Pressure on McGregor to resign as president

TASMANIAN Labor’s state secretary has rejected claims the party’s president has been cleared of sexual harassment allegations – and has called on him to resign while he pursues legal action.

Ben McGregor on Friday claimed he had been vindicated by an investigation that was called after he withdrew as Labor candidate for Clark at the state election.

But in a stunning development in the long-running internal ructions, Labor state secretary Stuart Benson said the complaint against state president Mr McGregor was outside Labor’s rules and had actually been withdrawn.

“It has been determined that the complaint does not fall within the terms of the Tasmanian Labor policy,” he said.

“More importantly, the complainant has now determined that she does not want to pursue her complaint under the party policy.”

Mr McGregor quit the Labor ticket for the state seat of Clark in April after a complaint from a former colleague that he sent a text message containing an offensive image six years ago.

Mr Benson said it was time for Mr McGregor to quit as state president.

“As Mr McGregor has confirmed, he wishes to pursue legal action. I do not think it appropriate to do that in the position of party president,” Mr Benson said.

“I have asked him to resign as party president. I cannot see a tenable and working situation where the party president says he is now taking steps to address this issue legally – whether that be against individual members or senior members of the Labor Party.”

Mr Benson revealed the state parliamentary Labor Party had also passed a unanimous motion of no confidence in Mr McGregor.

Earlier on Friday, Mr McGregor said an investigation by independent barrister Andrew See had found he had done nothing wrong.

“This has been a very difficult time for me and my family. I am relieved that the investigation has concluded and that it has cleared me of any wrongdoing.”

Mr McGregor said he intended to return to his role as the state president of the ALP, from which he had stepped down during the investigation.

“The failure to keep the complaint confidential until an independent investigation had determined its merit has caused profound hurt and damage to me and my family and damaged my reputation and my career,” he said.

“I am taking steps to address this legally.”

It was unclear who Mr McGregor is taking legal action against.

Labor has had a difficult year – with an election loss, a bitter fight over preselections, five changes in leadership including temporary leaders, three shadow ministerial lineups, the resignation of MLC Bastian Seidel and former leader David O’Byrne being exiled to the crossbench after claims of sexual harassment made against him under parliamentary privilege. Mr O’Byrne has denied the allegations.

Labor’s annual state conference is next month.