Australian senator pressed to quit over sexual assault claims

Sydney, Australia (AFP):

Australia’s opposition leader has urged a colleague facing allegations of sexual harassment to resign, saying he could not stay in parliament while facing sexual assault allegations.

Senator David Van of the Liberal Party was accused on Thursday of sexually assaulting a female senator in the halls of the parliament — and another at an office party in the building.

Party leader Peter Dutton said that a third unspecified accusation had surfaced about Van — who maintains his innocence — before calling on the former PR consultant to quit his role in the country’s senate.

“I think it’s in everyone’s best interest that he resign from the parliament, and I hope he’s able to do that sooner than later and seek the help that he needs,” Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB.

“I think that would be an appropriate next step.”

Dutton has already suspended Van, 58, from the parliamentary caucus but cannot force his resignation.

Van has variously described the allegations as “scandalous”, “concocted” and “utterly untrue”.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe had stood up in parliament earlier this week to accuse Van of sexually assaulting her in 2021, saying she feared being in the premises following the alleged incident.

Former Liberal Party senator Amanda Stoker also released a statement accusing Van of inappropriately touching her at an office party in 2020.

The claims have rekindled concerns that Australia’s crucible of democracy is also a stronghold of sexism and misogyny.