Following yesterday's announcement by David O'Byrne the process to elect the new Leader of the Tasmanian Parliamentary Labor Party will open at our next Parliamentary Labor Party meeting on Wednesday, 7 July 2021.
The process is set out in the Tasmanian Labor Party Rules and will be overseen by the party's Returning Officer, Mr Craig Lee.
In relation to the circumstances surrounding Mr O'Byrne's decision to resign as Leader, I will not be providing comment on the complaint, both out of respect for the privacy of the complainant and the confidentiality requirements of the process.
Running political commentary on individual complaints does nothing to provide confidence in the Labor Party's established processes, under which such matters are dealt with.
The Tasmanian Labor Party has a proud history of supporting women within our party, within the Parliament and our community at large and I and my colleagues remain committed to continuing this important work.
I would like to put on the record the party's support for the complainant and acknowledge her bravery in coming forward.
It is critical that all women feel empowered and supported to speak up.
Anita Dow MP
Acting Labor Leader
