Labor MP Emma Husar to recontest Sydney seat after quitting politics

Labor MP Emma Husar is eyeing a political comeback, saying she has been cleared of the bullying allegations and wants to recontest her Sydney seat.

Labor MP Emma Husar has reversed her decision to quit politics, saying she has been cleared of the bullying allegations.

The Member for Lindsay slammed the “darker elements” of the NSW Labor branch today as she declared she would fight to contest the next election — including not ruling out running as an independent candidate if she fails to win preselection for the seat with Labor.

It comes after reports today NSW Labor could preselect former state MP Diane Beamer for the seat.

Ms Husar announced she would quit politics on August 9 amid a political storm over bullying accusations by former staff just a day before an independent investigation ordered by Labor found there was “ no basis for Ms Husar to resign from the Australian parliament”.

Speaking to Sky News today, the Labor backbencher said “there was a whole bunch of pressure being applied” for her to step down and “in order for that to end it was seen as the only way to make it stop.”

EARLIER: Inquiry findings about Husar’s behaviour

EARLIER: Emma Husar quits politics

Emma Husar has been the subject of bullying and bad behaviour complaints. Picture: Gary Ramage

“Once all these allegations were bathed in sunlight, which is the best disinfectant for this kind of garbage, it was like, what am I resigning for?” she said.

“Why would I step down? What is it here that has ended my career?”

The MP said she hadn’t heard the reports Ms Beamer might be preselected for her seat until today, revealing she met with NSW Labor general secretary Kaila Murnain two weeks ago to discuss running again.

“My understanding is that I am still the endorsed candidate,” Ms Husar told Sky News, but added: “I think the Labor Party in NSW have got a certain idea about how things want to go but I am here, and I am saying I’m willing to put my hand to do the job that they asked me to do a few years ago.”

Ms Husar also said she enjoyed a lot of support from her colleagues in parliament and blamed a “few bad seeds” in the Labor Party, including a disgruntled former staffer that she had fired, for causing the political storm which prompted her decision to quit politics.

Husar tears up as Bill Shorten delivering the National Apology to survivors of child sexual abuse. Picture: AAP

Despite the MP’s claim she was cleared by the independent inquiry conducted by barrister John Whelan into allegations of bullying and harassment lodged against her but the report backed former staffers’ claims that her management style was “offensive and unreasonable”.

It also backed complaints that Ms Husar had asked staff to perform “non-work related and personal duties” and recommended that allegations over the misuse of political entitlements be referred to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority.

She was however cleared over allegations of “lewd conduct” and sexual harassment.