New level in Labor pains

Derwent branch takes stance over O’Byrne

A REGIONAL branch of Tasmania’s Labor Party says it has no confidence in the state party’s administrative committee and has also called on MP David O’Byrne to resign.

The Derwent Valley branch unanimously passed the motion at its meeting on Monday night, saying it “believes and supports survivors of sexual harassment”.

It comes after an independent party-initiated investigation into allegations of harassment by Mr O’Byrne towards his junior employee Rachel Midson when he was head of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union was “finalised with no further action required”.

That prompted the Franklin MP to say he had been cleared of sexual harassment claims, but Ms Midson said she felt let down by the party’s investigation, led by former

Fair Work commissioner Barbara Deegan.

Derwent Valley branch secretary Griffin Blizzard sent an “urgent motion” to Labor state secretary Stuart Benson, the state parliamentary Labor Party, federal Tasmanian Labor members and senators, and other branch secretaries, criticising the complaint handling process.

“The failure of the process tells ... survivors that there is no avenue within the party to seek justice,’’ Mr Blizzard wrote.

“Support for the process by members of the administrative committee indicates that the committee are not serving the interests of members nor the values of the party.”

Mr Blizzard said the Derwent Valley branch had “no confidence’ in the administrative committee of the party’s Tasmanian branch, and also called on Mr O’Byrne to resign.

“To survivors of sexual harassment ... we believe you, and we stand with you,’’ Mr Blizzard wrote.

But Mr Benson defended the way the complaint was handled and claimed the motion contained inaccuracies.

“Barbara Deegan’s investigation was conducted at arm’s length from myself, the administrative committee, and the Labor Party more broadly,’’ Mr Benson said.

“The administrative committee was not involved in the process. Any suggestion the investigation was not conducted independently are wrong.”

Mr Benson said Ms Deegan had more than 30 years’ experience and he was satisfied she conducted the process appropriately.

“I am confident that there is no more action that could have been taken to make the investigation any further removed from the Labor Party than it was,’’ he said.