Investigations ongoing into allegations MP Brittany Lauga was drugged, sexually assaulted

Police are urging anyone with knowledge of drink spiking to speak up as the investigation into the alleged drugging and sexual assault of Keppel MP Brittany Lauga moves forward.

Brittany Lauga MP has made a complaint to police that she was drugged and sexually assaulted. Picture: Liam Kidston

Police remain tight lipped as investigations into the alleged sexual assault and drugging of Keppel MP Brittany Lauga moves forward.

Queensland Police Service have refused to confirm whether they have charged anyone over the alleged incident after one man was reportedly interviewed over the incident late last week.

Ms Lauga made a police complaint that she was drugged and sexually assaulted on Sunday, April 28 and has since said other women have contacted her saying their drinks were also spiked.

A grainy video shot by bystanders and widely circulated on social media shows a man and the female MP in the Anzac Parade, Yeppoon carpark across from The Strand Hotel.

Owners of the well-known pub declined to comment about the incident or any drink spiking.

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga made a report to officers at Yeppoon Police Station on Sunday, April 28.

From five Yeppoon venues contacted for comment, including those on Anzac Parade, only one would discuss the issue.

The owner said while they did not want to be named they were not aware of any recently drink spiking issues with only one reported at their venue in the past eight years.

“Watch your own drinks, don’t rely on anyone else to watch them for you,” they said.

“If there are victims they need to come forward about it to make people more aware of it.

“If people are not talking about it then we are not going to be aware of it.”

Livingstone Shire Mayor Adam Belot.

Livingstone Shire Council Mayor Adam Belot said he was confident the community and entertainment establishments upheld the highest standards to ensure their patrons were safe.

“But no matter where you are, whether it be Yeppoon, or Broome, or Tasmania, one always needs to be reminded to be vigilant for family and friends around you,” Cr Belot said.

A father of three adult daughters, he reached out to Ms Lauga by text message to say he was thinking of her when he became aware of the incident.

“My heart goes out to all people involved in this situation,” Cr Belot said.

“I also have the fullest confidence in our Queensland Police Service and would hope that people would continue to feel reassured by the measures establishments put in place and that our town is a safe and family-friendly community.”

Yeppoon esplanade on Anzac Parade.

Police said they were continuing to investigate the mother-of-one’s allegations but would not make further comments.

This publication has been unable to confirm who has been interviewed by police in relation to Ms Lauga’s claims.

A spokeswoman said while they were aware of drink spiking claims, no complaints other than the Keppel MP’s had been reported to police.

“The QPS takes all reports of drink spiking seriously and investigates reports of drink spiking on a case-by-case basis, and often in conjunction with other offences such as sexual assault,” the spokeswoman said.

Ms Lauga reported a sexual assault and drugging at Yeppoon Police Station. Photo: Chris Ison / The Morning Bulletin

On the night in question, Ms Lauga attended the Yeppoon Swans AFL club Ladies Day event, which began at 2pm, and it is understood she left about 6.30pm.

Several hours later, Ms Lauga found herself in a police station.

She went to Yeppoon police station and hospital in the early hours after claiming she had been drugged and sexually assaulted, according to a statement she posted to her social media account.

She said tests confirmed there was a drug in her system she did not ingest that “impacted her greatly” and she had been contacted by other women who might also have been drugged in Yeppoon the same night.

“It’s not OK. We should be able to enjoy socialising in our town without the risk of being drugged or assaulted,” Ms Lauga said.

Police have not commented on the investigation or what type of drug it was however on social media there has been speculation it was MDMA.

Keppel MP Brittany Lauga's Mother's Day card from her young daughter Odette.

In her heartfelt post explaining her devastating situation, a distraught Ms Lauga said she needed time to “physically and emotionally heal after what has happened so I ask you respect my privacy as I get the support I need”.

Since the post, Ms Lauga has not been seen publicly but she has continued to post on social media promoting Labor’s controversial $1000 initiative to remove $1000 from people’s power bills from July 1 and on Sunday she wished all mums a Happy Mother’s Day, adding a picture of a handmade card made for her by her young daughter Odette.

Senator Pauline Hanson and James Ashby, Pauline Hanson's One Nation’s candidate for the seat of Keppel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Ms Lauga is in for the biggest fight of her political life this year, facing popular former Livingstone Shire deputy mayor Nigel Hutton as the LNP’s candidate and Pauline Hanson’s ex-chief of staff James Ashby for One Nation, on a 5.6 per cent margin.

The Keppel MP took the seat from the LNP’s Bruce Young in 2015 during the historic election that forced Campbell Newman’s one term government out of office.

Ms Lauga has been the Assistant Minister for Health and Regional Health Infrastructure since the May 2023 cabinet reshuffle, but was first promoted to Assistant Minister for Education in December 2017.

Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett, LNP Candidate for Rockhampton Donna Kirkland, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli, LNP Candidate for Keppel Nigel Hutton and LNP Candidate for Mirani Glenn Kelly during Beef Week.