A rogue Victorian MP has launched a new barrage of bullying claims against Premier Daniel Andrews, calling his party’s culture “toxic”.
Kaushaliya Vaghela, who quit the Labor Party this week, made the claims under parliamentary privilege on Wednesday and detailed how she was subjected to years of bullying after being elected.
While securing the Western Metropolitan Region seat in 2018 was the best moment of her life, this happiness was short-lived.
Ms Vaghela told parliament the Premier’s tune towards her changed when she joined his caucus, which came amid a barrage of in-party bullying.
“When xjmtzywI became a member of his caucus the Premier was a different man towards me,” she said.
“He was hostile. He treated me as if I was invisible. He would brush past me at events and embrace the bullies and their friends as if to reward and encourage their behaviour.”
During her speech in parliament, Ms Vaghela also levelled allegations against Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams, who she said referred to her as a “rat who can’t be trusted”.
She said Ms Williams sent her an “angry” text after Ms Vaghela changed factions, demanding an explanation for the move.
“Little did I know that the text message was (the) opening salvo to the worst period of my life,” she told the chamber in a 20-minute speech,” she said.
Her previous allegations included accusing the Premier and Ms Williams of a “systemic bullying campaign … by seeking to undermine, isolate and exclude”.
Ms Vaghela said a “friend” of the Premier was among a group of men who targeted her with a “harassment and intimidation campaign”.
“At events they would stand over me and invade my space – pointing and laughing, mocking and sneering at me,” Ms Vaghela said.
“Their campaign extended to spreading nasty rumours and excluding me from attending events. Their strategy was to bully, harass and intimidate me to such a degree that I would simply walk away from politics.”
Ms Vaghela said her complaints of colleagues’ bullying were repeatedly ignored by the Premier’s office despite their serious and prolific nature.
“I continued to make complaints because I was scared, not because I was crazy or irrational,” she said.
However, government whip Nina Taylor hit back and said the government categorically denied Ms Vaghela’s version of events.
“These allegations are definitively rejected by our government because we believe in stopping violence and harassment against women, and our record puts that beyond doubt,” she said.
Ms Vaghela quit the Labor Party on Monday after crossing the floor last month to support shunned MP Adem Somyurek in a motion in relation to the party’s 2014 red shirts scandal.
