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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/nov/09/luke-foley-referred-to-nsw-labor-committee-in-bid-to-block-him-staying-on-as-mp
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| Luke Foley referred to NSW Labor committee in bid to block him staying on as MP | Luke Foley referred to NSW Labor committee in bid to block him staying on as MP |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Luke Foley has been referred to New South Wales Labor’s candidate review committee in a bid to block him from staying on as the member for Auburn. | Luke Foley has been referred to New South Wales Labor’s candidate review committee in a bid to block him from staying on as the member for Auburn. |
| The fallout from the allegations levelled against Foley continued on Friday, as both opposition leader Bill Shorten and NSW Labor leadership frontrunner Michael Daley expressed their support for ABC reporter Ashleigh Raper. | The fallout from the allegations levelled against Foley continued on Friday, as both opposition leader Bill Shorten and NSW Labor leadership frontrunner Michael Daley expressed their support for ABC reporter Ashleigh Raper. |
| Foley shocked his party when he announced he would sue for defamation over Raper’s allegations that he put his hands in her underwear during a 2016 Christmas function. | Foley shocked his party when he announced he would sue for defamation over Raper’s allegations that he put his hands in her underwear during a 2016 Christmas function. |
| Daley said on Friday he had asked that Foley be referred to the candidate review committee, which decides whether Labor candidates are suitable for pre-selection. | Daley said on Friday he had asked that Foley be referred to the candidate review committee, which decides whether Labor candidates are suitable for pre-selection. |
| He said he believed Raper, saying “she’s a credible person. I believe her, and her welfare is the most important thing”. | |
| “I had a conversation with the general secretary of the Labor party, and I indicated to her that if I am elected leader tomorrow I will require her to refer Luke’s continued membership of the ALP and candidacy for ALP in parliament to the candidate review committee,” he said. “I understand today that that has already been done.” | “I had a conversation with the general secretary of the Labor party, and I indicated to her that if I am elected leader tomorrow I will require her to refer Luke’s continued membership of the ALP and candidacy for ALP in parliament to the candidate review committee,” he said. “I understand today that that has already been done.” |
| NSW Labor sources say there was no other option after Foley’s combative response to the allegations on Thursday. | NSW Labor sources say there was no other option after Foley’s combative response to the allegations on Thursday. |
| “You’d have to be pretty dumb to not think they’re going to do him over,” one senior Labor figure told Guardian Australia. “And that’s got to happen.” | “You’d have to be pretty dumb to not think they’re going to do him over,” one senior Labor figure told Guardian Australia. “And that’s got to happen.” |
| Meanwhile, David Elliott, the Liberal MP who dragged Raper’s case into the public sphere against her wishes, made a short statement. He said it was never his intent to cause distress to Raper. | |
| “This has clearly been a difficult time for the journalist,” Elliott said. “I have long held concerns over the character of the alternate premier.” | |
| “To that end, it was never my intent to cause distress for the journalist.” | |
| The premier, Gladys Berejiklian, declined to say whether Elliott would be sanctioned, saying “Today is not the day to get political”. | |
| “The person who suffered the most deserves to have her career on track and get on with her life,” Berejiklian said. | |
| Berejiklian asked about minister David Elliott's role in making the allegations public and whether he would be reprimanded. "Today is not the day to get political," she said. | |
| Shorten said Foley’s alleged behaviour could not be tolerated. | |
| “The behaviour that Ashleigh described is clearly improper, inappropriate, it cannot be tolerated,” Shorten told ABC radio. | “The behaviour that Ashleigh described is clearly improper, inappropriate, it cannot be tolerated,” Shorten told ABC radio. |
| “Considering the behaviour described – and what has happened hasn’t respected her wishes – I think something the rest of us can do is treat her with some respect.” | “Considering the behaviour described – and what has happened hasn’t respected her wishes – I think something the rest of us can do is treat her with some respect.” |
| Daley also publicly condemned Foley’s handling of the allegations. | Daley also publicly condemned Foley’s handling of the allegations. |
| “We’re all thinking of Ashleigh,” Daley told reporters outside his home earlier on Friday morning. | “We’re all thinking of Ashleigh,” Daley told reporters outside his home earlier on Friday morning. |
| “She did the right thing, she did the brave thing. We’re all thinking of her. She’s the most important person at the moment.” | “She did the right thing, she did the brave thing. We’re all thinking of her. She’s the most important person at the moment.” |
| NSW Labor is expected to caucus and vote for a new leader on Saturday. Daley, who is the current deputy leader, is the clear frontrunner. Labor sources say he will offer stability in the final months before the March 2019 state election. | NSW Labor is expected to caucus and vote for a new leader on Saturday. Daley, who is the current deputy leader, is the clear frontrunner. Labor sources say he will offer stability in the final months before the March 2019 state election. |
| Penny Sharpe, a Labor member of the NSW upper house from the left, is expected to be voted deputy. | Penny Sharpe, a Labor member of the NSW upper house from the left, is expected to be voted deputy. |
| Many within the party were left dumbfounded by Foley’s response to the allegations. He gave a short press conference, without taking questions, to deny Raper’s claims and announce he was suing for defamation in the federal court. | Many within the party were left dumbfounded by Foley’s response to the allegations. He gave a short press conference, without taking questions, to deny Raper’s claims and announce he was suing for defamation in the federal court. |
| Such a course would lead to months of damaging coverage in the lead-up to an election, which, prior to the scandal, Labor had a good chance of winning. They were neck and neck with the Coalition in the polls, and Foley had just edged Berejiklian as preferred premier. | |
| Foley is understood to not be speaking to senior colleagues, who want to dissuade him from the court action. | Foley is understood to not be speaking to senior colleagues, who want to dissuade him from the court action. |
| “He’s not talking to any of the people in the caucus that he normally talks to,” a Labor source said. “He’s just bunkered down.” | “He’s not talking to any of the people in the caucus that he normally talks to,” a Labor source said. “He’s just bunkered down.” |
| Daley said he would ask Berejiklian to join with him in lifting the standards of behaviour in the NSW parliament. He said voters were rightly disgusted at what they were witnessing. | Daley said he would ask Berejiklian to join with him in lifting the standards of behaviour in the NSW parliament. He said voters were rightly disgusted at what they were witnessing. |
| “It’s been a completely ugly episode, in many ways,” he said. “And I’m calling on Gladys Berejiklian now to join me, if I’m elected leader, in lifting the standards of parliament.” | “It’s been a completely ugly episode, in many ways,” he said. “And I’m calling on Gladys Berejiklian now to join me, if I’m elected leader, in lifting the standards of parliament.” |
| Luke Foley | Luke Foley |
| Labor party | Labor party |
| New South Wales politics | New South Wales politics |
| Bill Shorten | Bill Shorten |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
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