Coalition staffer accused of performing lewd sex act in female MP’s office sacked

A Coalition staffer alleged to have performed a lewd sex act in a female Liberal MP’s office has been sacked.

The move came after Channel Ten and The Australian newspaper said they had obtained videos and images filmed inside Parliament House, involving four Coalition staff members.

A government source confirmed to the ABC that one of the staffers had been sacked over the reports.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham condemned the behaviour shortly after the story aired, saying those involved should prepare to be fired.

“I am disgusted and appalled,” he said.

“It shows a complete disregard for all that our parliamentary democracy stands for.

“It also demonstrates an enormous disrespect for the employing member or senator in relation to those staff and those offices.

“It equally shows a complete contempt, frankly, for Australian taxpayers who pay the wages of such staff. In my opinion any individuals who engaged in such activity ought to prepare to pack their bags and leave the building for good.”

The man’s sacking comes at a time when the workplace culture, particularly for women, within Parliament House is being intensely scrutinised.

Former staffer Brittany Higgins’s allegation she was raped by a colleague in March 2019 resulted in Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing a series of inquiries into the adequacy of support measures for women in the building, as well as the broader culture and how to improve it.

More to come.

Posted 18mminutes agoMonMonday 22 MarMarch 2021 at 7:48am, updated 2mminutes agoMonMonday 22 MarMarch 2021 at 8:04am