Mia Davies denies there was anti-Barnaby Joyce conspiracy over sexual harassment claim

WA Nationals leader Mia Davies has refused to answer questions over whether she can continue to work with her party’s state president.

WA Nationals leader Mia Davies, left, and Catherine Marriott.

Embattled West Australian Nationals leader Mia Davies has refused to say whether she can continue to work with state president James Hayward after a scathing internal review into her key role in the sexual harassment complaint that led to the downfall of Barnaby Joyce.

The confidential report by Mr Hayward suggested that Ms Davies and some of her colleagues were closely involved in the strategy which ultimately led to a complaint by West Australian woman Catherine Marriott being sent to the Nationals federal executive on February 20.

The report said Ms Davies’ decision to meet and provide support to Ms Marriott, whom she has known for several years, was a political one and “has appeared to make us look like co-conspirators”.

Ms Davies has repeatedly refused to answer questions from the media since she went public on February 20 with her extraordinary call for Mr Joyce to resign as federal Nationals leader and deputy prime minister.

But in an interview with ABC radio in Karratha today she rejected claims that her advice to Ms Marriott in the days before that was also aimed at bringing down Mr Joyce.

“The notion that there was any conspiracy or discussions or any premeditated discussion around trying to get her to make that complaint, or for us to concoct something that would lead to Barnaby Joyce stepping down, is ridiculous and it’s malicious,” she said.

“And it makes it all the more difficult for women like Catherine to come forward and have their complaints dealt with seriously.

“At the heart of this is a very serious complaint.”

Ms Davies said the complaint — described by Ms Marriott’s lawyer as sexual harassment and/or misconduct — was not sent to police because Ms Marriott wanted it dealt with internally by the party.

She said she was “sickened” by the leaking of Ms Marriott’s name to the media.

Ms Davies declined to directly answer two questions on whether she could continue to work with Mr Hayward. “I enjoy the support of my parliamentary colleagues and my party,” she said.

Ms Davies is facing a revolt from some of her colleagues and party members who remain loyal to Mr Joyce. Some MPs are wavering in their support for her but The Australian has been told there is little chance of an imminent leadership challenge.

Ms Marriott’s allegation had been known in WA political and rural circles for some time but was only sent to the federal Nationals when Mr Joyce was fighting for his political life during the scandal over his affair with former staffer Vikki Campion.

On Wednesday Ms Marriott rejected claims that key figures in the WA Nationals played a role in her decision to pursue the formal complaint against Mr Joyce. She said she was disappointed that the issue was now being used for political advantage.

The former West Australian rural woman of the year said in a statement she made the complaint against the then deputy prime minister because she wanted to “speak up against inappropriate behaviour by people in powerful positions”.

Mr Joyce has denied the allegation.