Labor MP Will Fowles to miss key parliamentary hearings amid assault allegations

Victorian MP Will Fowles has pulled out of scheduled hearings of a key parliamentary committee amid allegations of sexual assault.

AXED MP Will Fowles has pulled out of scheduled hearings of a key parliamentary committee he chairs.

The Herald Sun can reveal Fowles, who resigned from the parliamentary Labor Party on Saturday amid an explosive sexual assault allegation, has notified the Electoral Matters Committee he will be absent from hearings scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

The committee is conducting an inquiry into the conduct of the 2022 Victorian state election.

Several sources confirmed Mr Fowles would miss the hearings, but said he had shown no signs he intended of quitting as chair of the committee which adds an extra $19,883 to his $198,839 parliamanetary wage.

The member for Ringwood, who was first elected to parliament in 2018, abruptly resigned from the Labor Party after the government referred the assault allegation to Victoria Police on Saturday.

The resignation came two days after a complaint was first raised with the Premier’s private office.

A Victoria Police spokesman on Tuesday confirmed an official complaint had still not been received from a victim in relation to the matter.

Sources said Mr Fowles was seen acting erratically inside the state parliament’s members’ bar on Wednesday before the alleged sexual assault on a female government employee.

Mr Fowles has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

Victorian MP Will Fowles quit the parliamentary Labor Party amid assault allegations.

“I was shocked and distressed to learn last night that an allegation of assault has been made against me,” he said on Sunday.

“The details of the claim have not been put to me. I strenuously deny any allegation of assault. It is not true. There was no assault.

“I was asked to stand aside as a member of the Parliamentary Labor Party, a situation I expect will be temporary.”

Daniel Andrews on Tuesday said he would not describe Mr Fowles’ absence as temporary.

“Resignations are not in my experience temporary,” he said.

“I’ll just again remind everyone that this was not a leave of absence, this was not a suspension, a resignation was sought and resignation was given just moments later.

“It’s done. He’s no longer a member of the parliamentary Labor Party.”

Mr Andrews said he wouldn’t speculate about Mr Fowles’ future and wouldn’t say if he’d be welcomed back to the parliamentary Labor Party if his name is cleared of allegations.

Mr Fowles is facing pressure to step down from his role on the Electoral Matters Committee.

The Premier said he was still getting advice about removing Mr Fowles from that role.

“I would have thought that if you formed the view that it was appropriate to resign … from the Victorian parliamentary Labor Party, then I would think it was appropriate to resign as the chairman of that committee,” he said.