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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/feb/06/robert-doyle-accuser-tells-council-she-feels-disempowered-by-investigation-delay
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| Robert Doyle accuser tells council she feels disempowered by investigation delay | Robert Doyle accuser tells council she feels disempowered by investigation delay |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Melbourne lord mayor has stepped down and been admitted to hospital after being accused of sexual harassment | Melbourne lord mayor has stepped down and been admitted to hospital after being accused of sexual harassment |
| Calla Wahlquist | Calla Wahlquist |
| Tue 6 Feb 2018 08.29 GMT | Tue 6 Feb 2018 08.29 GMT |
| Last modified on Tue 6 Feb 2018 10.51 GMT | |
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| A councillor who accused former Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle of sexual assault has said she feels “disempowered” and frustrated by the decision to delay the investigation. | A councillor who accused former Melbourne lord mayor Robert Doyle of sexual assault has said she feels “disempowered” and frustrated by the decision to delay the investigation. |
| Cr Cathy Oke told the independent investigation into claims of harassment against Doyle, which began with allegations by former councillor Tessa Sullivan in December, that Doyle tried to kiss her when they were in his office and touched her thigh under a table in a separate incident. | |
| In an emotional address at a Melbourne City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oke said that she felt a “deep frustration” about the delay in the investigation, which was prompted by Doyle’s ill-health. | In an emotional address at a Melbourne City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oke said that she felt a “deep frustration” about the delay in the investigation, which was prompted by Doyle’s ill-health. |
| Doyle, 64, resigned as lord mayor on Monday after being admitted to hospital on Sunday for ill health reportedly connected to the strain of the investigation. He also resigned as chairman of Melbourne Health, where he is facing a separate sexual harassment inquiry. | Doyle, 64, resigned as lord mayor on Monday after being admitted to hospital on Sunday for ill health reportedly connected to the strain of the investigation. He also resigned as chairman of Melbourne Health, where he is facing a separate sexual harassment inquiry. |
| Oke said that she understood the reason for the delay but that she felt “disempowered” to speak about the issue without having read the final report. | Oke said that she understood the reason for the delay but that she felt “disempowered” to speak about the issue without having read the final report. |
| Tuesday’s meeting was the first formal council meeting since the City of Melbourne ordered an independent investigation into alleged conduct by Doyle in December, following the allegations by Sullivan. It was moved to a bigger hall to accommodate public interest in the investigation. | Tuesday’s meeting was the first formal council meeting since the City of Melbourne ordered an independent investigation into alleged conduct by Doyle in December, following the allegations by Sullivan. It was moved to a bigger hall to accommodate public interest in the investigation. |
| Sullivan resigned after making the allegations. | Sullivan resigned after making the allegations. |
| Oke, who began her address by whispering “keep it together” under her breath, said she commended Sullivan for her bravery, adding: “Victims certainly should not see that the only action before them is to resign to seek justice. | Oke, who began her address by whispering “keep it together” under her breath, said she commended Sullivan for her bravery, adding: “Victims certainly should not see that the only action before them is to resign to seek justice. |
| “I encourage anyone, especially women, who has been sexually harassed to report it.” | “I encourage anyone, especially women, who has been sexually harassed to report it.” |
| The council’s chief executive, Ben Rimmer, said that beyond Doyle’s legal team, who were provided with a hand-delivered confidential copy of the draft interim report on 30 January, the report had only been seen by investigator Ian Freckleton QC and his four-person legal team. | The council’s chief executive, Ben Rimmer, said that beyond Doyle’s legal team, who were provided with a hand-delivered confidential copy of the draft interim report on 30 January, the report had only been seen by investigator Ian Freckleton QC and his four-person legal team. |
| “No other individual including myself has a copy of that draft report,” Rimmer said. | “No other individual including myself has a copy of that draft report,” Rimmer said. |
| Rimmer said he intended to release the full final report to the public as soon as possible, but suggested that its release may be subject to legal challenge. | Rimmer said he intended to release the full final report to the public as soon as possible, but suggested that its release may be subject to legal challenge. |
| “I can’t commit to council that the findings will be made public, but that is my aim,” he said. “There are legal processes in play.” | “I can’t commit to council that the findings will be made public, but that is my aim,” he said. “There are legal processes in play.” |
| Rimmer said he was “extremely concerned” when Sullivan approached him with allegations against Doyle on 15 December and commended her courage in coming forward. | Rimmer said he was “extremely concerned” when Sullivan approached him with allegations against Doyle on 15 December and commended her courage in coming forward. |
| “The allegations raised urgent and substantial concerns about the safety of the City of Melbourne workplace for a number of councillors,” Rimmer said. | “The allegations raised urgent and substantial concerns about the safety of the City of Melbourne workplace for a number of councillors,” Rimmer said. |
| He said he tried to convince Sullivan not to resign. | He said he tried to convince Sullivan not to resign. |
| Rimmer said the the incident exposed weakness in the local government act and the council’s code of conduct, which does not explicitly deal with sexual harassment, but said council had a responsibility to respond to what was an “urgent and immediate OH&S issue” | Rimmer said the the incident exposed weakness in the local government act and the council’s code of conduct, which does not explicitly deal with sexual harassment, but said council had a responsibility to respond to what was an “urgent and immediate OH&S issue” |
| He said Freckleton had only been asked to ascertain the facts. | He said Freckleton had only been asked to ascertain the facts. |
| “Importantly, [the investigation] was undertaken from a presumption of innocence. From the investigation’s first minute it was ordered to afford natural justice and procedural fairness to all parties, particularly the former lord mayor,” he said. “I believe it has achieved this.” | “Importantly, [the investigation] was undertaken from a presumption of innocence. From the investigation’s first minute it was ordered to afford natural justice and procedural fairness to all parties, particularly the former lord mayor,” he said. “I believe it has achieved this.” |
| Doyle’s wife, Emma Page Campbell, has stood by him throughout the investigation, saying he was a “good and decent man” who had been denied natural justice. | Doyle’s wife, Emma Page Campbell, has stood by him throughout the investigation, saying he was a “good and decent man” who had been denied natural justice. |
| “I am disappointed that Robert has been given no benefit of the presumption of innocence – a resort to foregone conclusions, and with none of the protections afforded even to those accused of the most horrible crimes,” she said. | “I am disappointed that Robert has been given no benefit of the presumption of innocence – a resort to foregone conclusions, and with none of the protections afforded even to those accused of the most horrible crimes,” she said. |
| Doyle’s lawyer, K&L Gates partner Nick Ruskin, said the former lord mayor felt the response to the allegations “has lacked any semblance of natural justice” and said the toll it had taken “cannot be underestimated.” | Doyle’s lawyer, K&L Gates partner Nick Ruskin, said the former lord mayor felt the response to the allegations “has lacked any semblance of natural justice” and said the toll it had taken “cannot be underestimated.” |
| Melbourne | Melbourne |
| Victoria | Victoria |
| Sexual harassment | Sexual harassment |
| news | news |
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