By Laura Wakely
POLICE are investigating allegations of assault after an Australian Labor Party meeting in Keilor last week.
Former Keilor MP George Seitz and Gail Cholosznecki, a staff member in the office of Macedon MP Joanne Duncan, were both involved in the alleged fight, which took place at the office of current Keilor MP Natalie Hutchins last Monday night.
Sources have told Star a fight broke out after Mr Seitz refused to hand over a book containing meeting records to Ms Cholosznecki, but Mr Seitz told Star he “didn’t know” how it had happened.
“She attacked me, I just ran for my life,” Mr Seitz said.
“It’s a court case now, the police are dealing with it.”
He said his shoulder and wrist were injured in the fray, but Ms Cholosznecki supplied a different account of events.
“At no time did I or anybody else assault George,” she said.
“I can confirm there was a minor incident, however the Labor Party has rules and regulations that address these matters internally.
“That’s where I’m going with it.”
This is not the first time the two have been embroiled in controversy.
In 2005 Ms Cholosznecki was accused of defaming Mr Seitz with her how-to-vote cards during the Brimbank council election, in which she represented Rescue Brimbank Together (2 November 2005, Star).
The pair clashed again during the 2008 council elections when Mr Seitz sent out a letter to residents claiming that Maria Kiselis was the only female candidate for the Grasslands Ward, despite Ms Cholosznecki and five other women running for the seat. (25 November 2008, Star).
Western Metropolitan MP Bernie Finn announced on his Facebook page that he had asked Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell “to take into consideration the alleged violence between ALP members in Brimbank as a part of any review into that municipality’s return to an elected council next year”.
Ms Hutchins told Star she didn’t witness the stoush but said the incident was “unsettling”.
“I’ve never had anyone feel unsafe (in my office). It’s just disappointing and hopefully the police pursue it),” Ms Hutchins said.
