Call for Nationals to reinvestigate sexual harassment allegation against Barnaby Joyce
There is a call for the Nationals to reopen an inquiry into a sexual harassment allegation against Barnaby Joyce following revelations the NSW state director who oversaw the initial investigation was the subject of an apprehended domestic violence order application. Joyce has consistently denied the sexual harassment allegation.
Ross Cadell, who has been selected by the NSW Nationals to take their top spot on the joint Coalition Senate ticket, was the subject of an apprehended domestic violence order application made against him by police on behalf of his former wife in 2014.
The application was withdrawn and Cadell has denied any wrongdoing, telling Guardian Australia: “I was subject to an application that was withdrawn. I am not going to relive any part of that. A separation is painful for everyone, it is over, nothing came from that, and that is all I can say.”
While a small group of party figures was made aware of the application in Cadell’s past, the Nationals members who voted on the Senate ticket were not.
Sue Middleton, a close friend of Catherine Marriott, whose complaint against Joyce resulted in an inconclusive investigation by the NSW division, claimed the fresh revelations regarding Cadell showed the process was a “travesty”.
“I found the internal party process to be extraordinary at the time, and still to this date, I question the ability of any party member to find an adverse outcome against a member of their party that in their own words ‘delivers them political outcomes,’” Middleton told Guardian Australia.
“Given the background that has come to light, I do not believe the Joyce investigation result is now credible.”
Middleton, a businesswoman, farmer and national 2010 Rural Woman of the Year, is an influential voice in regional Australia. She has served on a number of boards and been inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.
Middleton said the “no result finding” of the investigation, which came despite it finding Marriott was “forthright, believable and open” about the incident, was difficult to accept.
“The panel did not seek external advice or bring in external advisors at the time, despite being requested by Catherine Marriott. They used internal party members who in my opinion lacked the necessary experience to mediate such a serious complaint. They called no witnesses.
“We have no faith in the party processes. The party leaders are showing no capacity to change this by themselves. There is a groundswell of women across Australia who have had enough and this crosses party lines. I believe it is fair to say we have lost faith in the capacity of the political system to hold its members to account.”
Joyce, whose branch of New England nominated Cadell for the Senate position, said the former state director was just one of a group of people conducting the investigation. The newly reinstated deputy prime minister has consistently denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegation “spurious and defamatory”, while requesting Marriott make clear the details of the allegation against him so he can defend himself.
He claims that after being demoted to the backbench following Marriott’s allegation, he has had time to reflect on his “effect on others” and returns to the leadership role a better person.
In regards to the apprehended domestic violence order application made against Cadell, Joyce said it had been the former wife’s decision to “stop the process”.
“If any allegation is substantiated by an investigation then of course that is a very serious thing, but if a process is started and a process is stopped then that is the right of the person to withdraw a complaint,” Joyce said.
“I don’t know Ross’s then-wife, I am sure she is a decent person, and I am not going to second judge someone for why they started a process and stopped a process, I think that is an issue for her.
“I don’t think she will want her issue to become a political football, I think that she would say – not that I am putting words into her mouth – but I think she would say that was my decision.”
Nationals MP David Gillespie said the party “must have analysed” the AVO application as part of the vetting process of Cadell before the preselection vote but said the information was not widely distributed and “probably discounted”.
“Every member of the National party is universally in chorus, in having inappropriate sexual harassment or any violence stamped down in any forum of Australian life – there is a unity ticket on that, but the inner workings of an executive analysis of what was presented, I’m not privy to those details,” he said.
“I’d have to defer to the state executive because the details obviously weren’t widely distributed.”
• In Australia, the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Women’s Aid. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org.