Victorian MPs behaving badly to be slapped with sanctions

Victorian MPs will be slapped with penalties for misconduct, including suspension from parliament, under new rules to ensure politicians are held to the “highest standards”.

Badly behaved Victorian MPs face sanctions including being suspended from parliament as part of new rules to stamp out misconduct from politicians.

Premier Jacinta Allan on Tuesday introduced the “overdue” Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Bill into the lower house.

A joint investigation by the state’s anti-corruption watchdog and the Ombudsman into allegations of branch stacking within the Labor Party recommended a parliamentary integrity commission be established by mid-2024.

Ms Allan on Tuesday conceded the legislation was overdue given it won’t be debated in parliament until after the winter break.

Three commissioners — one full time and two part time — will head up the commission and investigate allegations against MPs of corruption and misconduct, such as bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and victimisation.

Jacinta Allan says the reforms will ensure politicians are held to the ‘highest standards’. Picture: David Geraghty

The commission can produce reports and recommend that the parliament’s privilege committees punishes MPs. The committee would be required to produce its own report if it ignores such a recommendation.

MPs found to have committed low level offending may be forced to issue a public apology or undergo training, while suspensions and fines may be recommended for more serious matters.

Ms Allan said the reforms will ensure politicians are held to the “highest standards”.

“This is the most significant overhaul of parliamentary standards of anywhere in the country,” she said.

“This is about bringing the parliament into the modern expectations of what a safe and respectful workplace should look like.”

But the commission will not have retrospective powers, meaning it can not probe allegations of bad behaviour from now-dumped Labor MPs Darren Cheeseman and Will Fowles.

Mr Cheeseman was dumped from the Labor caucus last month following allegations of ‘persistent’ inappropriate behaviour towards two female staffers. Picture: Supplied

Mr Cheeseman was dumped from the Labor caucus last month following allegations of “persistent” inappropriate behaviour towards two female staffers.

Mr Cheeseman, who has not been seen at parliament since he was asking to resign as a Labor MP, has not responded to the allegations but requested privacy.

Mr Fowles was also forced to resign from the Labor caucus over the alleged assault of a staffer.

Mr Fowles has strenuously maintained his innocence and Victoria Police closed the case earlier this year.

It comes as the Allan government on Tuesday also created a nation-first ministerial position aimed at changing men’s behaviour.

Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson was appointed parliamentary secretary for men’s behaviour change, which Ms Allan said will “focus largely on the influence the internet and social media have on boys’ and men’s attitudes towards women”.

Will Fowles was forced to resign from the Labor caucus over the alleged assault of a staffer. Picture: Facebook

Mr Richardson said there was a need to promote positive masculinity.

“We need to all be upstanders but it can’t be left to women to manage women’s safety,” he said.

The state budget dedicated $11.9m towards the parliamentary integrity commission.

Commissioners will be appointed through a process led by the Department of Premier and Cabinet but will need to be approved by the parliament’s integrity and oversight committee.

Politicians who have served in state or federal parliament within the past five years will be ineligible.

In response to the legislation being introduced Opposition Leader John Pesutto said: “we will look at the bill in detail when it’s provided to the house”.

“We have been working with the government to work through various issues.”

He declined to comment on the potential cost of the commissioners once they were appointed and noted that “We’ve been given some verbal updates, but we want to see the actual detail before we commit to anything”.