MP in ugly scuffle with taxi protesters
Independent MP Geoff Shaw has been captured on video in a scuffle with protesters as they surround him outside the Victorian parliament.
Mobile phone footage shows protesters surrounding the controversial Frankston MP as he walks up the front steps outside parliament.
A man in a green jacket stands in front of Mr Shaw who then pushes him aside and the man falls to the ground.
Mr Shaw then appears to step over the man, lashing out with his heel which doesn't touch the man, as he continues up the stairs.
A number of other protesters confront Mr Shaw who appears to swing a punch at another man but doesn't appear to connect.
The footage shows both that man and Mr Shaw swinging their arms about, in Mr Shaw's case including swinging his briefcase, as other protesters move in.
Mr Shaw can be seen pushing a third man into a barricade.
Mr Shaw says he he acted in defence and was spat at, while the whole incident was a 'disturbing and enormous shock'.
In a statement he said: "Today I was walking up the front steps of Parliament House when I observed taxi operators protesting about the Victorian government’s taxi industry reforms.
"I have been a strong advocate on behalf of Frankston Radio Cabs who are the number one taxi operators in Victoria and Dandenong taxi operators in relation to the reforms.
"As I entered the building I was initially heckled, yelled at, spat upon and hit by a large group of protestors. I was forced to push a protestor from me and continued my way up the stairs to the entrance of Parliament House. Another protestor or protestors grabbed around my ankles as I climbed the stairs. I shook him or her off and continued up the stairs of Parliament House.
"This incident was disturbing and an enormous shock to me."
Police are investigating and Speaker Ken Smith has requested CCTV footage of the incident.
More than 100 taxi drivers and owners had been protesting outside Parliament House against the state government's taxi industry reforms.
"I took video footage of Mr Shaw physically pushing a man down and swinging his arms around him causing physical damage towards their faces," witness Louie Karkatzoulis told reporters.
"He got a bit physical and out-of-control."
Witness Natalia Potapova said protesters had been expressing their concerns about the taxi industry to Mr Shaw.
"I just saw Geoff Shaw push an elderly gentleman, 80 years old man who was hurt as a result of Geoff Shaw's reactions," she told reporters.
"It was a push, as in punches. The elderly gentleman he's got blood on his face as a result of Geoff Shaw's actions."
"I didn't see any intimidation (sic) actions ... He wasn't hitting Geoff Shaw or anything like that. You can see he's a tiny elderly man," Ms Potapova said.
Mr Shaw, who quit the Liberal Party in March, holds the balance of power in the lower house and may have to leave parliament if he is convicted of fraud-related offences before the November 2014 state election.
He has been accused of misusing his taxpayer-funded vehicle and parliamentary fuel card for his hardware business with his lawyers attempting to have the charges heard by a magistrate alone.
If convicted under summary jurisdiction, Shaw faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment but could still hold on to his seat.
Under the Victorian constitution, he only has to step down if he's convicted of an indictable offence.
A poll published on Monday found the Liberals would retain the seat of Frankston if a by-election were held before the state election.
