Senator Lidia Thorpe says she was followed, propositioned and touched in Parliament, the day after she withdrew an allegation she was sexually assaulted by Liberal counterpart David Van.
Senator Van has vehemently denied the allegation, saying on Thursday the claim had left him “shocked” and “shattered”.
Speaking to 2GB Radio on Thursday, Senator Van insisted that at "no time did I harass [or] touch" Senator Thorpe, but revealed he did move parliamentary offices after the then-Green complained he was making her uncomfortable.
It came after Senator Thorpe, speaking in the Senate chamber on Wednesday, accused Senator Van of harassing and sexually assaulting her. She withdrew the comment later that evening.
But speaking to the Senate on Thursday, Senator Thorpe said she withdrew the remark because Senate rules do not allow senators to speak about someone else’s character.
Liberal senator David Van flatly rejected the allegation. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
While not naming Senator Van directly, Senator Thorpe said she had been followed and propositioned in Parliament.
“It is not a safe place. You are often alone in long corridors, with no windows and in stairwells hidden from view where there are no cameras,” she said.
“This was my new workplace … I experienced sexual comments and was inappropriately propositioned by powerful men.
“One man followed me and cornered me in a stairwell and most of this was witnessed by staff and fellow members of parliament. No one witnessed what happened in the stairwell as there are no cameras in stairwells.”
She thanked her then-party, the Greens, for the support they offered her at the time.
Senator Thorpe said she did not intend to take any legal action over the alleged incident, but called for more security and cameras in Parliament House.
David Van labels accusation 'abuse' of parliamentary privilege
Speaking on Thursday morning, Senator Van labelled the
as an "utter abuse" of parliamentary privilege.
Senator Van immediately rejected the allegation, which he labelled "disgusting", before revealing his lawyer had contacted her over the claim.
But after Senator Thorpe claimed "the prime minister [Scott Morrison] had to remove" Senator Van from his office, he did confirm he switched offices in 2021.
Senator Van said the move came after Senator Thorpe complained to Greens leadership, saying he was following her into the Senate chamber in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.
Senator Van said Senator Thorpe never raised any issue with him in person, saying he was "shocked" when he learned of the claim.
"That was just the way that we all file into the Chamber when there are divisions. At times, I'd be in front of her, at times I'd be behind it," he said.
"But at no time did I harass [or] touch her. I barely said hello ... Leadership offered me another office, and so I moved.
"I think possibly the only time I've ever touched Senator Thorpe was shaking her hand after her maiden speech, which we all do."
Senator Thorpe called for security in Parliament to be increased. Credit: Wikipedia
Senator Thorpe said she believed the Coalition had taken the allegation seriously because Senator Van’s office was moved.
“This was not an isolated incident, and there are others I could name who have inappropriately touched me, invaded my space, and knowingly made me feel unsafe,” she said.
“I'm disappointed by the reaction of the senator. Instead of stepping up [and] taking accountability for the fact that he made me feel unsafe, he denied it. He asked his lawyers to send a letter … This type of behaviour makes it harder for other women to come forward.”
Senator Thorpe made her initial allegation under parliamentary privilege, which exempts politicians from defamation proceedings over comments made in the chamber.
Senator Van stressed that Senator Thorpe could rely on truth as a defence in any defamation proceeding “if she wants to say it outside parliament”.
“It's an utter abuse that someone can say something so heinous with no evidence [under parliamentary privilege]," he said.
