Liberal Party branch meeting ends in brawl

The NSW Liberal Party vows to take disciplinary action against those responsible for a budget-eve brawl at a Sydney branch meeting.

The NSW Liberal Party has vowed to take disciplinary action against those responsible for a budget-eve brawl at a southern Sydney branch meeting.

Police were called to a cafe on Firth Street at Arncliffe about 7pm last night and said officers saw “numerous people running from the location”.

A man in his 40s was taken to St George Hospital with minor injuries.

It came ahead of today’s state budget, with Treasurer Dominic Perrottet expected to unveil a surplus for 2017/18 of $3.9 billion.

A Liberal Party spokesman said the organisation was cooperating with police. “An internal investigation will also be undertaken and disciplinary action taken against those responsible,” he said in a statement.

There’s been a fight at a Liberal Party branch meeting in Arncliffe tonight. Allegations elderly women were abused and a man assaulted. Democracy at work guys. @9NewsSyd #auspol pic.twitter.com/P77ptrLCse

— Chris O'Keefe (@cokeefe9) June 18, 2018

“The Liberal Party strongly condemns the kind of behaviour that is alleged to have occurred.”

Arncliffe is located in the state seat of Rockdale and the federal seat of Barton, both held by Labor.

While details on the incident are still emerging, one source told The Australian that the fight erupted between members of the Egyptian Australian party after some members, backed by a political powerbroker, attempted to establish another branch in the area.

It is understood that right wing members may have retaliated in response.

Another source said that a former young Liberal was attempting to move in numbers into a branch, which caused the tension that led to the brawl.

No MPs were present at the time.

Police are now attempting to piece together how many people were involved in the altercation and have appealed to the public to come forward with any vision of the fight.

With AAP