Luke Foley calls for ALP Whip Noreen Hay to quit

NSW Labor leader Luke Foley has demanded the resignation of his party Whip, Noreen Hay.

NSW Labor leader Luke Foley has demanded the resignation of his party Whip, Noreen Hay, after one of her staff members was charged with electoral fraud.

Mr Foley is furious after agreeing to Ms Hay returning to the job less than two weeks ago, saying he was assured she was not a person of interest in the Australian Federal Police’s ­investigation. It is understood there were heated conversations at the weekend after it emerged that Ms Hay’s staff member was charged over electoral matters following a referral to the AFP by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Last night Mr Foley said: “While Ms Hay has given personal assurances she has no ­involvement in the alleged misconduct and stands by legal ­advice that she is not a person of interest in the Australian Federal Police investigation, her resignation from an office holder position of the parliament is appropriate and in the best interests of the NSW Labor Party.”

Ms Hay stood down from the Whip’s position last July after the AFP raided her electoral office. She returned on May 10, issuing a statement that her lawyer had advised her she was not a suspect in the investigation.

Ms Hay said last night she had done nothing wrong. “I take the view that there are no charges against me, I’m not a suspect. There are charges against a staff member. She is before the courts,’’ she said.