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Australia

NSW Labor Party frontbencher Walt Secord steps down amid bullying claims

NSW Labor Party frontbencher Walt Secord steps down amid bullying claims

NSW Labor frontbencher Walt Secord is stepping down from the shadow ministry after being accused of bullying by past and current colleagues.

Mr Secord, who held several shadow portfolios, said he had asked Opposition Leader Chris Minns to “let me stand aside” after a “long reflection.”

It follows the release of the Broderick review into the culture of the NSW parliament, which exposed a “toxic” environment of bullying and sexual harassment.

Mr Secord has spent more than 30 years in the Labor Party and was serving as the opposition spokesman for police, counter terrorism, arts and heritage and the north coast.

He issued an apology last week after an ABC investigation uncovered allegations against him by several unnamed people.

“Chris [Minns]myself, and the NSW Labor Party have committed to adopting the recommendations of the Broderick review and working across party lines to make the NSW Parliament and NSW politics a workplace we can all be proud of,” he said in a statement.

“I fully support the Broderick review and the change it will hopefully lead to. But my remaining in the shadow ministry at this time has become a distraction from these major revelations and the important work that needs to be done.

“I will be making no further comment.”

Mr Secord is the first NSW politician to step down following the review conducted by former sex discrimination commissioner Elizabeth Broderick.

Last week, Premier Dominic Perrottet said the findings were “sobering, confronting and unacceptable”.

“If parliamentarians cannot lead and provide an environment where the workplace is safe, what hope do we have for other workplaces across our great state?”

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Australia

Nationals MP Vince Catania hands in resignation for WA seat of North West Central

WA Nationals MP Vince Catania stands smiling and holding Liberal how-to-vote cards.

Long-serving Nationals MP Vince Catania has handed his resignation to the speaker of Western Australia’s Legislative Assembly, officially triggering the process of holding a by-election.

It is expected the poll to replace him in the seat of North West Central will be held around the middle of next month, possibly on September 17.

A date will be formally decided when the WA parliament sits on Tuesday for the first time after its winter recess.

Both the Liberal and National parties have announced their candidates, but it is unclear whether Labor will contest the seat.

The long-serving Nationals MP announced his retirement nearly two months ago, saying he did not “have anything left in the tank.”

However, he did not officially resign at the time, as most politicians do, in a move described as “most unusual” by political commentator Peter Kennedy.

Man standing in front of Carnarvon's One Mile Jetty
Vince Catania has held the seat since 2008.(ABC Pilbara: Laura Birch)

When asked about the delay, a spokesperson for the WA Nationals said it had always been Mr Catania’s plan to retire in early August.

“[He] continues to be committed to his role as the member for North West Central until this time,” the spokesperson said.

North West Central is WA’s geographically largest electorate, taking in towns such as Carnarvon, Coral Bay and Exmouth.

Mr Catania has held the seat since 2008, after initially being elected to the upper house in 2005.

The Nationals were the first to announce their candidate for the by-election, selecting local publican Merome Beard.

Merome smiles pictured in a waterfront setting
Merome Beard is the Nationals candidate for the seat of North West Central in WA. (Facebook: Merome Beard)

A post on Ms Beard’s Facebook page shows she will officially launch her campaign on Friday, in an event that will also be used to farewell Mr Catania.

Other posts show Mr Catania will join Ms Beard, who used to work in his office, at a number of “mobile office” meetings across the region.

A qualified urban and regional planner, Will Baston will stand as the Liberal Party’s candidate.

A smiling man wearing a jacket with a shirt underneath stands in front of some trees.
Will Baston has thrown his hat into the ring for the Liberals.(ABC News: Kate Ferguson)

He has also worked as a consultant on “conservation and economic development outcomes for outback and regional Western Australia”, according to the Liberal Party.

It is understood the Greens will also field a candidate, to be announced on Wednesday.

Awkward contest for opposition alliance

The by-election creates an awkward situation for the Liberal-National Alliance, with both sides having to compete for votes.

However, Deputy Liberal Leader Libby Mettam said yesterday that her party’s interest was “not in competing and fighting against the National Party.”

Libby Mettam, Deputy Liberal leader
Libby Mettam says the Liberals are not trying to compete with the Nationals.(ABC NewsClaire Moodie)

“We will be leading and campaigning in support of Will Baston, our Liberal Party candidate, and we hope that either Will Baston or the Nationals candidate will be elected,” she said.

“Our position as the party representing all of Western Australia is to be giving people the option to vote for the Liberal Party and vote in a strong candidate, which is Will Baston.”

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Categories
Australia

Matthew Guy’s chief of staff Mitch Catlin resigns after details of proposed payment arrangement emerge

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy, who is wearing a suit. The background behind him is blurry and green.

The chief of staff to Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy has resigned, after reportedly asking a Liberal Party donor to make a $100,000 payment to his private marketing business.

The Age has reported that Mitch Catlin asked Mr Guy to forward a proposed contract to a donor that would have seen the donor pay more than $8,000 a month to Mr Catlin’s private marketing company, Catchy Media Marketing and Management.

The Andrews government this afternoon said it would refer the issue to the state’s corruption watchdog, as well as agencies including Victoria Police, the Victorian Ombudsman and the AFP.

In response, Mr Guy said he would cooperate with any investigation and looked forward to the state’s integrity agencies “confirming this referral for what it is — an unfounded and desperate political stunt.”

Earlier, Mr Guy said while “there was nothing signed” and he had not passed on the proposed contract, he had this morning accepted Mr Catlin’s resignation.

“I make it very, very clear that I value integrity in government and also in opposition,” he said.

“To that end, my chief of staff Mitch Catlin has this morning offered me his resignation.”

a man in a suit smiles at the camera.
Mitch Catlin runs a private marketing company called Catchy Media Marketing and Management.(LinkedIn)

The Liberal leader pledged to establish a code of conduct for opposition staff.

“I accept that as an issue that needs resolution, I will fix that and I will make sure there is a code of conduct for opposition staff as there is, and should be, for government staff,” he said.

Mr Guy said there were no agreements in place within the party that resemble Mr Catlin’s proposed contract.

“We’ll make sure that any issues, even the perception of integrity, is taken seriously. We’re acting on a perception — this wasn’t even put in place,” he said.

MPs call for greater transparency

Labor minister Danny Pearson said Mr Guy needed to “come clean” and reveal his level of involvement.

“Matthew Guy is putting himself up as the alternative premier,” he said.

“He may be the premier by Christmas, and this goes to his credibility.”

The state government has put out a list of 14 questions directed at Mr Guy, asking why the documents have not been released and how the proposed contract would have benefited the donor.

Reason Party MP Fiona Patten said greater integrity was needed in the state’s political system and renewed calls for the urgent introduction of a parliamentary ethics committee.

“We know that the system needs greater transparency and greater integrity,” she said.

“What the major parties do affects us all.”

Addressing media this morning, Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin denied all knowledge of the proposed deal and took aim at the government’s recent issues with integrity.

“We need to make sure that integrity is the highest priority here in this state,” Mr Battin said.

“That includes in the parliament, that includes in your party and that includes trust across the whole sector.”

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