Victorian senator David Van is further infuriating his former Liberal colleagues by refusing to quit the Senate after being expelled from the party room and resigning his party membership.
The Victorian senator quit the party on Saturday, claiming he had not been afforded procedural fairness over misconduct claims.
Amid calls for him to make the break complete by leaving the Senate, which would allow the Liberals to appoint a loyalist in good standing, Van has defiantly insisted he will see out his term.
In a letter to Victorian Liberal Party president Greg Mirabella seen by AAP, Senator Van said he could not remain a member of a party that “tramples upon the very premise on which our justice system is predicated”.
“Given the Liberal Party’s wholesale disregard for due process and natural justice in relation to allegations made against me, I write to resign my membership effective immediately,” Senator Van said in the letter.
It followed bombshell allegations made last week by independent senator Lidia Thorpe and former Liberal senator Amanda Stoker, who both alleged Senator Van touched them inappropriately in previous years.
Senator Van denied the allegations and said he would co-operate with any investigation process.
One more allegation
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton removed Senator Van from the Liberal party room last week and called on him to resign from the Senate.
On Friday, Mr Dutton confirmed further allegations had been brought against Senator Van.
Senator Van said he was “deeply distressed and hurt that I have not been afforded procedural fairness” in relation to the allegations against him.
“I have worked tirelessly for the party and fought hard for its beliefs over many years,” he said in the letter to Mr Mirabella.
His resignation came a day before the Victorian Liberal Party’s administrative committee was due to meet to further consider the allegations.
Senator Van was sworn in as a federal Liberal Party senator for Victoria in July 2019.
— AAP
