The leader of Australia’s Liberal party said he has been made aware of a third instance of “inappropriate touching” by his colleague David Van who has denied the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Opposition party leader Peter Dutton said on Friday that he was told about the new allegation after Mr Van was expelled a day earlier and is under pressure to quit federal politics.
“I raised another allegation with Senator Van but I’m not going to comment in relation to those matters otherwise,” Mr Dutton told Nine Network.
“I made a decision yesterday based on all of the information that was available to me. It had come to me overnight and on that morning, I raised it with him. I made a decision and that’s a decision I don’t regret at all.”
Mr Dutton has insisted that it is in “everyone’s best interest that he [Mr Van] resign from the parliament”.
“I hope he’s able to do that sooner than later and, and seek the help that he needs,” he said.
“And I think that would be an appropriate next step in terms of the decision to expel him from the party.”
Mr Dutton was quoted as saying by Sydney’s 2GB Radio that he won’t elaborate on the third complaint “because there’s a person who I understand doesn’t want to be identified” and said that it was of a “similar nature to those relating to Senator Stoker”.
Former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker had said in a Thursday statement that Mr Van had “inappropriately touched” her at a social event in November 2020.
“He did so by squeezing my bottom twice. By its nature and by its repetition, it was not accidental. That action was not appropriate. It was unprofessional and uninvited,” she said.
Independent senator Lidia Thorpe had on Wednesday come forward and accused Mr Van in parliament of “harassing” and “sexually assaulting” her. She, however, later withdrew the comments to comply with senate rules, according to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.
“Nothing [Ms Thorpe] has alleged about me is truthful. No such exchange occurred between us. There is no interaction that could conceivably resemble what she described today,” Mr Van had retorted.
On Thursday, Ms Thorpe told the senate that an unnamed man had cornered her in a stairwell and alleged that, during her time in parliament, she had been “aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched”.
She had not named anyone.
Sussan Ley, Mr Dutton’s deputy and the party spokesperson for women, said in a statement that she “supports the strong words and actions of the leader in dealing with this very sensitive and serious matter”.
The opposition’s leader in the senate, Simon Birmingham, said he supported Mr Dutton, as did senators Anne Ruston and Marise Payne.
“It would be entirely appropriate for him to reflect upon his position in the senate,” Mr Birmingham said.
Meanwhile, Mr Van issued a statement on Friday after allegations of the third inappropriate touching incident surfaced.
“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 said.
“I will fully cooperate with whatever process Mr Dutton proposes to determine these matters as quickly and fairly as possible.
“While I understand the public interest is high, I will not be making any more public statements on the allegations until a proper examination of these claims is concluded.”
Mr Dutton also commented on the allegations.
“It is unacceptable behaviour, the thought of sexual assault against any woman in the workplace is not something that I would tolerate and it’s been an issue in the press gallery, been an issue in Parliament House and obviously there’s now a system where matters can be referred independent of the parties and I’ve referred the matters to that independent workplace authority for investigation and it’s now with them,” he said.
