Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under fire again after The Ten Network on Monday, 22 March, broadcasted allegations that male government staffers had shared graphic videos and photographs of themselves committing sex acts, including committing a sex act on the desk of a female lawmaker.
The particular staff member involved was terminated immediately on Monday night said the PM, noting, “The actions of these individuals show a staggering disrespect for the people who work in Parliament, and for the ideals the Parliament is supposed to represent.” quoted The Strait Times.
This comes a week after thousands of women protested in Australia against Morrison’s conservative government’s mishandling of cases of sexual harassment within the Parliament.
What Did the Accused Government Staffers Do?
On Monday Night, television outlets aired blurred footage of male government employees taking explicit photographs of their genitalia while in their offices, including one staffer who was seen masturbating on the desk of a female MP, reported The New Daily.
The outlets also reported that MPs and staff engage in sexual acts in a prayer room inside the Parliament House, and alleged that sex workers were brought in “for the pleasure of Coalition MPs,” added the report.
A whistleblower, who had brought these details in light to the media houses claimed that the male staffers had a group chat on Facebook where they shared photographs and videos for several years, noted the report.
On Tuesday, Labor and Greens party staffers held a strike inside the Parliament house prayer room as a “last straw for weeks of escalating misconduct and safety scandals,” added the report.
Incidents of Sexual Harassment That Have Come To Light
Attorney General Christian Porter has been accused of raping a fellow member of a school debating team in 1988. This is an accusation he has denied, but what caused public outrage is that the Australian government refused to hold an inquiry into the case, reported The Strait Times.
Another shocking incident came to light after government media advisor, Brittany Higgins came forward alleging that she was raped by a fellow staffer in a minister’s office in 2019.
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes told Sky News that she was groped by a fellow politician from another party when she worked in Parliament as a staffer.
Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe spoke to news.com.au, revealing that she has been sexually harassed by two senators and two MPS, from unnecessary touching to unwanted sexual comments during her first six months in federal Parliament.
Thorpe is the first indigenous woman in Victorian Parliament, and joined a throe of female politicians who have come forward to expose the toxic, sexist culture of the Australian Parliament.
Emotional PM Addresses Scandal
Morrison gave an emotional speech on Tuesday, saying he was “shocked”, “disgusted” and it is “shameful”. He broke down in tears stating that his wife, mother and daughters are the “centre of his life”, as he described that women put up with “crap” all their lives, noted news.com.au.
“I know there are plenty of women who work in this building today, whether they be members or senators, investors, shadow ministers, staff, journalists, who say ‘Why should I bother? Why should I bother? Why should I not just walk away? There has never been a more important time for women to stand in this place. I want to see more women in this place, I have done anything to get more women in this place and I intend to do more,” said the PM in his speech, added the report.
“I have put more women in my cabinet than any other prime minister has before, and I look forward to doing more. I need women to stand with me,” said Morrison, according to the report.
The PM has ordered an independent enquiry into the workplace culture of the Parliament, which will be carried out by Kate Jenkins, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.
(With inputs from The Strait Times , The New Daily and News.Com.Au)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)