Melbourne Lord Mayor hit by third harassment complaint

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has strenuously denied allegations made by a third woman who has come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against him.

The woman, who does not wish to be identified, made an official complaint against Cr Doyle as part of ongoing investigations of sexual harassment allegations.

Two other women have also made complaints against Cr Doyle since the investigations began on December 19. 

A third woman has come forward with allegations of sexual harassment against Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle

The woman told two lawyers from the investigative team on Tuesday that the lord mayor allegedly repeatedly touched her upper thigh under the table at a medical awards ceremony in June 2016, The Age reports.

The ceremony was held by Melbourne Health, of which Cr Doyle is chairman of the board.

Investigators were told Cr Doyle’s alleged behaviour made the woman so uncomfortable, she swapped seats with her partner, now husband, at the event.

The woman told investigators, headed by Dr Ian Feckleton QC, that Cr Doyle was at first very welcoming during the event but began to make crude remarks.

The woman told two lawyers from an investigative team on Tuesday that the lord mayor allegedly repeatedly touched her upper thigh under the table at a medical awards ceremony in June 2016

The woman told two lawyers from an investigative team on Tuesday that the lord mayor allegedly repeatedly touched her upper thigh under the table at a medical awards ceremony in June 2016

The woman turned away to talk to her partner before the lord mayor placed his hand on her upper thigh, which he allegedly did ‘eight or nine times’. 

The woman was attending the event to support her partner, a senior specialist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, who was accepting an award.

The couple said their evening was tarnished by Cr Doyle’s behaviour.   

In response to this week’s allegations, the lord mayor said, via a spokeswoman: ‘I strongly deny the suggestion that I behaved in any manner that could be construed as inappropriate. 

‘I attended that event in an official capacity and made a number of speeches and awards throughout the night.’  

Cr Doyle took a month-long leave from his position as lord mayor after councillor Tessa Sullivan resigned in December after alleging ‘repeated sexual harassment’ against herself and other women had made the workplace ‘intolerable’.  



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