Former Deputy Chief Minister and member for Katherine Willem Westra van Holthe has quit the Country Liberal Party.
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Posting on his Facebook page today Mr Westra van Holthe said he has tendered his resignation from the CLP.
“In the past few days, Natasha Griggs, former Member for Solomon, has been on the receiving end of threats, bullying and intimidation from a senior male member of the CLP,” Mr Westra van Holthe said.
“This behaviour is totally unacceptable.
“What’s worse is the fact that the CLP failed to publicly denounce this type of behaviour and call it for what it was, an example of behaviour that should never be tolerated and should be stamped at every opportunity.”
As reported by the NT News, Mrs Griggs resigned from the CLP yesterday following an aggressive phone call.
A spokesman from the CLP told Katherine Times Mr Westra van Holthe’s financial membership had already expired.
The spokesman chose not to comment on the allegations of bullying and CLP president Shane Stone is currently overseas.
“This is an internal party matter but we have noted Westra van Holthe’s announcement that he was quitting the party, but he has not been a financial member of the party for some time,” the spokesman said.
Mr Westra van Holthe said he expected the CLP to announce an investigation into Ms Grigg’s claims.
“In leaving the CLP, I place on the record my sincere thanks to my friends and supporters and those loyal party members; so many people who helped and encouraged me in the lead up to the 2008 election and all the years since,” he said.
Mr Westra van Holthe was a CLP member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 2008 to 2016, representing the electorate of Katherine.
He previously served as:
- Minister for Primary Industry and Fisheries, Minister for Land Resource Management and Minister for Essential Services (2012–2016)
- Minister for Mines and Energy (2012–2015)
- Minister for Public Employment (2015–2016)