Victorian state election 2018: Labor candidate forced to quit campaign says accusers have an axe to grind

A LABOR candidate, who quit as revelations he struck a Knox councillor were unveiled, has hit back at his accusers saying the alleged victims have an ‘axe to grind’.

A LABOR candidate who quit as allegations he struck a councillor were unveiled has hit back at his accusers, saying the alleged victims have an ‘axe to grind’.

Former Bayswater Labor candidate Peter Lockwood sensationally withdrew from November 24’s election as the Herald Sun revealed he allegedly punched a Knox councillor and called another a ‘c***.’

But Mr Lockwood, former Knox Council mayor, denied he punched fellow councillor Adam Gill after a public meeting in 2015.

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He also claimed he never called former Knox councillor Karin Orpen a ‘c***’ while other councillors and staff were present. But Ms Orpen said he was trying to rewrite history.

Peter Lockwood withdrew from the campaign race. Picture: Supplied

Mr Lockwood told the Herald Sun he collided with Mr Gill as her was about to leave a 2015 meeting.

“Adam initiated the collision. I pushed past him. I point out that Adam is around 188cm tall, I am 167. I am 70kg Adam has around 30 kilos on me. Adam is around 25 years younger than me,” he said.

“I am no physical threat to anyone.”

But two witnesses to the incident claimed Mr Lockwood landed an uppercut blow to Mr Gill after the pair had a disagreement in the meeting.

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Following the incident, Mr Gill sent an email to all councillors saying it was an attack on him as an individual and on the democratic process itself.

He said Mr Lockwood’s temper made him “unfit to hold public office.”

Mr Lockwood, who was the member for Bayswater from 2002 to 2006, said he didn’t respond to the email as it was another case of Adam going “off his tree at him”, which he said was a “semi-regular occurrence.”

Mr Lockwood also denied he called Ms Orpen a ‘c***’ during a council briefing, saying Ms Orpen had an axe to grind when it came to him.

Cr Karin Orpen and former Peter Lockwood in 2015. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“The only person who uttered that word was Karin herself when she stood in the room at a confidential briefing was breaking up and accused me,’’ Mr Lockwood said.

“Karin certainly has an axe to grind when it comes to me.”

But it is understood Mr Lockwood apologised to Ms Orpen for his language shortly after the incident. Ms Orpen said the incident had left her “extremely traumatised”.

“The government should stop shielding their former candidate and order an independent and open investigation,” Ms Orpen said.

Mr Lockwood withdrew from the state election campaign on October 25, hours after Labor Party headquarters became aware of the alleged incidents.

But Mr Lockwood said he had pulled out of the race to spend more time with his grandchildren. Labor has replaced him with fellow Knox councillor Jackson Taylor. Liberal MP Heidi Victoria holds Bayswater on a 4.62 per cent margin.

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