Police are seeking an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) against a member of the Moorebank branch of the Liberal Party following a “threat’’ made against Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons.
Ms Gibbons has declined to go on the record and answer a series of questions emailed to her by the South West Voice.
But sources close to the Moorebank branch of the Liberal Party – who were present at the meeting – have told the Voice that one of their members was interviewed by police the day after a branch meeting where the alleged “threat’’ was made.
Police informed him that they were seeking an AVO against him.
Our sources say the threat was made “in jest’’ during a vote at the meeting and that at the time Ms Gibbons declined an offer to have the branch member ejected from the meeting.
But following a report of the incident being provided to the police by Ms Gibbons they decided to proceed with the AVO, which will be heard in the courts this week.
The South West Voice contacted Ms Gibbons yesterday and it was arranged for a number of questions to be emailed to her on the issue so she could respond to the claims.
However Ms Gibbons last night telephoned to say she would only discuss the Voice questions “off the record’’.
Our sources told us that Liberal Party branch meetings in Moorebank are recorded and we asked Ms Gibbons about that too, but she declined to answer.
A threat is a threat. A threat is a terrifying experience. Why are you trying to diminish this by putting it in “inverted commas”?
Eric – I’m sorry but I feel that your column is almost trivialising violence against women. If the police feel that this is serious enough to ask for an AVO then it was not just a “jest”. These are not your words I understand but is it not also understandable that a sitting member of parliament would not be able to comment on an ongoing matter such as this? Many women have been silenced by this sort of behaviour and Melanie Gibbons should be applauded for not putting up with it, and I would hope you would support her in that.