“Saw the decision came your way – no doubt you’re very relieved,” Van Holst Pellekaan wrote.
“You know him better, so if you think I’m worried about nothing that’s good.
“Somethings (sic) best to be cautious.”
In a follow-up message, Van Holst Pellekaan said he had heard that the female firefighter thought his message made him appear to side with her perpetrator.
“That’s certainly not the case,” he wrote.
“I was concerned for his potential well-being.
“Apologies for the confusion.”
Marshall told reporters this morning that Van Holst Pellekaan had “the best of intentions” when he contacted the female firefighter and he had since reached out to her to clarify his remarks.
“Certainly, if there were any unintended consequences, I think, the Deputy Premier’s already made contact with that person and left a message,” he said.
“I think we all know Dan Van Holst Pellekaan – he’s got a heart of gold.
“He certainly didn’t wish to put any further stress on this victim – he wanted to support the victim and he’s conveyed that in a further message to her.”
Asked if the text message was a “bad look” for his government, given it was sent on International Women’s Day, Marshall said: “his (Van Holst Pellekaan’s) intention was to support that victim”.
“I think we’ve proven since coming to government that we’ve had a very strong focus on ending domestic and family violence and supporting victims very strongly.”
Deputy Premier Dan Van Holst Pellekaan. Photo: Kelly Barnes/AAPxjmtzyw
In a statement, Van Holst Pellekaan said he “reached out in support of a constituent during a very difficult time for her”.
“In no way do I condone that type of behaviour,” he said.
The man was dismissed from the MFS in December 2020 after the service’s disciplinary committee found he had behaved in an “intimidating manner” two years earlier.
The disciplinary committee heard he physically grabbed the back of the firefighter’s neck and pushed her head towards the ground in a shed at the Port Augusta fire station.
He denied he committed misconduct, describing the allegation as a “total lie” and that witnesses had colluded against him.
But the MFS disciplinary committee found the misconduct was “very serious” and dismissal was warranted.
The United Fire Fighters Union of South Australia (UFUSA) described Van Holst Pellekaan’s messages as a “deep insult”, saying he had sent further messages and phone calls to the female firefighter and her family.
