Former Queensland senator Amanda Stoker has released a statement accusing her then-Coalition colleague David Van of inappropriately touching her
Dramatic events have played out in parliament this afternoon following independent senator Lidia’s Thorpe’s allegation of “harassment” and “sexual assault” against Liberal senator David Van on the floor of the Senate yesterday, which she later withdrew.Delivering a lengthy and tearful statement just after midday, Thorpe told the Senate she was cornered by a man in parliament in a stairwell. “No one witnessed what happened in the stairwell as there are no cameras in stairwells,” Thorpe said.
Shortly before 2pm, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton called a press conference to say Van should no longer sit in the Liberal Party room. He said he had acknowledged publicly that he had moved offices after an earlier allegation from Thorpe that he made her feel uncomfortable, however denied inappropriate behaviour.
During question time, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher fought back tears in the Senate in response to repeated questions about her knowledge of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation ahead of it being publicly aired. ABC Managing Director David Anderson with news director Justin Stevens during a Senate estimates hearing in May.Changes at the broadcaster include a “Current Affairs Digital Transformation Project”, a re-vamped national Sunday bulletin and a new climate, environment and energy reporting team.
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