Greens candidate in Batman by-election subject of 101-page internal complaint

A 101-PAGE document accuses a Greens candidate for the Batman by-election in inner Melbourne of bullying party volunteers.

THE Australian Greens candidate for the federal inner Melbourne seat of Batman was the subject of a 101-page internal complaint by 18 party volunteers.

The party’s leadership has consistently declined to reveal the nature of the complaints against Alex Bhathal because the “issue” had been dealt with internally.

But The Australian, citing a copy of the complaint on Thursday, reports the issues ranged from intimidation and bullying through to comments about Greens members.

“This misconduct has included systematic intimidation, and malicious and reckless false statements about members and party decisions,” it reported the document as saying.

Earlier this week, federal Greens leader Richard Di Natale stepped in to shield Ms Bhathal from questions about the complaint at a press conference in Batman.

“That issue’s been dealt with. We had an issue raised, a request for confidentiality which has been respected,” Mr Di Natale told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’re now in a position where Alex has been endorsed completely, comprehensively by her branch, by the state party and indeed by so many people in this electorate.”

Greens leader Richard Di Natale and Greens candidate for Batman Alex Bhathal. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Pressed on whether the voters of Batman had a right to know about allegations against candidates and elected representatives, Mr Di Natale repeated the complainants had requested anonymity.

“The issue was dealt with internally and the request for confidentiality has been respected and that’s the end of the matter.”

Ms Bhathal, a social worker, said people could make their own judgments. “We’re dealing with a situation here where I’m very well known and people can make their own judgments,” she said.

Ms Bhathal has run for the Greens repeatedly since 2001, and lost Batman in 2016 when Liberal preferences flowed to Labor’s David Feeney.

The upcoming March 17 by-election in the seat was sparked after Mr Feeney resigned from parliament.

Batman is a marginal seat that Labor hopes to retain and the Greens hope to win. A Greens victory would give the party its second Lower House seat after Melbourne, which is held by Adam Bandt.