Doyle’s demise: “Guilty or innocent, he couldn’t continue”

Neil Mitchell says the former Lord Mayor has made the right decision to step down amid the sexual harassment allegations which have engulfed Melbourne City Council over the past six weeks.

“I think this is sad, obviously if he’s guilty then he should go and you’d feel for the women involved,” Neil said.

“But I feel Robert Doyle has not received fair treatment.

“He couldn’t continue, guilty or innocent.

“He’s been the subject of appalling lack of due process.

“He is close to a broken man.”

Click PLAY below to hear Neil’s comments

Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said Doyle called him from hospital just before news broke of his resignation.

“There was not a lot of life left in his voice,” Cr Wood said.

“There are no winners in this situation.”

Cr Wood also said the investigation into the allegations won’t be handed down at tomorrow night’s council meeting, as initially expected.

“I understand that the report process is still going, we won’t have an end point tomorrow night as was hoped,” he said.

He said he’d be surprised if the report’s finding weren’t made public.

Click PLAY below to hear the interview with the Deputy Lord Mayor

Cr Wood said running commentary from some other council members has been “really unhelpful”.

A by-election will be held to decide who the new Lord Mayor will be.