‘I haven’t made a decision about my political future’: Will Fowles

Ringwood MP Will Fowles says he won’t seek to be let back into the Labor Party and has hinted he may not run for re-election next year.

Dumped Labor MP Will Fowles has hinted he may quit politics at the end of his term.

In a rare press conference outside parliament on Tuesday, Mr Fowles said he would not seek to be let back into the Labor Party after he was booted from the parliamentary party in August 2023 following allegations he sexually assaulted a government employee.

Mr Fowles is currently sitting on the crossbench of the lower house as an independent MP alongside former Labor MP Darren Cheeseman.

Mr Cheeseman, who represents the South Barwon electorate, was also ousted from the party last year following allegations of “persistent and inappropriate behaviour”.

Will Fowles gave a rare press conference on Tuesday. Picture: Michael Klein

On Tuesday, Mr Fowles also cast doubt about whether he would recontest the seat of Ringwood at the 2026 election.

“I haven’t made a decision about my political future,” he said.

“These are matters that I’ll spend a bit of time contemplating, I suspect, over the course of this year, and will have more to say.”

Upper house Liberal MP Nick McGowan has flagged he wants to move to the lower house and represent the seat of Ringwood if Mr Fowles leaves.

Mr McGowan has made no secret of his love for the Ringwood community, with sources saying he’s pushing for a tilt at the lower house. People close to Mr McGowan said he has openly said that it’d be an honour to serve the Ringwood electorate.

Mr Fowles formally quit the Labor Party in October last year.

The alleged victim, a former Victorian political staffer who broke her silence in an exclusive interview with the Herald Sun last year, claimed she was attacked by Mr Fowles in a taxpayer-funded room at the five-star Le Meridien hotel on Bourke St.

Mr Fowles has always vehemently denied the claims.

Mr Fowles was arrested and interviewed, but following an investigation police did not lay any charges and on January 30, announced the case had been closed.

Originally published as ‘I haven’t made a decision about my political future’: Will Fowles