Melbourne Demons board dispute: Former president Glen Bartlett has called on AFL boss Gillon McLachlan to apologise
Former Melbourne president Glen Bartlett has called on AFL boss Gillon McLachlan to ‘immediately’ withdraw the comments he made about the bitter boardroom brawl.
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Former Demons president Glen Bartlett has called on AFL boss Gillon McLachlan to apologise and “immediately” withdraw comments he made about Melbourne’s bitter boardroom brawl.
McLachlan last week claimed Dees chief executive Gary Pert had conducted an “internal investigation” into allegations surrounding coach Simon Goodwin in early 2021, which found “that nothing could be substantiated”.
“All I would say is that there were allegations and rumours which we encouraged Melbourne to investigate. Gary Pert looked into that and there was found that nothing could be substantiated,” McLachlan told 3AW last week.
WorkSafe Victoria last month revealed it had launched a probe into the fallout from Bartlett’s sudden departure as Melbourne boss in April 2021.
Bartlett released a statement on Friday, saying: “Mr McLachlan not only conflated all of these issues but referred to allegations as having been unsubstantiated claiming an internal investigation had been done by Gary Pert.”
“These comments are extremely prejudicial … offensive and untrue. Mr McLachlan should withdraw these comments immediately and apologise,” he said.
Bartlett also accused Melbourne of waging “an extraordinary campaign of misinformation and thuggish behaviours”, including the release of a board statement last month which “unfairly targeted” his fiancee, Victoria Laspas.
“The board’s attempt to conflate unrelated issues, to name and shame a complainant … in the midst of a confidential legal process which centres around mental health and does not involve Simon Goodwin is a shameful and irresponsible … attempt … to avoid scrutiny,” Bartlett said.
“The AFL publicly responding in the way they have just aggravates the issues and harm caused …
“A common aggravating feature with the MFC board statements is the ongoing
suggestion that the claims made by us are false and baseless, and that events in those proceedings have demonstrated, proved, or borne this out. This is not true and is rejected.”
Melbourne has been contacted for comment.
Bartlett is suing four Demons directors, including current president Kate Roffey, in the Federal Court for misleading and deceptive conduct and defamation.
The Demon directors have denied the claims and say they will be “vigorously’” defended.
In an update to members on Friday Melbourne said directors Steve Morris (one of the four being sued by Bartlett) and Mohan Jesudason (who attended a crisis meeting over the Goodwin claims with Bartlett and the AFL in early 2021) would finish up as board members at the end of the season in line with club “term limits”.
They will be replaced by Sarah Robinson and Geoff Porz.
Goodwin has repeatedly denied having any behavioural issues and engaged top Sydney defamation litigator Rebekah Giles.
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