Labor expected to avoid Prahran by-election in wake of Hibbins resignation

Prahran voters will return to the polls to elect a new MP after former Greens member Sam Hibbins quit parliament over allegations of inappropriate behaviour — but Jacinta Allan has been tight-lipped on whether Labor will field a candidate.

The Greens and Victorian Liberals are set to battle it out for the highly prized seat of Prahran, with Labor expected not to field a by-election candidate.

Voters in Prahran will soon head back to the polls to elect a new MP after former Greens member Sam Hibbins officially resigned from the parliament following allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

Earlier this month, Mr Hibbins resigned from the Greens, where he was deputy leader, after he admitted to having an affair with a staffer.

He resigned from the parliament altogether on Saturday afternoon, sparking a by-election, as further revelations emerged of inappropriate behaviour towards a parliamentary intern in 2016.

The Greens and the Liberal Party have both announced they will run candidates in the by-election, however the Labor Party has so far remained tight-lipped on its plans.

A decision will ultimately be inked on Tuesday night when the administrative committee meets, but the Herald Sun can reveal the party is unlikely to put forward a candidate.

Sam Hibbins resigned from parliament on Saturday sparking a by-election in the seat of Prahran.

Several Labor sources — from across both the government and the party more broadly — said they had been informed on Tuesday that it was head office’s intention not to run a candidate.

It’s understood the party doesn’t want to risk a bad result at a time when the polls are pointing towards growing support for the Liberal Party.

Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday remained tight-lipped on whether she wanted to run a candidate in the seat.

“That’ll be a matter for the Australian Labor Party Victorian branch,” she said.

“Any views I have on this matter will be dealt with privately with the state secretary.”

One party source said: “JA’s called it — absolutely we will not be running a candidate”.

Outgoing federal Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah, whose inner city seat was abolished, had been flagged by some internally as a possible Labor candidate option, despite her vying for a spot in the Senate.

Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday remained tight-lipped on whether she wanted to run a candidate in the seat. Picture: David Crosling

On Tuesday, the Greens were forced to defend their handling of allegations made against Mr Hibbins.

It’s alleged that university interns were barred from working in Mr Hibbins’ office from as early as 2016 when a complaint about inappropriate behaviour was made to the Department of Parliamentary Services.

It has been claimed that in 2016 a university student reported that Mr Hibbins tried to kiss her after an event.

Outgoing federal Labor MP Michelle Ananda-Rajah had been flagged by some internally as a possible Labor candidate option. Picture: Gary Ramage

Ms Allan said the Greens had questions to answer as to why they pre-selected Mr Hibbins at the 2018 and 2022 elections despite allegations having been potentially flagged against him in 2016.

“We have seen in the Victorian parliament, they have been very quick to pass judgement and give opinion on the behaviour of others,” she said.

“We are about to see a by-election in the state seat of Prahran that has been triggered by the alleged behaviour of the former Member for Prahran.

“That is why the Greens political party should explain what they knew, whey they knew and why they didn’t take action.

Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the party made inquiries at the time but was told by the Department of Parliamentary Services that the matter had been closed to the “full satisfaction” of the alleged victim, who had requested privacy.

Ms Sandell said the party received limited information at the time, and the information she received came from Mr Hibbins.

“He clearly misrepresented information to us, and his word cannot be trusted,” she said.

“I’ve been very clear that he’s not welcome in our party room and it’s good that he’s resigned as a member of parliament.”

Ms Sandell said the allegations against Mr Hibbins were “distressing”.