Jacinta Allan accused of only supporting women 'when it suits'
Premier Jacinta Allan faces a backlash for failing to respond to assault allegations from a veteran Labor member who sought her help after an alleged assault at a branch meeting.
Jacinta Allan has been accused of standing up for women only “when it suits” her, after failing to respond to a veteran ALP member and former union leader who was allegedly assaulted at a party branch meeting and contacted her office seeking assistance.
The Australian revealed on Saturday that former Municipal & Utilities Workers Union president Jennifer Marriott is taking civil action in the Supreme Court, alleging that in October 2023, Jeffrey O’Donnell – then a fellow member of the western suburban Kororoit branch of the ALP – physically assaulted her.
Mr O’Donnell denies the allegations. The Australian does not suggest they are true, only that they have been made.
Opposition spokeswoman for women Cindy McLeish said Ms Allan “must be transparent about what she knew about these shocking allegations”.
“The buck stops with Jacinta Allan,” Ms McLeish said.
“The Premier looked the other way when CFMEU corruption was rampant on government construction projects. She can’t look away again. Ms Allan can’t attack bad behaviour if she won’t clean up her own backyard. Too often it seems that Labor only stand up for women when it suits them.”
Ms Marriott said she was deeply disappointed that Ms Allan still hadn’t addressed he concerns.
“I’m quite disgusted that she can’t even be bothered to step forward as the most senior person in government in Victoria and even acknowledge what’s happened or been written about,” she said.
She is also suing Kororoit MP Luba Grigorovitch and former acting state secretary Cameron Petrie, arguing Ms Grigorovitch and Mr Petrie failed in their duty of care to ensure Ms Marriott could safely attend branch meetings.
An internal ALP investigation conducted by Mr Petrie found Mr O’Donnell had “created a hostile and unwelcoming environment and was distressing” to Ms Marriott, and his conduct “adversely impacted” her ability and that of others “to participate in the branch meeting in a manner free from harassment”.
But in a sanction Ms Marriott described as “inadequate and unacceptable”, Mr Petrie issued Mr O’Donnell a verbal warning, asking that when attending ALP gatherings and events in future, Mr O’Donnell “treat all members with dignity, fairness and respect”, and “refrain from engaging in aggressive or intimidating behaviour”.
Unhappy with the party’s handling of the matter, Ms Marriott wrote to Ms Allan’s office in December 2024, but received no response.
The Premier’s office provided no response to a request from The Australian for comment last week, and she did not take questions at a press conference alongside Anthony Albanese on Sunday.
In response to written questions about whether or not it was good enough for her office to fail to respond to Ms Marriott’s concerns, particularly given the strong stance she has taken on violence against women, a government spokeswoman on Sunday said: “It would be inappropriate to comment on matters before the court.”
