South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman breaks silence amid inappropriate behaviour allegations

Exiled MP Darren Cheeseman says he won’t be going anywhere as he breaks his silence, thanking friends and family during what he says has been “a very difficult time for all concerned”.

Geelong MP Christine Couzens and her former Labor colleague Darren Cheeseman in 2023. Picture: Mark Wilson.

South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman has finally broken his silence, committing to serve out the remainder of his current term but failing to address allegations that got him booted from the Labor Party.

The 48-year-old had until Friday afternoon repeatedly failed to respond to questions about his future.

But he would not be drawn on allegations of “persistent, inappropriate behaviour” towards multiple female staff that surfaced in late April.

In a statement, Mr Cheeseman thanked family and friends for their support during what he said had been “a very difficult time for all concerned”.

“I am very pleased to be back attending parliament and carrying out my duties as the elected representative for South Barwon,” he said.

“My priorities for the remainder of the term are the same as they were as a member of the Labor caucus.

“This means I’ll be doing all I can to see that our local schools, hospitals, transport infrastructure, and government services get the attention they need from a state government elected to deliver for them.”

There has been no activity on Mr Cheeseman’s Facebook page since he was asked to resign from Labor by Premier Jacinta Allan on April 29.

His website has long been a dead link.

Mr Cheeseman, as with all Victorian backbench MPs, received a 3.5 per cent pay rise on July 1, taking his annual salary to almost $206,000.

A range of other allowances also increased by a similar level.

After the allegations became public, Mr Cheeseman missed 12 consecutive days of parliamentary sittings after being granted leave by Speaker Maree Edwards.

He attended parliament this week where he sat on the crossbench next to fellow ex-Labor MP Will Fowles, who was kicked out by former premier Daniel Andrews after rape allegations were levelled against him.

Mr Fowles has always denied the claims and a now closed six-month police investigation did not result in charges being laid.

During Ms Allan’s visit to Geelong last week, she was asked whether Mr Cheeseman’s role as an MP was untenable given 94 per cent of almost 2000 respondents to an Addy poll want him to resign and a by-election held.

She again repeated her much-used line that “the decisions around the future of South Barwon are very much a matter for him”.

On Tuesday, he posed a constituency question to Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams about the release of a new timetable for the Geelong rail line.

“The opportunity to have a new, improved timetable servicing the southern suburbs of Geelong is pronounced,” he said.

This came after he dished up a “Dorothy Dixer” to the Premier earlier this month about the government’s investment in rail in the Geelong region.

Mr Cheeseman said on Friday that he was “at the community’s disposal for advocacy on local issues such as those I raised in the parliament this past few weeks”.

“My thanks and gratitude go out to the voters of South Barwon for the honour of serving as their MP, and I look forward to continuing to serve in that capacity for the remainder of the term,” he said.

Asked whether he was available for a face-to-face interview in the coming days, the Addy was told: “Mr Cheeseman doesn’t have anything further he wishes to put on the record at this time.”

Originally published as South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman breaks silence amid inappropriate behaviour allegations