A Federal Labor MP has been accused of rape in an e mail, Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson has revealed within the newest in a collection of sexual assault allegations in opposition to senior politicians.
The Victorian senator mentioned in an announcement launched late on Sunday that she had obtained an e mail from a girl and had handed it on to the Australian Federal Police.
“Late this afternoon, I forwarded to the Australian Federal Police an e mail I obtained this afternoon from a girl alleging she has been raped by a person who’s now a Federal Labor Member of Parliament,” Senator Henderson mentioned in an announcement printed on Twitter.
The Liberal senator mentioned she had instantly referred the matter to the AFP, following the procedures set out by police commissioner Reece Kershaw on February 24.
“In instantly referring this matter to the AFP, I’ve adopted procedures set out by Commissioner Kershaw in his letter of 24 February 2021,” she mentioned. “I make this assertion within the pursuits of full transparency.”
The most recent e mail comes after a girl accused a minister within the Morrison Authorities of raping her in 1988, earlier than getting into Parliament. The Prime Minister was despatched a letter detailing the rape allegation, which was then referred to the AFP.
The lady left behind a trove of emails, letters and different correspondence earlier than taking her personal life in Adelaide final 12 months. Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull earlier on Sunday known as for an inquest into the lady’s demise.
The bombshell declare adopted Brittany Higgins’s allegation that she was sexually assaulted in Parliament Home in March 2019. The previous Liberal staffer alleges that she was raped by a colleague in her boss Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’s workplace after an evening of consuming, and that she later felt pressured to not make a proper grievance.
Since Ms Higgins instructed her story to information.com.au, a surge of ladies in Canberra have additionally alleged they had been sexually assaulted.
Three girls have claimed they had been assaulted by the identical man as Ms Higgins, whereas others made allegations about different incidents that occurred at Parliament Home or in public service.
A Labor spokesperson instructed the ABC of the most recent assertion: “The Australian Labor Social gathering has seen media experiences that Senator Henderson has obtained an allegation of sexual assault and has referred any related correspondence to authorities as is acceptable.”