Shannon Deery: We can’t choose who is allowed to be a victim
MP Kaushaliya Vaghela’s bullying claims raise many questions about a toxic culture within the Labor Party. And there’s a dangerous intent behind the victim blaming.
Opinion
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After the High Court acquitted George Pell of child sex abuse, Premier Daniel Andrews issued a carefully worded statement.
“I have a message for every single victim and survivor of child sex abuse: I see you. I hear you. I believe you,” he said.
The court unanimously held that the Cardinal’s conviction did not meet the required standard of proof, after being tested before a magistrate, two juries and three Supreme Court justices.
The court of public opinion held that the justice system got it wrong.
A swathe of activists, politicians, and commentators rushed to throw their support behind Pell’s accuser. Most had no knowledge of the case beyond media reports.
Former health minister Jenny Mikakos said to all victims of child abuse: “keep speaking up. I believe you”.
Reason Party leader Fiona Patten went further, declaring justice had “not been served”.
“Australians know the real truth about George Pell,” she said. “No amount of holy water can wash the stain of child sexual abuse away from the Catholic Church.”
Strong words.
There is no point rehashing the details of the Pell case; they are the subject of such polarising views they will be debated in university law courses for many years to come.
But the response to the entire saga, from before he was charged to his acquittal, is emblematic of the current “believe all” culture that has become entrenched in contemporary society.
It has become the norm that victims of abuse are to be believed, no questions asked, such that the justice system now routinely takes a back seat.
When it suits.
Contrast that with the alleged workplace bullying of female Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela. There has been virtual radio silence.
The first term MP has alleged widespread harassment since entering parliament in 2018 and said repeated complaints to the Premier’s office were ignored.
She has claimed it left her near total physical and psychological breakdown, and at times fearing for her safety.
And yet nothing. No shows of support from the usual suspects, nothing from women in solidarity, no backing from colleagues.
The Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency won’t comment.
Indian community leaders are privately voicing their “disappointment” with Ms Vaghela, or simply refusing to comment.
The Premier described the bullying claims as “fantasy without foundation”.
Treasurer Tim Pallas appeared to question Ms Vaghela’s state of mind.
A string of female Labor MPs were rolled out on Sunday to espouse the virtues of the Premier.
Child sex abuse is vastly different to workplace bullying. But the dangerous victim-blaming common to both has the same intent: it tells survivors they are to blame, and discourages others from coming forward.
Ms Vaghela is a close ally of Adem Somyurek and like the former Labor powerbroker has been embroiled in branch-stacking allegations. For some, this makes her persona non grata as a victim.
But we can’t simply pick and choose who is allowed to be a victim.
It cannot be that because we don’t like you, you cannot be a victim.
It cannot be that because we don’t like what you stand for, you cannot be a victim.
And it cannot be that because we really like who you’ve accused, we don’t have to listen.
Despite talk of fantasies and mental states, there can be no doubt that Ms Vaghela was subjected to questionable conduct.
The subject of her claims was sacked from the Premier’s office. Public servants aren’t sacked for no good reason.
The Premier says that’s evidence that the complaints were taken seriously.
Her complaints came years before she was accused of branch stacking and dumped from the party.
And long before she sensationally crossed the floor to vote to have her own party’s election rort reinvestigated.
It was being referred to as “that person” by the Premier that she says was the final straw.
Anyone who doesn’t believe her allegations need not look long and hard to find a long line of female Labor MPs who might attest to a toxic culture inside Labor.
Mikakos was thrown under the bus in the fallout of the government’s hotel quarantine disaster.
Marlene Kairouz, another Somyurek ally, has claimed “bully boys” are running the ALP and lobbyists are pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Once viewed as a rising star and future premier, Jane Garrett resigned from Cabinet after a messy dispute between the United Firefighters Union and the government.
Shortly later former CFA chief Lucinda Nolan quit over the same issue.
Ms Vaghela’s initial complaints were made as the Andrews government was working on the details of its new workplace laws, creating manslaughter charged for work-related suicides.
“Bullying has no place in Victoria,” the Premier said, spruiking the new laws.
“Because mental health is just as important as physical health – and everyone deserves to come home from work safe.”
The many unanswered questions that flow from Ms Vaghela’s claims will be of great concern to the ALP in an election year.
As will the claims she has made about the Premier being a misogynist.
The Andrews government’s record on women’s issues is a strong one. It has implemented gender equality laws, has a Cabinet of more than 50 per cent women, and a caucus which is almost 50 per cent women.
But it can’t absolve them of all responsibility.
Because if those women aren’t allowed to speak, or are silenced when they do, what’s the point?
Shannon Deery is Herald Sun state politics editor
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