Labor leader David O’Byrne resigns over sexual harassment allegations

Tasmanian Labor leader David O’Byrne has resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations after just 20 days in the job.

Tasmanian Labor leader David O'Byrne. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmanian Labor leader David O’Byrne has resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations after just 20 days in the job, after losing the support of most of his colleagues and key party figures.

“I will be tendering my resignation as leader of the Tasmanian parliamentary Labor Party at the next caucus meeting,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“The allegations raised will be dealt with through the confidential process initiated by the state secretary. I intend to respect the confidentiality of that process and I will make no further public comment on it.

 “Ongoing speculation about this matter is not in the best interests of the party.

“The focus of the party needs to be on holding the Gutwein government to account and the current debate is a distraction from this central task.

“I have a lifelong commitment to the cause of Labor and my decision to resign from the leadership reflects this.”

Mr O’Byrne’s departure, after only two-and-a-half weeks as leader, making him one of the shortest serving opposition leaders, was widely expected.

It came after he on Wednesday apologised for kissing and sending “sexually suggestive” text messages to a junior employee when he was a union leader in 2007-08.

Initially, the 52-year-old stood aside pending an internal inquiry, but many within the party believed his position was untenable.

On Wednesday, he said he thought at the time that his interaction with the complainant was consensual, but that he now understood “this was not the case”.

The scandal has threatened to spread to other state and national Labor figures, with some in the party accusing others of knowing about the allegations before and during last month’s leadership ballot.

Some in the parliamentary Labor Party are keen to avoid another potentially damaging membership ballot by agreeing on a new leader later this week.

To win support, this would most likely need to involve a leader and deputy drawn from the Left and Right of the party.

Some centrists would like to see a “unity ticket” of former leader Rebecca White, of the Left, with Right-backed Shane Broad as deputy.

However, Ms White is on maternity leave following the birth of her second child and is reportedly reluctant to return to the leadership ripped from her by Left faction warlords after the May 1 state election.

Dr Broad is unlikely to have sufficient support among the Left for leader.

There has been speculation Mr O’Byrne’s sister and fellow senior Labor MP, Michelle O’Byrne, might step into the leadership, but it is understood she is not keen to do so and would be strongly opposed by some.

Ella Haddad is a possible candidate. But it is understood fellow Left faction MP and acting leader Anita Dow is the most likely to be elevated to the leadership if a ballot is to be avoided.

In his resignation statement on Sunday, Mr O’Byrne said he would remain in the House of Assembly as a member for Franklin, but would “neither seek nor accept any shadow portfolios”.

“(I) will give my strong support to a new Labor leadership team,” he said.