‘Not right‘: Dan Andrews clashes with reporters over Kaushaliya Vaghela claims

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has clashed with reporters amid allegations his office inappropriately handled a bullying complaint.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has pushed back against pointed questions from reporters over allegations his office inappropriately dealt with bullying claims from Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela.

Victoria’s workplace watchdog WorkSafe has opened the investigation into Ms Vaghela’s allegations that she was bullied by a former adviser to the Premier.

The upper house MP claimed she first raised her complaints in April 2019 but had to wait more than two years for them to be taken seriously.

“A complaint was made, the complaint was dealt with appropriately, the member has then decided to run a commentary about other matters,” Mr Andrews said on Tuesday.

“These matters have been referred to WorkSafe. I’m not going to be providing you with blow-by-blow commentary or answering every question that you might want answered about it.

“It’s not appropriate for me to be answering them beyond what I’ve said.”

Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela is accusing the Labor government and Dan Andrews of bullying. Picture: David Caird

Ms Vaghela crossed the floor in parliament in early February to vote in favour of her former factional ally Adem Somyurek’s motion for an investigation into Victorian Premier’s alleged role in Labor’s red shirts rort.

She was late last year dumped as a candidate for November’s state election.

Ms Vaghela alleges the bullying began from the day of her election because she left Mr Andrews’ Socialist Left faction to join the Right faction aligned with former Labor minister Mr Somyurek.

The government says it took immediate action after it received a formal written complaint in May 2020 but insisted no record of a bullying complaint had been made in 2019.

“I made numerous calls to the PPO (Premier’s private office) for assistance and requested that the bullies be brought into line, I was largely ignored,” Ms Vaghela said in a statement released on Twitter.

My Statement 13.02.2022 pic.twitter.com/lWYiFUjRiy

— Kaushaliya Vaghela MP (@KaushaliyaMP) February 13, 2022

In a tense exchange with reporters on Tuesday, Mr Andrews said claims the issue wasn’t dealt with properly were false.

The staff member accused of bullying no longer works for the Premier.

During the exchange, Mr Andrews accused reporters of playing word games and twisting his previous responses.

“With the greatest respect to you and all of your colleagues, you don’t get to determine the form in which my answer takes,” he said.

“Inferences or indeed just outright comments that this was not taken seriously and wasn’t dealt with are wrong.

“You don’t dismiss someone if you doubt the claims that have been made against them – clearly the question has been answered.”

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said she offered her support to Ms Vaghela. Picture: Mark Stewart

During question time in the upper house on Tuesday, Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes leapt to the Premier’s defence.

Facing questions from the leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council David Davis, Ms Symes said she had reached out to Ms Vaghela to offer support.

“I have not heard from Ms Vaghela. My invitation remains open and of course she should not be subjected to any adverse behaviour or bullying, and I’ll make sure she feels safe,” Ms Symes said.

“It is a very supportive environment in parliament in my experience.”

Mr Davis asked the Attorney-General if she believed the MP’s bullying claims.

“In relation to a particular question about a person in the Premier’s office, that was dealt with,” she responded.

“So of course it was believed.”