Labor’s Frankston candidate Helen Constas resigned her candidacy on Thursday as a result of allegations of a workplace bullying claim against her by a former personal assistant.

The decision comes after a court statement of claim, as revealed by the Herald Sun, stated Helen Constas “screamed” and “threatened” her 60-year-old personal assistant during repeated telephone calls on the day she resigned in 2010.

The documents obtained by the Herald Sun claim that Ms Constas presided over a culture of “bullying and harassment” while she was chief executive of the Peninsula Community Legal Centre in Frankston.

Helen Constas said she was saddened by the allegations aired by the Herald Sun and she was constrained in what she could say because the issue was subject to a confidential court settlement.

“I am deeply saddened at the allegations made today.

“I worked at the Peninsula Community Legal Centre for 30 years including 10 years as the CEO. I’m proud of the work we did there and I believe we achieved a lot for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our local community.

“The matters reported today were fully investigated and considered within the Peninsula Community Legal Centre and are the subject of a confidential settlement designed to protect all of those involved.

“As a result of that confidential settlement, I and a number of others are severely constrained regarding what we can say.

“This makes it very difficult to actively defend my reputation in circumstances where the Herald Sun do not feel that those constraints apply to the source of their story, and in ways which may hurt me politically and my family emotionally”, said Ms Constas while announcing her withdrawal as an ALP candidate
for Frankston.

Helen Constas also went on to say that she has been encouraged by the number of people who she worked with at the Legal Centre and who have come forward to her to offer their support, but, as she said they are unable to speak publicly. “Should they speak publicly in my defense they would be open to legal action for breaching the confidentiality agreement,” she concluded.

It is believed that the former Fronkston ALP candidate disclosed parts of the claims to Victorian Labor, in anticipation of possible leaks, but State Opposition leader Daniel Andrews who welcomed her stepping down stated that he only became aware of the allegations the day before the candidate stood down.

Ms Constas, the first casualty of the 2014 state election, was heavily supported in her local campaign by the leader of the state opposition, who expressed his disappointment for the events and said he is very sorry that this has happened. She was expected to win for Labor the Frankston seat at the state election on November 29 against maverick Independent MP Geoff Shaw.

Helen Constas was also an ALP candidate for the Franskston based federal seat of Dunkley in 2004 and 2010.