Rebel MP Kaushaliya Vaghela is calling on the Victorian Premier to apologise to her, alleging his office turned a blind eye to systemic bullying within his office for almost three years.
Ms Vaghela told the ABC's 7.30 program in an exclusive interview airing Thursday that she is sharing her story to encourage other women to speak up when they have allegations of bullying.
"I want women not to be silenced, because I suffered in silence," she said.
"I lost my self-esteem, I felt worthless.
"I want women not to be victim-blamed, I want them to be believed. There should be a fair process.
"We need to send the message — speak up, you will be believed, there'll be a fair process and you won't be called names, you won't be called crazy. That is what I want from this."
'I had no idea what was lying ahead'
A first-term MP and the first Indian-born member of the Victorian parliament, Ms Vaghela was elected in 2018 and had big aspirations to serve her community in Melbourne's outer west.
"On the night I was elected into parliament in November 2018, it was one of the happiest days of my life," she told 7.30.
"I wanted to make my family proud, to make my Indian community proud."
Instead, Ms Vaghela became embroiled in factional tit for tat and alleges she faced relentless bullying and intimidation by members of her own party that left her "a nervous wreck".
"I had not signed up for the abuse over the past three years," she said.
"I had no idea what was lying ahead. Had I known, I would never have become a member of parliament."
Ms Vaghela was dropped from preselection for the state's upcoming November election, however, she said she was not raising her allegations in response to this.
"All this started in April 2019. There was no preselection then," she said.
After she was elected, Ms Vaghela alleges a group of men aligned with the party's Socialist Left faction — including a staffer of the premier and others who were not employed by the Premier's office or the party — would routinely harass and intimidate her at public events.
She also claims the staffer and the three of his friends acted in a concerted campaign to intimidate her that left her feeling fearful.
"These people were turning up at events. They would also bring other SL [Socialist Left faction] activists with them, follow me at the events, [this] bully boys gang," she said.
"They will stand over me, invade my personal space, stand in front of me … when I stand up to give a speech, they would laugh, look at each other and make gestures.
"They were just mocking me, it was very intimidating."
Ms Vaghela said when she raised the alleged behaviour with the Premier's office, she felt her concerns were dismissed.
'"They just did not take it seriously. I felt that I was a nuisance to them.
"They were not understanding what I was trying to say … [that] I am fearing for my safety."
She told 7.30 she raised the allegations several times from April 2019 onwards in writing and in person with the Premier's office.
"But there was no outcome. I did not see any action being taken."
The staff member in the Premier's office who she had made a complaint about has since lost his job.
In a press conference earlier this month, Premier Daniel Andrews told reporters: "There was an issue with a staff member. A complaint was made and the staff member no longer works in my office. That was dealt with appropriately."
7.30 spoke to the staffer facing the allegations and he denied them.
In a statement, a Victorian government spokesperson told 7.30: "In 2019, Ms Vaghela raised concerns about members of the Victorian community – the Premier's office provided the appropriate support to the member at this time."
"In 2021, Ms Vaghela lodged a formal complaint about the conduct of a staff member — that matter was dealt with appropriately and the staff member was dismissed.
"All members of staff are expected to abide by the Ministerial Code of Conduct."
'I want justice'
Kaushaliya Vaghela is now calling for the Premier himself to apologise to her, after he dismissed her claims that the complaints weren't dealt with properly as a "fantasy" in a press conference.
"I have suffered a lot over three years, me and my family, we have suffered a lot. And I want justice."
Worksafe Victoria is now investigating her claims. No determination has been made in relation to her allegations.
Inside the Victorian Labor factions
Prior to becoming an MP, Ms Vaghela had been aligned with the Labor Party's Socialist Left faction, but she defected to the Right shortly before the election.
"In my mind — left, right, all factions are of the same party."
The two dominant factions within Victorian Labor consist of the Socialist Left — which features several party heavyweights, including the Premier — and the Victorian Right, which has the allegiance of Deputy Premier James Merlino and Police Minister Lisa Neville.
The factions have historical links to different unions.
Ms Vaghela sensationally crossed the floor of parliament to vote against her party this month in order to support a motion by estranged MP Adem Somyurek.
The motion asks parliament to refer the allegations of corruption involving the Labor Party — known as the red shirts scandal — to the ombudsman and IBAC.
Watch the exclusive interview on 7.30 tonight on ABC TV and ABC iview
