FOR years, Andrew Piper regarded himself as a loyal Labor foot soldier.
But the 34-year-old now feels "utterly abandoned" by the party he loved after it dumped an investigation into bullying allegations brought by six Newcastle members.
"Ashamed, sad and disgusted", he resigned from NSW Labor late last week.
He's not the only one walking away from the party amid the bullying controversy that includes untested allegations against Newcastle Labor councillor Liz Adamczyk and Wallsend branch president David Norris.
Two other former Labor members, Tahlia Kelso and Julie Davies, submitted resignation letters in July detailing their outrage at the party's handling of the bullying complaints.
After losing Labor preselection battles in May, the pair tried to quit the party but their resignations were rejected and they were expelled. They have joined Ross Kerridge's independents under the Our Newcastle banner.
Mr Piper, the man behind a 104-page report known as Operation Bluehaven that outlines the bullying claims, says he is devastated at the way rank-and-file members have been treated.
He submitted the report to Labor's external complaints coordinator, Canberra-based lawyer Brad Baker, in May, and it was enough for Mr Baker to recommended a full investigation. But after initially agreeing to hold an investigation, NSW Labor intervened in July and the investigation was quietly abandoned.
Mr Piper said the party had "taken away" its members' voices and their right to have a legitimate complaint heard, due to fears about the upcoming Newcastle local government election.
Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes is trying to secure her third-straight term in the election next Saturday. She is being challenged by Dr Kerridge, a former Labor life member, who left the party earlier this year to run for lord mayor after losing a preselection challenge to Cr Nelmes.
This year's preselection battle was the first time in 29 years that Newcastle's Labor party rank-and-file launched an all-out challenge against the Newcastle lord mayor and sitting Labor councillors. Councillor Carol Duncan was the only one not to win preselection.
Mr Piper said he believed concern about unrest in Labor across the city meant the bullying claims were being buried.
"Labor has a huge rule book and all these policies in place, but at the end of the day it appears that there was a predetermined outcome," Mr Piper said. "There is nothing much I can do to change that, but I can certainly let the party know that it doesn't fit with my morals or ethics." He said it appeared to him that "select people" in the party could behave however they liked and the "party will just look the other way, if it suits their needs".
"To remain in the party would have gone against my morals and ethics," he said. "To remain would have meant that I was complicit with the party's behaviour."
Mr Piper, who has volunteered on campaigns for Newcastle federal MP Sharon Claydon and Wallsend state MP Sonia Hornery, said he joined Labor because he believed the party stood for "justice, fairness, respect and the people".
"That is what the brand promotes," he said. "My experience in Newcastle is somewhat different to that unfortunately. The rank-and file members that I've met are very much singing that tune, but then the management aspect of it is completely contrary to that at times."
Mr Piper said he "foolishly" had faith in the party's processes and never would have believed that an investigation would be promised and then taken away.
"It's really, really sad for the people bringing the complaints and really, really sad for the good people in the party," he said.
"Right at the start I sought advice from head office about how to deal with the situation, and was told the best path was the bullying and harassment policy. We followed their advice and their policy, only to be eventually told that there is nothing to see here."
The bullying complaints are the result of a series of charges brought within days of each other at the start of February against seven Newcastle members.
The charges, described in the complaints as a "highly coordinated and politically motivated" attack, were brought during the council preselection battle by Wallsend branch president Mr Norris. It has been alleged one charge was electronically signed by Cr Adamczyk, who is the Wallsend branch secretary, and other evidence supplied with two of the charges can be linked to her.
Cr Adamczyk, who will head Labor's ward four ticket at next week's election, has declined to explain why she did not put her name on the charges, but has denied she attempted to bully her rivals during the preselection process by bringing the charges.
One member was accused of disloyalty for distributing branch meeting minutes to other Newcastle Labor branches, committees and MPs. The minutes included a motion critical of Cr Adamczyk and deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen. As part of the charge, Mr Norris asked that the man be suspended from the party. Another member faced the same charge for presiding over the meeting where the motion was passed and two others were charged with moving the motion and seconding it.
Mr Piper said he felt devastated for the six people who "legitimately felt bullied by the ridiculous use of the charge system". "They're being expected to pretend nothing happened and they're not allowed to talk about any of it," he said. "They've taken their voice away. They have been silenced with no justification and there is no accountability for using the charge system in this way, it's just wrong."
A NSW Labor spokesperson declined to answer the Herald's questions this week, but previously said complaints were handled by an independent complaints manager and were confidential.
