Victorian state MP Will Fowles resigns after alleged assault

Victorian state MP Will Fowles has quit the parliamentary Labor Party over an assault allegation.

Will Fowles speaks in the Legislative Assembly at Parliament House in Melbourne in 2020. Picture: AAP

A state Labor MP in Victoria, Will Fowles, reportedly has resigned from the parliamentary party over an alleged altercation during the week.

The member for Ringwood resigned on Saturday after Premier Daniel Andrews’ office referred the alleged assault to police, the Sunday Herald Sun reported

Mr Andrews said the government was advised on Thursday of the alleged incident.

The Herald Sun said it understood the alleged incident was not the only complaint to have been made about Mr Fowles in recent weeks.

“Tonight I also sought and received the Member for Ringwood’s resignation from the Parliamentary Labor Party,” Mr Andrews said in a statement.

“The complainant has been and will continue to be supported and their privacy should be respected.

“The wellbeing of staff and their right to a safe workplace is not negotiable.”

It is unclear if Mr Fowles intends to remain in parliament as an independent.

A resignation from parliament would force a by-election in Ringwood, the neighbouring electorate to Warrandyte which will go to the polls later this month.

Labor won the seat at last year’s state election with 57.5 per cent of the two party preferred vote.

But Mr Fowles picked up just 39.02 per cent of primary votes, compared with the Liberal Party’s 33.81 per cent.

A strong result in the Warrandyte by-election could bolster the Liberal Party’s chances of taking Ringwood from Labor if it could capitalise on the momentum of a by-election win.