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                    City of Melbourne welcomes withdrawal of injunction

                    Media release, Friday 15 February 2019
                    Robert Doyle has withdrawn a Supreme Court action that resulted in an injunction order stopping the City of Melbourne from finalising an independent investigation into allegations regarding his behaviour at a Melbourne Health event in 2016.

                    ​The trial of the action was scheduled to proceed on Monday 18 February.

                    City of Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Justin Hanney said: "We welcome Mr Doyle's decision to withdraw the Supreme Court action as this means we can now proceed with finalising Dr Freckelton QC's independent investigation.

                    "We have always sought to ensure the independent investigation progressed as quickly as possible in the interest of all parties, as well as in the broader public interest in this matter."

                    Earlier this week it was publically reported that the third complainant to Dr Freckelton's investigation, Ms Kharla Williams, had made a formal complaint with Victoria Police relating to the Melbourne Health event in 2016.

                     "The City of Melbourne supports Ms Williams taking her complaint to Victoria Police, which has broad powers to investigate these allegations," Mr Hanney said.

                     "When the Police investigation is concluded, the findings of Dr Freckelton's investigation can be made public and we reserve the right to do so in the best interests of all parties."

                    Background

                    On 3 December 2018, the Supreme Court granted an injunction which effectively prevented the City of Melbourne from taking any further steps with regard to Dr Freckelton's independent investigation including publication of the findings. That matter was to proceed in the Supreme Court on Monday 18 February.

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