Thorpe details sexual assault allegation in Parliament

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Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has detailed allegations that she was sexually assaulted by a Liberal senator during a speech in the upper house.

The remarks followed Senator Thorpe’s use of parliamentary privilege on Wednesday to accuse Senator David Van of harassment and sexual assault.

Senator Van has since denied that claim.

Without naming Senator Van in her speech on Thursday, Senator Thorpe said she was followed and then cornered in a stairwell by a senator in Parliament, before being “aggressively offered and inappropriately touched “.

“There are different interpretations of what amounts to sexual assault…for me it was sexual assault,” she told parliament.

“I was afraid to walk through the office door.

“I opened the door slightly and checked that the suitcase was clear before leaving.

“It was to the extent that I had to be accompanied by someone every time I entered this building.”

Senator Thorpe said she would not take legal action over the incident or go to the police with the claims.

“It’s my choice, but I will continue to speak out against the abuse and harassment that is happening in this building,” she said.

“I want to focus on making this place safe for everyone, and right now it’s not a safe place for women.”

The independent senator said the incident was not isolated and that other people in parliament touched her inappropriately.

She said she was assured former Prime Minister Scott Morrison was made aware of the incident after Senator Van moved out.

“I didn’t go public with the incident at the time because that was when Brittany Higgins went public with her experience in that building,” Senator Thorpe said.

Senator Van denied sexually assaulting or harassing Senator Thorpe, but admitted he had to walk away from his office following a complaint.

He said he was “shattered” by the “totally unfounded” allegations made by the former Greens senator in parliament on Wednesday.

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“I did not harass her in any way, shape or form,” he told 2GB on Thursday.

Senator Thorpe made the accusations against Senator Van on Wednesday as he delivered a speech accusing the Labor Party of unethical behavior in its handling of Brittany Higgins’ sexual assault allegations.

Senator Thorpe then accused the Liberal senator of harassing and sexually assaulting her, which led to him moving his offices to another location in Parliament.

These comments were later removed.

Senator Van dismissed the allegations in parliament immediately and again in an interview on 2GB, but admitted to moving offices in 2021 following a complaint to the coalition leadership that he was following her in the parliamentary chamber.

“To put this on the record, she had made allegations to our leaders, through her leadership, that I was following her into the bedroom, which made her feel uncomfortable,” Senator Van said.

He said that was how politicians deposited themselves in the chamber due to the arrangement of Parliament.

“And, you know, sometimes I would be in front of her and sometimes I would be behind her, but at no time did I harass her, touch her belly,” he said.

Senator Van said he then accepted an offer made by then Senate President Scott Ryan to move to an office farther away from Senator Thorpe.

He said the senator should go to the police if there is a problem rather than using parliamentary privilege to make such allegations.

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