Employee attempted to disclose allegations of sexual misconduct to ex-MP Craig Kelly

A young woman claims former federal MP Craig Kelly failed to act when she tried to confide in him about alleged verbal and physical sexual misconduct from his chief of staff, a court has heard.

A young woman was “left on read” when she reached out to former federal MP Craig Kelly to disclose verbal and physical sexual misconduct she claimed she suffered from his chief of staff, a court has heard.

Francesco ‘Frank’ Zumbo, 55, has pleaded not guilty to 20 charges of sexual touching and indecent assault after five woman alleged misconduct occurred while they worked in the office of Mr Kelly between 2014 and 2020.

Zumbo denies all allegations and claims no sexual conduct occurred but rather he was “friendly” and creating a collegiate atmosphere in the Sutherland office.

The woman was cross examined on Friday during Zumbo’s hearing in Sydney’s Local Court after claiming he exposed himself to her late at night after work.

The woman claimed that incident was one of many unwanted sexual advances Zumbo made towards her in addition to remarks that felt her feeling uncomfortable while she worked with him.

Frank Zumbo (right) pictured with his lawyer Michael Moussa at Downing Centre. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

She told the court after she quit the office, she contacted Mr Kelly, via Facebook, in an attempt to discuss the inappropriate and sexual conduct Zumbo made towards her.

The woman said she had previously never spoken to Mr Kelly about the allegations because he was rarely in the electorate office, did not have his phone number and was not able to email his parliamentary address because Zumbo monitored it.

“He was inaccessible,” the woman said.

“When he came into the office he was told to stop bothering us by Frank.

“I actually did contact Mr Kelly in the only way I thought I could via social media.

“I was left on read.”

Mr Kelly did not respond to the woman’s Facebook message despite reading it.

She said in the message she wanted to discuss many topics with him, telling the court she wanted to tell him about the allegations of sexual misconduct.

Meanwhile, barrister Timothy Kent suggested Zumbo never offered the woman physical support, did not call her a “hot piece of arse”, never physically picked her up, did not threaten to damage her career nor took his penis out.

The woman strongly disagreed with those statements.

“He never touched you in a sexual way,” Mr Kent asked.

“I disagree,” the woman said.

Mr Kent also asked why the woman did not say to Zumbo, “get your hand off me” when she claimed he touched her on the thigh during a car ride to an event for Julie Bishop.

“I did not, there were other people in the car,” she said.

“Surely that would have put an end to it,” Mr Kent suggested.

“No it would have created an argument, meant many discussions in the office and denial,” she said.

Frank Zumbo (right) pictured with his lawyer Michael Moussa on the third day of his hearing. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

The woman denied the suggestion it was a “casual pat” on the knee during conversation, claiming his hand lingered and moved towards her upper thigh.

The woman went on to deny the assertion from Mr Kent that she was intoxicated during the alleged sexual touchings and disagreed she threw up because she was drunk.

The court also heard the woman was offered a job in Tony Abbott’s office but Zumbo had told her he had declined it on her behalf.

Zumbo also never gave the woman a reference despite his promise to do so and her years of working at the office.

Meanwhile, the court also heard from a second witness – a student who first met Zumbo while studying at university.

The woman then began volunteering and later working at Mr Kelly’s office during the 2013 Federal Election campaign.

The court heard the woman alleges Zumbo repeatedly badgered her to be more affectionate with him when she had said she was not a “touchy feely person”.

“He would say that’s part of my culture, I’m Italian, we’re affectionate, and that it’s just a way of him showing the bond or friendship that we had,” the woman said of Zumbo.

“He said it’s a normal part of adult relationships.”

The woman also alleges Zumbo asked intensely personal questions – including about whether she was a virgin.

“He asked about my relationship experience in the past with other men, and when we would be driving to suburbs in the electorate he questioned me about my virginity and experience with other men,” the woman said.

“I was clear they were things I did not want to talk about and he would keep pushing the questions until I responded – he would just repeat the same questions, getting progressively angrier until I told him what he wanted to know.”

The court also heard the woman’s account of a dinner Zumbo allegedly took her to for her birthday in 2015 while she remained employed at Mr Kelly’s office.

On the way home, the woman alleges Zumbo pulled into the car park beneath Tom Uglys Bridge, gave her a gift card, then asked for a kiss – which she inferred was on the lips.

“I made an assumption he wanted a kiss on the lips because the next step down was a kiss on the cheek,” the woman said.

“I said I did not want to kiss or hug him … I said I wasn’t comfortable and we had an argument again.”

The woman said she eventually allowed Zumbo to hug her because she did not know how else she was going to get home.

“There was no other way to get home, I could not just walk home or get out of the car,” the woman said.

“After the first attempt of saying that (the kiss) is not what I wanted to do, I was crying.”

The woman said Zumbo was happy after she allowed him to hug her and that he described it as a “step up” and an “improvement” in their relationship.