Anthony Albanese stated he’d be snug if David Van “never returned” to parliament, conceding he’d “never really heard” of him.
Senator Van has taken depart from parliament this week after he stop the Liberal Party when a minimum of three allegations of sexual harassment had been levelled towards him.
Senator Van denies the allegations and has described the previous week – since fellow Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe got here ahead with claims towards him – as “utterly shattering”.
Liberal chief Peter Dutton has been main the decision for Senator Van to resign from parliament – a name backed by Mr Albanese on Tuesday.
Asked if he was conscious of any rumours towards Senator Van earlier than Senator Thorpe – and former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker, and a minimum of one different girl – got here ahead with allegations, Mr Albanese stated he hadn’t.
“I’d never heard of him really,” Mr Albanese informed KIIS FM on Tuesday morning.
Without commenting on the veracity of the allegations, Mr Albanese stated: “And I’d be very comfortable if he never returned to the Senate.”
Senator Van in a press release on Saturday stated he would co-operate with any investigation into the allegations.
“I am utterly shattered by the events of the past days and stunned that my good reputation can be so wantonly savaged without due process or accountability,” he stated.
Last Wednesday, Senator Thorpe used parliamentary privilege to accuse Senator Van of sexually assaulting her earlier than withdrawing the claims in step with senate procedures. The subsequent day, with out naming names, she described the harassment and intimidation she had skilled contained in the constructing.
Shortly afterwards, Ms Stoker went public with allegations Senator Van had touched her backside twice at a operate years earlier.
In expelling Senator Van from the get together room, Mr Dutton final week stated he had been made conscious of a minimum of one different allegation towards him – all of which Senator Van denies.
The allegations towards Senator Van got here as parliament wrapped up a heavy week the place the Coalition accused Labor of politicising Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation and questioned Finance Minister Katy Gallagher for “misleading” the parliament over her data of Ms Higgins’ claims.
The man accused of raping her in Parliament House in 2019, Bruce Lehrmann, maintains his innocence and has by no means been discovered responsible. A single cost of sexual assault was dropped by the ACT DPP in 2022.
Mr Albanese stated the controversy in the previous few weeks had “deeply concerned” him.
“I think with some of the coverage as well that’s occurred, I’m very concerned that if you’re a woman wanting to come forward because of a sexual violence issue, then you might be more reluctant,” he stated.
“If you look at the coverage that’s occurred, there’s been something like 13 per cent of sexual assaults in Australia are reported to police, and that is a terrible figure.”
Mr Albanese additionally expressed concern at Ms Higgins’ non-public textual content messages winding up within the fingers of journalists.
“I think some of the commentary and looking at personal text messages and other stuff that’s going on has been really regrettable … as well as not being legal, some of it as well,” he stated.
“I think that people need to be treated with respect, every woman should feel safe at work.”
Mr Albanese stated the final week had made it clear that Parliament House nonetheless had a approach to go.
“Our workplace hasn’t been good enough in the past,” he stated.
“We know because of the accusation that was made in 2019, about an alleged sexual assault in a minister’s office, but also the revelations that ended up coming out of last week about allegations about the behaviour of (Senator Van). I’ve got to say, I wasn’t really aware.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
