Details of a 101-page complaint made against the Greens candidate for Batman have been revealed.
Alex Bhathal, who is hoping to win the north Melbourne seat in the March 17 by-election, has refused to comment and said voters should make up their own minds.
The complaint was made by 18 Greens members, representatives and volunteers, and includes demands Ms Bhathal be disendorsed and expelled from the party.
Allegations against Ms Bhathal range from unfriending on Facebook, ‘triggering’ and making the Darebin branch an ‘unsafe space’ to branch stacking and divisiveness.
Details of a 101-page complaint made against Greens candidate Alex Bhathal (pictured) for Batman have been revealed
Alex Bhathal, who is hoping to win the north Melbourne seat in the March 17 by-election, has refused to comment and said voters should make up their own minds (pictured is Greens leader Richard Di Natale)
The complaint cited ‘serious, repeated, often wilful misconduct’ on the behalf of Ms Bhathal, The Australian reported.
‘This misconduct has included systematic intimidation, and malicious and reckless false statements about members and party decisions,’ the complaint stated.
‘We believe she must be held to account and cannot be allowed to continue on as a representative and member of the Victorian Greens.’
Ms Bathal is accused of a variety of allegations, including avoiding being caught on television camera by standing behind another Greens representative.
The complaint claims Ms Bhathal undermined City of Darebin councillor Susanne Newton (pictured) in a preselection campaign
The complaint was made by 18 Greens members, representatives and volunteers, and includes demands Ms Bhathal (pictured, centre, with Richard Di Natale, left, and Adam Bandt, right) be disendorsed and expelled from the party
The complaint alleges the mother-of-two ‘unfriended’ a party member on Facebook and made the Darebin branch an ‘unsafe space’.
It accuses her of ‘triggering’, projecting, and being passive aggressive, and labels her ‘aggressive’, ‘ruthless’ and ‘destructive’.
A series of more severe allegations claim Ms Bathal recruited new members to stack the Darebin branch and was involved in a civil war with other Greens councillors.
The complaint claims she undermined City of Darebin councillor Susanne Newton in a preselection campaign, and supported non-Greens candidates against four councillors she was feuding with.
The allegations against Ms Bhathal have not been proven, and Victorian Greens, Colin Jacobs said the complaint had been considered but lacked evidence.
Batman is a marginal seat that Labor hopes to retain with ACTU President Ged Kearney (pictured) and the Greens hope to win
Earlier this week, federal Greens Leader Richard Di Natale stepped in to shield Ms Bhathal from questions about the complaint at press conference in Batman.
‘That issue’s been dealt with. We had an issue raised, a request for confidentiality which has been respected,’ Senator Di Natale told reporters on Tuesday.
‘We’re now in a position where Alex has been endorsed completely, comprehensively by her branch, by the state party and indeed by so many people in this electorate.’
Pressed on whether the voters of Batman had a right to know about allegations against candidates and elected representatives, Senator Di Natale repeating the complainants had requested anonymity.
‘The issue was dealt with internally and the request for confidentiality has been respected and that’s the end of the matter.’
Allegations against Ms Bhathal (pictured) range from unfriending on Facebook, ‘triggering’ and making the Darebin branch an ‘unsafe space’ to branch stacking and divisiveness
Ms Bhathal has run for the Greens repeatedly since 2001, and only lost the seat two years ago when Liberal preferences flowed to Labor’s David Feeney (pictured)
Ms Bhathal, a social worker, said people could make their own judgments.
‘We’re dealing with a situation here where I’m very well known and people can make their own judgements,’ she said.
The complaint, made on January 15 to the Greens state executive, could affect the Batman by-election which Ms Bhathal lost by only 1853 votes in 2016.
Ms Bhathal has run for the Greens repeatedly since 2001, and only lost the seat two years ago when Liberal preferences flowed to Labor’s David Feeney.
The upcoming March 17 by-election in the seat was sparked after Mr Feeney resigned from parliament.
Batman is a marginal seat that Labor hopes to retain with ACTU President Ged Kearney and the Greens hope to win.
A Greens victory would give the party its second lower house seat after Melbourne, which is held by Adam Bandt.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Alex Bhathal, Susanne Newton and Richard Di Natale for comment.
Ms Bhathal (pictured, left with Richard Di Natale) said people could make their own judgments