Treasurer Tim Pallas accused of assault in polling booth spat

Treasurer Tim Pallas has been accused of “behaving like a schoolyard bully” in a scuffle at polling booth in his Werribee electorate.

Treasurer Tim Pallas has been accused of “assault” while campaigning at a pre-polling booth in his Werribee electorate.

The matter is now the subject of a formal Victorian Electoral Commission complaint lodged by Freedom Party candidate Mark Strother.

Mr Strother was filming Mr Pallas outside a polling station when he was approached by the Treasurer.

Mr Pallas questioned why he was being filmed before appearing to reach towards the camera.

“That’s assault when you try … that’s assault, you touched me, you tried to steal my camera,” Mr Strother is heard saying.

A female ALP campaign worker is then heard telling Mr Pallas “leave it” while ushering him away.

Tim Pallas walked right up to Mr Strother while he was being filmed outside an early polling booth. Picture: Wyndham TV

Mr Pallas appeared to reach for the camera before being ushered away by an ALP campaign worker. Picture: Wyndham TV

Mr Strother then continued to film Mr Pallas for another 60 seconds accusing him of breaching campaign signage rules.

Despite being a traditionally safe Labor seat, pollsters have tipped Werribee could be in play at the November 26 election.

Labor fears it is losing the support of voters across the west, its traditional heartland, over a range of issues including angst over the effect of the pandemic.

With a higher proportion of casual workers, people who could not work from home and struggling small businesses in the city’s west, they were among those hit hardest by long-running restrictions.

The West Gate Tunnel project, facing a $4bn blowout and the ongoing contaminated soil crisis, is also believed to have caused voter unrest in the west.

Mr Strother said he was shocked by the approach by Mr Pallas.

“All I did was said good morning and made a comment that it was unusual seeing him campaigning two days in a row,” Mr Strother said.

“For some reason that triggered him off and he got right up into my face and the camera.

“He touched me. It wasn’t hard. But he put his hand on me and tried to snatch the phone.”

Mr Strother said he decided against making a police complaint because he wasn’t hurt.

“It’s not how I think MPs should be acting,” he said.

Freedom Party of Victoria deputy leader Aidan McLindon confirmed a formal VEC complaint had been lodged.

“Clearly Tim’s angry knowing he only has nine days left of sucking on the public teat which is why he was ready to square off with our candidate,” he said.

“Tim behaved like a schoolyard bully who would have probably done a helicopter swing if the cameras weren’t rolling”.

An ALP spokesperson said the party had also lodged complaints with police and the VEC concerning harassment and intimidation.

“Labor Party members have lodged complaints with Victoria Police and the Victorian Electoral Commission about the behaviour of a Freedom Party candidate at a polling booth in Werribee,” he said.