Another parliament steeped in scandal as MP quits party

Greens MP Sam Hibbins announced he was resigning from the Greens and would sit as an independent. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

A Victorian Greens MP has been forced to quit his party over an affair with a staffer as another parliament is mired in scandal.

Sam Hibbins, the MP for Prahran, announced he was resigning from the Greens and will sit as an independent on Friday after having a "consensual relationship with a staff member, which breached party rules".

Party leader Ellen Sandell said she had received a complaint on Tuesday about her co-deputy and after meeting with him, said some allegations were confirmed while others were contested.

The staff member involved was "very distressed" and Ms Sandell said the party was doing all it can to support them.

The Greens leader expressed her anger and said Mr Hibbins did not meet the standards of behaviour and expectations of an MP, falling short of calling on him to resign from parliament.

Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell
Sam Hibbins wouldn't be welcome back in the Greens party room, leader Ellen Sandell said.

"He is no longer a member of our party room, and he will never be welcomed back as a member for our party room," Ms Sandell said.

Mr Hibbins, who is married with two children, said he was aware his announcement was a distraction from his work with the Greens but would "remain committed to serving (his) electorate of Prahran".

"I accept the consequences of my decisions," he said.

"I am working to make amends to the most important people in my life, my family and our community."

It is not the first time this parliamentary term has seen controversy after Premier Jacinta Allan dumped two Labor MPs, Will Fowles and Darren Cheeseman, for past instances of alleged misconduct.

Former Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber had allegations of sexism levelled against him over his time in parliament, including claims he had a "men's room" in his office, according to the ABC.

Mr Barber previously said he could not comment on the claims, even to defend himself, as he had been committed to confidentiality as apart of a legal settlement.

The NSW Greens were embroiled bullying allegations in 2018 after former MP Jeremy Buckingham, now upper house member for Legalise Cannabis, alleged party members were bullied into asking him to resign.

He had been the subject of a 2011 sexual harassment allegation re-aired under parliamentary privilege by factional rival Jenny Leong, although an independent investigation recommended no adverse findings against him and he had denied the alleged incident.

ACT Greens backbencher Johnathan Davis resigned from the party and the parliament in 2023 after he was stood down over sexual misconduct allegations.

He has not been charged and has had no formal finding made by any authorities.

West Australian Greens Senator Dorinda Cox in October apologised for shortcomings following allegations of bullying after after 20 staffers had left her office in three years.

But the senator said there was a “disappointingly significant missing context” around the situation.

License this article

What is AAPNews?

For the first time, Australian Associated Press is delivering news straight to the consumer.

No ads. No spin. News straight-up.

Not only do you get to enjoy high-quality news delivered straight to your desktop or device, you do so in the knowledge you are supporting media diversity in Australia.

AAP Is Australia’s only independent newswire service, free from political and commercial influence, producing fact-based public interest journalism across a range of topics including politics, courts, sport, finance and entertainment.

What is AAPNews?
The Morning Wire

Wake up to AAPNews’ morning news bulletin delivered straight to your inbox or mobile device, bringing you up to speed with all that has happened overnight at home and abroad, as well as setting you up what the day has in store.

AAPNews Morning Wire
AAPNews Breaking News
Breaking News

Be the first to know when major breaking news happens.


Notifications will be sent to your device whenever a big story breaks, ensuring you are never in the dark when the talking points happen.

Focused Content

Enjoy the best of AAP’s specialised Topics in Focus. AAP has reporters dedicated to bringing you hard news and feature content across a range of specialised topics including Environment, Agriculture, Future Economies, Arts and Refugee Issues.

AAPNews Focussed Content
Subscription Plans

Choose the plan that best fits your needs. AAPNews offers two basic subscriptions, all billed monthly.

Once you sign up, you will have seven days to test out the service before being billed.

AAPNews Full Access Plan
Full Access
AU$10
  • Enjoy all that AAPNews has to offer
  • Access to breaking news notifications and bulletins
  • Includes access to all AAPNews’ specialised topics
Join Now
AAPNews Student Access Plan
Student Access
AU$5
  • Gain access via a verified student email account
  • Enjoy all the benefits of the ‘Full Access’ plan at a reduced rate
  • Subscription renews each month
Join Now
AAPNews Annual Access Plan
Annual Access
AU$99
  • All the benefits of the 'Full Access' subscription at a discounted rate
  • Subscription automatically renews after 12 months
Join Now

AAPNews also offers enterprise deals for businesses so you can provide an AAPNews account for your team, organisation or customers. Click here to contact AAP to sign-up your business today.

SEVEN DAYS FREE
Download the app
Download AAPNews on the App StoreDownload AAPNews on the Google Play Store