ALP Parramatta candidate Donna Davis makes sworn statement refuting racial comments claims

Labor’s Parramatta candidate Donna Davis has denied claims she made racially-charged comments to two Liberal volunteers in 2021, making a sworn statement on the alleged matter.

Labor’s Parramatta candidate Donna Davis has made a sworn statement refuting claims she made racially-charged comments about women to two Liberal volunteers in 2021 in a bid to quash the scandal.

However, in the statutory declaration provided to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Davis did not deny that she told two Liberal volunteers that they “lock (women) up”.

“I did not make racist comments or racist slurs during the 2021 local government pre-poll period at the Epping Early voting centre,” she said in her declaration made on Tuesday.

The declaration was made in an attempt to rebut claims from Liberal volunteers revealed by the Telegraph.

“I recall making comments about the lack of female representation among the Liberal volunteers who were assisting the Liberal Hornsby candidates and the independent running in Parramatta, JP Abood,” the declaration said.

NSW Labor Candidate for Parramatta Donna Davis with Labor Leader Chris Minns. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“These comments were made in the context of current social commentary around the perceived ‘lack of’ or ‘limited’ female representation among the Liberal Party’s membership and in all 3 levels of government,” the statement said.

It comes after Labor leader Chris Minns ruled out taking action against Ms Davis after claims she made offensive comments about the ethnic background of two Liberal party volunteers.

Mr Minns said he believed Parramatta Lord Mayor’s Donna Davis’ version of events, where she claimed she was referring to the Liberal Party’s lack of women when she allegedly said to two men: “Where are your women at. (Sic) Where are they? You lock them up.”

It comes after two Liberal Party volunteers – one of Lebanese background and one of Indian background - alleged Ms Davis made the comments about their ethnic background while campaigning in the 2021 local government elections, which she denies.

The two men, who have signed statutory declarations, say Ms Davis approached them on a pre-poll booth in November 2021 and said the comments.

Mr Minns said he accepted Ms Davis’ version of events, which was that her comments were about the lack of women campaigning for the Liberals.

Mr Minns refused calls to take action over the comments allegedly made by Ms Davis. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“She’s an extremely trustworthy person, I’ve always taken her to be a person of her word,” Mr Minns said Tuesday.

He also claimed the revelations could be a mid-election ploy to muddy the waters in the key seat.

“I just remind everybody, we’re in the middle of an election campaign. Donna’s obviously running for the state seat of Parramatta, (and the) people that are up against her are advocating on behalf of another candidate, but I’d stand by Donna absolutely,” he said.

“She’s someone who’s committed to that community. She’s worked tirelessly as the Lord Mayor of Parramatta, she’s run a positive and optimistic campaign about what’s possible in that fast growing part in New South Wales.

Donna Davis has the backing of Chris Minns. Picture: John Appleyard

Mr Minns said there was “no similarities” between Ms Davis’ alleged comments and those of dumped Liberal candidate for Wyong Matthew Squires, who was disendorsed by the party on Monday evening after a string of homophobic, Islamophobic and anti-vax comments made online were uncovered.

“There’s no similarities between the two and I think fair minded people will see a world of difference between the comments made by the Liberal Party candidate on the Central Coast and a Lord Mayor of Sydney who’s explained the circumstances,” he said.

LABOR’S PARRAMATTA HOPEFUL UNDER FIRE FOR ‘OFFENSIVE COMMENTS’

Two Liberal Party volunteers claim Parramatta mayor and Labor candidate Donna Davis made offensive comments about their ethnic background while campaigning in the 2021 local government elections.

Ms Davis, who denies she made any comments relating to race, has also been accused of presiding over a “mean girls” workplace culture at Parramatta Council.

That comes after the workplace regulator ordered that councillors improve their behaviour after claims of intimidation and ridicule.

The extraordinary claims were made by two Liberal volunteers – one from an Indian background and one from a Lebanese background.

They claim Ms Davis approached them on a pre-poll booth in November 2021 and said: “Where are your women at. (Sic) Where are they? You lock them up.”

Labor candidate and Parramatta Mayor Donna Davis. Picture: Monique Harmer

Liberal branch member Jean Pierre Abood, an independent candidate for Parramatta Council at the time, made the allegation in a statutory declaration seen by The Daily Telegraph.

“At the time, I was shocked by her words and as she continued, I told her ‘just go away’,” Mr Abood said in his statutory declaration.

Mr Abood, who has Lebanese heritage, said the comments were directed at himself and Liberal Hornsby councillor Sreeni Pillamarri.

Mr Pillamarri, who has Indian heritage, also made a statutory declaration stating Ms Davis made the comments.

He said he was “highly insulted” by the remarks.

In the sworn statement, Mr Abood said he confronted Ms Davis about the comment later that day.

Councillor Sreeni Pillamarri.

Jean Pierre Abood.

“Later in the day, Donna Davies (sic) approached me and said, ‘why are you upset JP, it’s just banter’,” Mr Abood said in his declaration.

“I said to her ‘No it is not … You know nothing about Sreeni, me or my family. How dare you say such a thing.’”

The Telegraph spoke to other Parramatta council sources who said Mr Abood raised the alleged comments with them at the time.

Mr Abood told the Telegraph yesterday that he was “shocked” by the altercation.

“I felt that she was accusing me of not treating my wife with the utmost respect,” he said.

“Who says that in this day and age?”

Ms Davis denies she said the words alleged by the Liberal volunteers, but admitted to making a remark about the lack of women on Liberal polling booths.

“I only made comments about the lack of Liberal women volunteers at pre-poll at the local government elections in November 2021 and the Liberal Party’s broader issues with women,” she said in a statement.

Donna Davis said she made a remark about the Liberal party’s “broader issues with women”. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The allegations come after SafeWork NSW slapped an improvement notice on the council earlier this year over claims of “ridicule” and “intimidation” from councillors.

The notice said that a SafeWork inspector had interviewed council workers who witnessed or were subject to inappropriate behaviour from councillors.

The notice directed the council to improve its processes for controlling “psychological risks in the workplace”.

A council source, who did not wish to be named, accused Ms Davis of presiding over a “mean girls culture” leading to the improvement notice.

“As the Lord Mayor I am committed to working closely with my Councillor colleagues, Council employees and SafeWork NSW to address these important issues to ensure everyone feels safe in the workplace,” Ms Davis said of the improvement notice.