland – who is the committee’s deputy chair – would be expected to carry out Fowles’ duties at the two hearings.
The committee is currently examining the conduct of last year’s state election and will this week hear from the outgoing secretary of the Victorian Labor Party, as well as the state directors for the Nationals and Greens.
Asked on Tuesday about the chairmanship of the electoral review committee, Andrews said that was a matter for Fowles and other members of the committee.
“I would have thought if you formed the view that it was appropriate to resign when asked to, from the Victorian parliamentary Labor Party, then I would think it was appropriate to resign as the chairman of that committee,” Andrews said.
“But that’s another matter for him. And, indeed, a matter for the other members of that committee. I’m not on that committee. I don’t have a vote on who becomes the [new] chair.”
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