Treasurer Tim Pallas offers apology after his comments about Kaushaliya Vaghela

Tim Pallas says he regrets questioning the state of mind of former colleague Kaushaliya Vaghela after she sensationally crossed the floor.

Treasurer Tim Pallas has apologised for comments he made about his former colleague Kaushaliya Vaghela.

Ms Vaghela sensationally crossed the floor of the upper house in parliament earlier this month to vote in support of a motion to refer the “red shirts” scandal to the Ombudsman.

At a press conference days later, Mr Pallas created controversy by questioning the rogue Labor MPs state of mind.

On Tuesday, Mr Pallas admitted he regretted the comments.

“I regret my choice of words. I think it was poorly structured and I unreservedly apologise,” he said.

Tim Pallas says he regrets his choice of words. Picture: David Crosling

PROTESTERS GATHER TO SHOW SUPPORT

A small group of protesters rallied on the steps of parliament on Tuesday, February 22 in support of rebel MP Kaushaliya Vaghela after she made bullying allegations against the Premier’s office.

When asked if the Premier’s office was co-operating with the WorkSafe investigation into the bullying claims, Premier Daniel Andrews said people would be wrong to suggest otherwise.

“If you’re suggesting otherwise, then you’d be wrong,” Mr Andrews said.

The Premier refused to be drawn on the investigation or claims made by Ms Vaghela.

While making no specific allegations about Mr Andrews, Ms Vaghela has criticised his office’s handling of her complaints that she was harassed by one of his advisers.

“Well, a person lost their job so I think that question has been well and truly answered,” Mr Andrews said.

“You don’t terminate someone if you don’t believe the veracity of the claims made against them.”

When asked if he was confident he would be cleared by WorkSafe, the Premier said he was “not a commentator on independent agencies”.

“I’m not here to determine the outcome of that, if there is even a process. That’s a matter for WorkSafe,” he said.

WORKSAFE INVESTIGATION KICKS OFF

Daniel Andrews and his private office are being investigated by Victoria’s workplace safety watchdog.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal WorkSafe has launched an investigation into the allegations of bullying by rebel MP Kaushaliya Vaghela.

The investigation is expected to also probe complaints about how the Premier’s private office handled Ms Vaghela’s complaints.

The upper house MP has repeatedly insisted she waited more than two years for her complaints to be taken seriously, saying they were first raised in April 2019.

But the state government has angrily refuted the suggestion, insisting swift action was taken after a formal written complaint was made in May last year.

They have consistently said there was no record of a bullying complaint regarding the staff member from 2019.

Vinayak Kolape, a former adviser to Mr Andrews, was sacked following an investigation into allegations made by Ms Vaghela.

Vinayak Kolape with Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Facebook

Kaushaliya Vaghela. Picture: David Caird

He and other members of the Premier’s Socialist Left faction, who were not employed by the government or ALP, were accused of a campaign of intimidation and harassment against Ms Vaghela.

She said it started after she defected to the party’s Right faction.

“They wanted to break me mentally, physically, and psychologically,” she said.

“They thought if they did this I would get tired and walk away, they wanted me to walk away. I was determined not to.”

Ms Vaghela has also levelled a series of explosive allegations at Mr Andrews, claiming she felt personally let down by the Premier and his office.

“He has a problem with women, but he also has a problem with anyone who doesn’t hold the same views as him or doesn’t do what he wants,” she said.

“People don’t see his real side. He’s a misogynist, that is what he is.

“He talks about respecting women but that’s not what I saw.”

Despite the explosive attack on Mr Andrews, Ms Vaghela has made no specific allegation of bullying against the Premier.

The new investigation was prompted by a referral to WorkSafe by the state opposition last Wednesday.

Victoria’s occupational health and safety laws allow anyone to request a WorkSafe investigation.

Opposition industrial relations and workplace safety spokesman, Nick Wakeling, welcomed the move.

“These claims deserve to be properly investigated,” he said.

“The Premier’s response of dismissing them – and the woman who is making them – is totally unacceptable.

“No matter what the investigation finds – the way in which Daniel Andrews has handled this matter speaks to his arrogance and ‘my way or the highway’ approach.”

WorkSafe is due to report by May.

Originally published as Treasurer Tim Pallas offers apology after his comments about Kaushaliya Vaghela