Perennial Greens candidate Alex Bhathal has declared she will not make a seventh run for the inner Melbourne seat of Cooper.
Ms Bhathal lost her sixth attempt at the federal seat, previously known as Batman, to Labor’s Ged Kearney in March after a by-election dogged by allegations of bullying from within the Greens.
The party later cleared their candidate of any wrongdoing.
I am stepping down as the Greens candidate for Cooper. https://t.co/lmT2MNm0gn
— Alex Bhathal (@alexbhathal) 9 August 2018
“My decision is made in light of the chronic stress that events this year have caused me and my family and because of the threats, slurs and aggression that my sons and I have been and continue to be exposed to.”
Ms Bhathal added she “never expected that we’d face internal sabotage in the middle of our most winnable campaign” and criticised the Greens for not taking action against her saboteurs.
The party earlier apologised over their handling of the complaint, adding there were no adverse findings against Ms Bhathal.
Australian Associated Press