Darren Cheeseman:
South Barwon Labor MP Darren Cheeseman has been asked by Premier Jacinta Allan to resign from his role as a parliamentary secretary after allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
In a statement released Friday afternoon, Allan said she had sought Cheeseman’s resignation from the senior role as a “result of allegations of persistent, inappropriate behaviour in the workplace towards staff”.
South Barwon MP Darren Cheeseman.
Parliamentary secretaries are MPs who assist cabinet ministers with their portfolio responsibilities, sometimes known as assistant ministers.
Allan said Cheeseman had agreed to resign but would remain in the Labor caucus and within the broader party.
Cheeseman has been contacted for comment.
Allan’s statement said ministers and parliamentary secretaries were expected to behave according to “the highest stands of personal conduct”.
“Under the Code, Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries must take all reasonable steps to maintain respectful and appropriate working relationships with their staff, staff of other Ministers and MPs, Parliamentary staff, VPS staff, and Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues,” she said.
“The wellbeing of staff and their right to a respectful workplace is not negotiable.”
Cheeseman was a federal MP in the seat of Corangamite from 2007 to 2013. He moved to state politics with his election in South Barwon in 2018.
He was parliamentary secretary for the Commonwealth Games before their cancellation. In October, he was transferred to the education portfolio.
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