The last time NSW senator Jess Collins surfaced in this column was after the Liberal Party MP had fired off a missive to her colleagues, bemoaning “factional hacks” who she accused of weaponising the Constitution to consolidate power.
So we can’t imagine the freshman senator has been loving what she’s been hearing about her husband, Ben Collins, who has recently been the subject of mounting intrigue on Macquarie Street over at least two formal complaints made to the NSW Liberal Party over his alleged intimidatory behaviour.
Two complaints seen by CBD claimed the behaviour of Ben Collins, dating back to November 2023, was “intimidating” and “aggressive”. Each raised the prospect of escalating the matter to police. Then, just last month, officers commenced an investigation after a report was made to The Rocks police station.
In a statement, NSW Police confirmed that officers had commenced an investigation involving Collins following “reports a 32-year-old man was [allegedly] threatened by another man known to him” on May 24, but said that no further action was taken.
That has not stopped Collins being the talk of Liberal circles for the last week.
The complaints were only the latest development of the saga, which has become the topic du jour in NSW state political circles.
Ben Collins’ run-ins with Liberal Party members date back to at least November 8, 2023, the day of North Sydney preselection. The following day, a complainant granted anonymity by this column wrote to the party’s HQ to lodge a formal complaint against Collins, with whom they described a conversation that turned “sinister”.
“He leaned in closely and said ‘do you want to step outside’. I said ‘No I don’t’. To which he said ‘come on let’s step outside, let’s step outside’,” reads the complaint, seen by CBD.
“To which I again repeated ‘No, Ben I don’t want to leave here’. To which he stepped back and said ‘Well I’m going to find you anyway, you know that don’t you, I’ll find you’ and walked away.”
One witness found the interaction aggressive and intimidating. The same complaint alleges Collins used derogatory language towards another Liberal member. Despite the seemingly serious nature of the complaint, CBD is told the Liberal Party never wrote back, not even finding the complaint worthy of an acknowledgement.
Fast-forward a few years, and in came another complaint. Witnesses privy to the second incident, speaking on the condition of anonymity, alleged Collins engaged in similarly aggressive behaviour towards another Liberal member at the Royal Automobile Club of Australia in May this year.
This masthead is not suggesting the complaints against Collins are true, just that they have been made. The NSW Liberal Party declined to comment, and Collins did not respond by deadline.
Grace Tame ABC deal criticised … by ABC staff
ABC radio broadcaster Charlie Pickering has described as “problematic” the organisation’s decision to appoint Grace Tame as a podcast host.
Pickering’s criticism of the national broadcaster – and his employer – came as the Australian Jewish Association also slammed the ABC after it appointed Tame as host of a four-part podcast on autism.
The role fronting the podcast, titled Autistic AF with Grace Tame, comes just months after Tame was widely criticised for making controversial comments at pro-Palestinian rallies.
The first episode was released on Tuesday via the ABC’s Ladies, We Need to Talk banner and sees the controversial former Australian of the Year sharing her experience living with autism. According to a press blurb from the ABC, the show promises to “explore what life is like for autistic women and gender-diverse people”.
Tame, an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, would no doubt be delighted to get the opportunity with the ABC, having told the No to Violence conference in March that she had lost all her paid public speaking due to what she described as an “ongoing national smear campaign” against her after she led chants to “globalise the intifada” at a rally protesting against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Sydney in February. Queensland has moved to outlaw the contentious chant, and NSW has vowed to follow.
While Tame’s podcast is focused on autism, the appointment drew swift criticism from Australian Jewish Association chief executive Robert Gregory.
“At first, I thought the ABC announcement was a joke. I simply could not believe that Australia’s public broadcaster could be so tone-deaf,” Gregory said.
Meanwhile, ABC Drive host Pickering entered the fray when he emerged from the ABC studios in Melbourne to speak with a group protesting against the ABC’s perceived political bias. During an interview with serial right-wing agitator Avi Yemini, Pickering voiced his concerns.
“I do actually think it is problematic, that is my personal opinion, and I think … as a Jewish Australian there is a complete misunderstanding of a lot of the words that are said and what the true meaning of them are, and a lot of people are using words and phrases that have meaning well beyond what they think they do,” Pickering said.
“I think you could argue a lot of people that jump on protest bandwagons are ignorant a lot of the time.”
Asked if he thought Tame was ignorant, Pickering said: “I would not say that.”
The ABC stood by its decision to work with Tame when contacted by CBD.
“Grace Tame is a high-profile public figure and former Australian of the Year who has spoken openly about her experience as an autistic woman and has advocated on neurodivergent issues,” a spokesperson said.
“The ABC has been working with Ms Tame on this series since late 2025. The purpose of this series is to explore the diversity of lived experience among women and gender-diverse people with autism in Australia and includes a range of contributors.
“The ABC rejects the views made by Grace Tame about 7 October.”
Tame’s management was contacted for comment.
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Max Maddison is a state political reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
Fiona Byrne is the CBD columnist for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.