Upper house president Shaun Leane says probe into Will Fowles’ alleged assault not possible

Axed Labor MP Will Fowles says he still doesn’t know full details of the allegations behind his forced resignation as he was kicked off parliament’s Electoral Matters Committee.

Axed MP Will Fowles has been kicked off Victorian parliament’s Electoral Matters Committee.

It comes as the backbench MP says he still doesn’t know the full detail of the allegations behind his forced resignation.

Mr Fowles resigned following a two-day investigation by the Premier’s Office into an alleged assault earlier this month.

But despite a referral being made to Victoria Police by the government, no formal police complaint has been made or further investigation launched.

The Andrews government on Tuesday successfully moved a motion to replace him as chair of the committee with first term MP Luba Grigorovitch.

Several sources have confirmed Mr Fowles, who will take a $20,000 pay cut, was opposed to the move.

But it passed the lower house unopposed.

On Tuesday, the president of Victoria’s upper house revealed a parliamentary investigation into the Fowles incident was not possible.

Shaun Leane on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that the location of the alleged serious assault was not at parliament.

It is the only detail of the alleged assault that has so far been confirmed.

Will Fowles at Melbourne Airport after the incident. Picture: Mark Stewart

Mr Fowles on Tuesday morning said the allegations levelled against him still had not been communicated.

“I was astonished to read reports this morning that the President of the Legislative Council has had details of the supposed allegation shared with him,” he wrote on social media.

“Those details have still not been shared with me.”

Mr Fowles, who has strenuously denied the allegations, is not expected to be at parliament on Tuesday, according to government sources.

As revealed by the Herald Sun, the opposition wrote to lower house speaker Maree Edwards calling for her to launch a formal investigation into the matter.

Outside parliament, Mr Leane said: “We can’t investigate something that’s not on our precinct”.

“I’ll let the speaker respond to the opposition,” he added.

Mr Leane said he was concerned following reports about the way some female MPs were treated around parliament.

But he confirmed no direct complaints had been made.

“We are under no illusions that this is a challenging workplace and it has some unique things to it,” he said.

“We want everyone to feel safe.

“We’re constantly talking about safety in this place. We know we have to be constantly vigilant on that.

“The other challenge we have is this institution was built around all men. You just have to look in the corridor and we’re changing that.

“We’re actually putting portraits of important women in this institution.”

Shaun Leane on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that the location of the alleged serious assault was not at parliament. Picture: David Geraghty

The investigation had been requested by the leader of the opposition in the upper house Georgie Crozier and manager of opposition business James Newbury.

“We refer you to the Premier’s statement of 5 August 2023 regarding an incident involving the Member for Ringwood, Will Fowles,” they wrote.

“The Premier states that his office ‘received information from a government employee about an alleged serious assault by the Member for Ringwood.’

“It has been publicly reported that the incident occurred in parliament during the last sitting period.

“Victorian government employees must be safe at work. The right to a safe workplace must apply without diminution where an alleged incident occurs inside the Victorian parliament.

“We request that you commence an investigation into this matter.”

The opposition has also requested a formal probe be launched by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

A Victoria Police spokesman on Monday confirmed an official complaint had still not been received from a victim in relation to the matter.

Sources said Mr Fowles was seen acting erratically inside the state parliament’s members’ bar last Wednesday before the alleged assault.

He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

“I was shocked and distressed to learn that an allegation of assault has been made against me,” he said.

“The details of the claim have not been put to me. I strenuously deny any allegation of assault. It is not true. There was no assault.

“I was asked to stand aside as a member of the Parliamentary Labor Party, a situation I expect will be temporary.”

Originally published as Upper house president Shaun Leane says probe into Will Fowles’ alleged assault not possible