Labor Leader Luke Foley threatens to dish dirt on Liberal ministers over calls for him to step aside
LUKE Foley sensationally threatened to dish dirt on the personal lives of five government ministers in rejecting calls to stand aside from the Labor leadership while he faces an harassment investigation.
NSW
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- Liberals call on Labor Leader Luke Foley to step aside
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LUKE Foley sensationally threatened to dish dirt on the personal lives of five government ministers in rejecting calls to stand aside from the Labor leadership while he faces an harassment investigation.
As the ABC committed to investigate allegations Mr Foley drunkenly harassed one of its reporters in 2016, the NSW Labor leader faced calls to apply the same standard which the party applied to backbench MP Hugh McDermott, who stood aside from a leadership position while investigated — and later cleared — over harassment earlier this year.
Multiple Labor MPs last night said privately they wanted Mr Foley replaced as leader to end the distraction, but conceded there could be no move against him without a complaint from the journalist at the centre of the allegations.
Roads Minister Melinda Pavey launched an attack in Question Time yesterday declaring: “He should stand aside while there’s an investigation into him.
“He asked the member for Prospect to stand aside; he should do the same.”
Mr Foley’s spokesman simply told The Telegraph “there is no complaint” against the Labor leader.
However, in Question Time, a clearly enraged Mr Foley retaliated after Ms Pavey’s remarks with threats to unload on the private lives of Berejiklian government ministers.
Taking to the lecturn, Mr Foley gestured wildly as he delivered the ultimatum.
“We would welcome such a debate but we would amend it to talk about you and you and you and you,” he yelled, forcefully pointing his finger at the ministers one at a time.
The Daily Telegraph has been briefed by a Labor spokesman that Mr Foley pointed to ministers Pavey, Andrew Constance, David Elliott and Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
He then also threatened Innovation Minister Matt Kean, in a heated exchange after Question Time ended.
Mr Kean told Parliament that Mr Foley would “do anything” to save his job. “He will bully his colleagues, he will try to sue the press gallery just to buy their silence,” he said. “He will even lie to save his job.”
Mr Foley then lashed Mr Kean for not going further: “You didn’t have the guts to go on with it. Don’t let fear hold you back Matt. We haven’t started on you yet.”
Labor MPs are privately discussing the future of their leader but have expressed frustration at the impasse concerning the journalist.
“It’s a massive distraction,” one Shadow minister said. “He’s on the front page of the paper for all the wrong reasons. But he’s not going to stand down voluntarily and how can we go him without evidence.”
Another said: “If (the reporter) complains or confirms, he’s dead.”
Sports Minister Stuart Ayres this morning waded into the issue saying only Mr Foley knows whether the allegation is true.
Mr Ayres also said it was “up to him” regarding whether Mr Foley should follow the standard the party has set for others.
“Luke Foley set this standard when he asked the Member for Prospect to stand aside when a similar allegation was made — he set that standard, it’s now up to him about whether he lives up to that standard or not,” he said.
“Whether the allegations are true or accurate I think only Luke Foley really knows that.”
Quizzed on why he would not back his ministerial colleague’s calls for the NSW Opposition Leader to stand aside, Mr Ayres downplayed Ms Pavey’s attack in Question Time yesterday.
“I think Melinda said in the Parliament that Luke Foley set a standard — it’s now up to him on whether he lives up to that standard,” he said.
“The ABC has said they’ll conduct their own investigation — it’s up to Luke Foley on how he conducts himself during that period of time.”
Mr Ayres hit back at questions in relation to whether the Coalition was reluctant to get involved, saying: “It’s not our issue — this is a standard and an issue for Luke Foley to uphold.”