Luke Foley at risk of being rolled, NSW Labor MPs say

A defiant NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has told his frontbench team he did not harass an ABC journalist.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley during question time in Sydney yesterday. Picture: AAP.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley has told his frontbench team he did not harass an ABC journalist as shadow ministers yesterday said if the journalist were to make a complaint, Mr Foley would be rolled from the top job.

The Australian has been told by two senior MPs that should the journalist formally complain, Mr Foley would not survive.

But unless the woman does come forward or an ABC investigation finds wrongdoing, MPs say, Mr Foley is likely to remain as leader until the March state ­election.

“There’s just this sense of dread every time you refresh your internet browser,” one senior MP said.

Yesterday, Mr Foley threatened to dish dirt on five ministers should they continue to target him over the allegations, raised by Corrective Services Minister David Elliott in parliament last week and revisited by Liberal ­senator Eric Abetz in Senate ­estimates hearings, where he gained a guarantee from the head of the ABC that the harassment alle­gation would be investigated.

Mr Foley, a married father of three, told his frontbench colleagues this week that the accu­sations against him had “really been tough on family” and “I’ve made it clear if it’s said outside, I’ll sue the guy”, The Australian was told.

The Australian first raised the allegations of harassment with Mr Foley in May and he threatened to sue the newspaper.

In question time yesterday, Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said Mr Foley should stand aside from his job while an ABC ­investigation occurred into the alle­gations — in the same way that Mr Foley demanded the chairman of the opposition wastewatch committee, Hugh McDermott, stand aside while Labor investigated claims against him earlier this year. Mr McDermott was cleared.

Mr Foley rose on a point of order and pointed forcefully at four ministers, saying personal ­attacks should be brought “by way of substantive motion” under the standing orders and “we welcome it to talk about you and you and you and you. Bring it on.”

It is understood Mr Foley was referring to Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Transport Minister Andrew Constance, Ms Pavey and Mr Elliott.

Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean later told parliament Mr Foley would do anything to keep his job, including threatening to sue members of the press gallery.

Mr Foley responded by saying: “You didn’t have the guts to go on with it. Don’t let fear hold you back, Matt. We haven’t started on you yet.”

Earlier, Community Services Minister Pru Goward said Mr Foley would have to “consider his future” should an investigation by the ABC find grounds for allegations he harassed the journalist.

“I worked for the ABC for 19 years and I was Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner and in my experience good organisations like the ABC conduct these sorts of reviews very carefully and very thoroughly and guarantee anonymity (of the victim),” Ms Goward told a press conference.

“If the allegation is sustained, there will need to be a consideration of that by the Labor Party and Mr Foley … I think he will need to consider his future as a ­result of it.”

ABC acting managing director David Anderson told a Senate ­estimates committee hearing on Tuesday that allegations against Mr Foley would be investigated.

The journalist involved has declined to comment on the alleged incident, which occurred at the Martin Place Bar in 2016 after the parliamentary press gallery Christmas party.

Another journalist, who witnessed the alleged incident, has also declined to comment.

An ABC spokeswoman said: “No complaint has been received by the ABC. Following claims made last week under par­liamentary privilege, the acting ­managing director has asked for a full brief.

“As a statement of principle, we are always mindful of our duty of care to our employees, their welfare is our first concern, and the ABC always provides full support to staff members who raise matters of harassment in any form.”