Meralyn Klein: Ex Yan Yean Liberal candidate fights assault charge

A former state election candidate and Nillumbik councillor is tied up in a court battle over an alleged assault on another state election candidate. She has called the allegations “clearly politically motivated”.

Meralyn Klein is continuing to fight assault allegations.

A former state election candidate and Nillumbik councillor is continuing her fight against a police charge that alleges she assaulted another election candidate in Whittlesea two years ago.

Meralyn Klein’s lawyer fronted Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court on her behalf on Thursday, November 12, to contest a charge of unlawful assault.

Ms Klein, standing as a Liberal, allegedly assaulted a fellow female candidate for Yan Yean outside the Whittlesea early voting centre on Church St on November 19, 2018

She was one of about 10 people campaigning when she allegedly elbowed the candidate in the stomach as she walked past her.

The court heard the complainant had told police the impact of the elbowing forced her to step back, but she was uninjured.

The complainant has alleged she said to Ms Klein at the time, “That’s assault”, and Ms Klein allegedly kept walking.

“I don’t know if she was trying to hurt me or just push me out of the way,” the complainant’s statement read.

A witness told police she was a 1m from the candidate when she saw Ms Klein allegedly assault her.

The court heard the witness’ statement said the incident came after Ms Klein spent a lot of time pacing around the chalk line, which it appeared she was doing “provocatively”.

Lawyer Ashlee Cannon said Ms Klein adamantly denied ever assaulting the woman.

“(Klein) simply has no memory or recall of the actual day or anything of this nature ever occurring,” she said.

Ms Cannon said the “trivial” matter carrying on so long had significantly affected her client.

Ms Klein, who became a Nillumbik councillor in 2016, again ran for election last month but was unsuccessful.

In the lead up to the election she released a statement about the alleged assault, referring to it as a “false and baseless allegation”, on her Facebook page.

“This allegation is clearly politically motivated. It is totally unfounded, totally untrue, totally fabricated, and is completely slanderous. It is intended to damage my reputation in an attempt to stop me running for public office,” she wrote.

“I will continue to stand up against this sort of intimidation and defend myself from this spurious lie.”

Ms Klein will return to court in May.

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