A prominent Greens state MP has been charged with bashing his wife.
Ian Cohen is accused of hitting his former partner Donna Davis, and will now face court in June charged with common assault and assault causing actual bodily harm.
Ms Davis is seeking damages from Mr Cohen after she claimed last year that he had hit her in the head in June 2006, rupturing her ear drum.
The charge comes after a year-long investigation into the assault. A police spokeswoman says it has taken a long time to gather evidence from key witnesses.
"He was issued with a summons earlier this month to appear at Byron Bay Local Court to answer allegations of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and common assault following an investigation by Byron Bay detectives which started on January 31."
"The investigation came after a then 56-year-old woman contacted police alleging she was assaulted by a man who she knew on June 2, 2006."
Mr Cohen is in the process of sueing Ms Davis and Channel Seven for defamation following the broadcast of last year's allegations.
Fellow Greens MP Lee Rhiannon says her colleague will fight the charges.
"I understand the matter is before the court and Ian is defending the charges."