Mr Rimmer was told of a second female colleague – who The Age has chosen not to name – who alleged in a statement that during a meeting in 2014 Cr Doyle clutched her upper thigh under a restaurant table. That meeting was at a Little Collins Street restaurant, during interviews with the two final candidates for the role of chief executive. (Mr Rimmer got the job.) Mr Doyle's alleged grope was seen by then-councillor Stephen Mayne. Later, he asked the woman why she didn't "call out" Cr Doyle on his behaviour. Mr Mayne has confirmed witnessing the incident. Ms Sullivan, who grew up in Thailand and went to school in Singapore, was approached by Cr Doyle to join his ticket for the 2016 elections. Not aligned to any political party, she was told it would be an opportunity to contribute to a city she had grown to love. After Ms Sullivan joined "Team Doyle" and was elected to council, she became increasingly uncomfortable with Cr Doyle's behaviour towards her. He would often allegedly hug and kiss her and show overt affection in a way that was inappropriate in a workplace.

A fellow councillor has told The Age Cr Doyle often complimented Ms Sullivan on her clothing or praised her in front of councillors and staff, saying how talented she was. As their Town Hall meeting came to an end, Mr Rimmer told Ms Sullivan the matter would be taken extremely seriously. Mr Rimmer is a "Male Champion of Change", a national program for leaders to promote gender equity. This week council staff told The Age of being proud to work in a progressive workplace that – at the officer level at least – was explicitly female friendly. In late November, Mr Rimmer sent an all-staff email about a campaign to end violence against women. It was, Mr Rimmer wrote, particularly relevant "in light of the recent #MeToo movement on social media". Following that "tidal wave from victims of violence and sexual harassment sharing their experiences", he wrote, it was important Town Hall was a safe and supportive workplace.

He would be called on to offer that support at the highest levels just three weeks later. Tearful and distracted One Tuesday night in May this year, Cr Doyle and his official driver gave Ms Sullivan a lift home after a regular post-council meeting dinner for all councillors at Town Hall. Ms Sullivan had accepted a lift from Cr Doyle a few times before. On this occasion, Cr Doyle got out at his South Melbourne home and allegedly opened the door to the back seat where Ms Sullivan sat. He then put one arm around her neck and grabbed her breast with his other hand, Ms Sullivan alleges. She slapped his hand away, forcefully, she alleges. After this, Ms Sullivan avoided him, and did not attend the Tuesday dinners for some time.

In October after a council meeting, Ms Sullivan walked with Doyle to a Town Hall lift and said she would go down in it with him. She alleges he turned to her and said "Will you just?" in a suggestive way, and then said: "I love cunnilingus". A number of councillors noticed Ms Sullivan seemed tearful and distracted the next day but she did not divulge the alleged harassment. Eventually Ms Sullivan told her friend, lawyer Alicia Chisholm, who would later give a statement to Mr Rimmer. Ms Sullivan also told some of her fellow councillors what was happening, and asked them not to tell anyone. One councillor told Ms Sullivan, in front of Ms Chisholm, that Cr Doyle had allegedly remarked to him that Ms Sullivan's breasts had become smaller. Others tried to help: one councillor sat next to Ms Sullivan so she didn't have to sit next to Cr Doyle, and would go Cr Doyle's office on her behalf so she didn't have to talk to him.

A close friend noticed Ms Sullivan had lost a considerable amount of weight. She appeared anxious and unhappy, in contrast to her usual positive outlook. In the end, Ms Sullivan decided the situation was intolerable. She would finish that day, she told Mr Rimmer in the meeting, and lodge her letter of resignation and complaint. She was done. Intense discussions Tessa Sullivan, 34, went to boarding school in Singapore, and was 17 when she moved to Australia with her mother. After attending Methodist Ladies College, she did a bachelor of arts and science, then got a scholarship to do a Master of Laws at Monash University. A lawyer, she works in the areas of family and commercial law, is a qualified mediator and an officer of the Supreme Court of Victoria. She is married with three children.

Ms Sullivan has an autoimmune disease, and used a wheelchair for two years at university. Disability policy was in the council portfolio she chaired. Her deputy, councillor Jackie Watts, says Ms Sullivan was "genuinely compassionate" about improving conditions for Melbourne's disabled community. After Ms Sullivan told Mr Rimmer of her resignation, intense discussions with the council's lawyer and media manager followed on Friday and late into Saturday night. Other councillors were aware of the allegations, and Mr Rimmer knew it was only a matter of time until news of the explosive allegations got out. The Age put questions to Robert Doyle on Sunday morning, around 8am. Just before 1pm, the deadline the lord mayor was given by The Age, Cr Doyle tweeted a public statement. He was shocked by the allegations, had not been informed of the specifics, and would take a month's leave. He said his decision to take leave "should not be interpreted as any concession or admission", and he found the allegations abhorrent, "as a father of young women, a husband, a brother and as the head of an office made up entirely of women". Ten minutes later, Mr Rimmer announced that, because of his "obligations to ensure a safe workplace", he had commissioned an external investigation to be led by barrister Ian Freckelton. "It is very important that these matters are thoroughly investigated," Mr Rimmer said. As well as the council allegations, the Freckelton inquiry has been approached by members of the public.

Well connected Robert Doyle is a well-connected Melbourne figure. The 64-year-old went to The Geelong College, where he later returned to teach English, before moving to Lauriston Girls' School and then Scotch College. He joined the Liberal Party in 1990 and wrested the leadership from Denis Napthine just before the 2002 state election. One male staffer from Cr Doyle's time as Opposition leader remembers him as good to work for – though he notes not all women felt the same. Cr Doyle loved spending time at Becco, a restaurant off Bourke Street.

"He would sit there for several hours over several bottles of wine on a Friday afternoon, and everyone would get sick of it. He would sit there and tell the same jokes over and over again." Handed the most crushing defeat in Victorian politics for five decades by Steve Bracks in 2002, Cr Doyle left parliament four years later. In 2008 Cr Doyle set his sights on the smaller pond of Town Hall and won easily. His first two terms saw a more cohesive city council than during the divided John So years. Cr Doyle won a third time in 2016 with a complete majority for the first time. He no longer had to negotiate anything. Now, with Ms Sullivan gone, Team Doyle member Beverley Pinder-Mortimer may replace her, maintaining Cr Doyle's majority if he stays.

If he goes following the Freckelton investigation, a by-election will be held. Politically though, regardless of the investigation's outcome, it's hard to see Cr Doyle recovering. 'Incredibly brave' Doyle has not been seen this week. On Sunday, around the time he issued his last public statement, The Age knocked on his door at home, and was told by wife Emma Page Campbell that the lord mayor was at Bunnings. With an investigation underway, Ms Sullivan is not commenting either. Her friend Jacqui Siebel, who was at the meeting with Mr Rimmer, told The Age this week her friend was understandably upset by what she'd experienced. Ms Sullivan has told her lawyers she is not interested in seeking compensation over the alleged harassment. "She was left to feel powerless. However, I consider her to be incredibly brave."

In a statement to The Age on Sunday, Ms Sullivan encouraged women in politics to take a stand on harassment. She has told friends she is not interested in compensation. She said sexual harassment and indecent assault of women was unacceptable. "I hope other women will feel strong enough to come forward, too. There needs to be a better system in place to protect women from such violations of safety, and a greater collective effort to ensure that this culture is eradicated." clucas@theage.com.au mperkins@theage.com.au