Frank Zumbo pleads not guilty to indecent assault and sexual touching

The adviser to ex-MP Craig Kelly told a teen electorate office employee he was falling in love with her and allegedly routinely squeezed her breasts, a court has heard. The adviser is fighting accusations of sexual touching and indecent assault.

Frank Zumbo arrives at Downing Centre Local Court in June 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

The right-hand man to ex-federal MP Craig Kelly told a teen electorate office employee she was everything he was looking for in a woman and allegedly squeezed her breasts, less than a year after he met her at her high school, 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 – claiming no sexual conduct occurred whatsoever – and a hearing before Magistrate Gareth Christofi at Downing Centre Local Court which began in June 2022 has now resumed.

The court has now heard from the third of five complainants – a woman who was 18 when the alleged conduct is said to have begun.

The woman worked in Mr Kelly’s office for a number of years after meeting Zumbo when he and Mr Kelly did a Scamwatch presentation at her high school.

In her evidence, the woman alleged Zumbo repeatedly “squeezed” and “caressed” her breasts for “10 to 15 seconds at a time” until it hurt at the end of each work day.

“He would hold my breast when he came in to hug me and he would caress it,” the woman said.

“If I was wearing a jumper, he would put his hand under my jumper and caress (my breast) – that began happening around 2016, it went from a kiss and a hug to then touching my breasts.”

Frank Zumbo (right arrives at Downing Centre Court in Sydney in June 2022. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The woman alleged Zumbo would also occasionally squeeze her bottom in this regular farewell routine.

“I did not like it, I felt really worried about it and I did try to tell Frank about it and he said this is how I show love and this is how I show affection, and if you get a boyfriend you’ve got to be prepared for this type of interaction,” the woman said.

“He would say I’m an older brother, this is how I show affection, it’s part of my Italian culture … while he was saying goodbye to the other girls I would go to the bathroom and rinse my cheek because I felt it would wash away what had happened.”

The woman said she could not remember when she had raised her discomfort with Zumbo but said she felt “pretty scared” and uncertain as to whether it was acceptable.

“I didn’t think it would be part of Italian culture to squeeze someone’s breast but he said this is how a big brother would act, this is how a man in your life would act,” the woman said.

“I didn’t like it but every time I raised my dislike of it Frank would say this is how we show care to one another, I care for you, I love you.”

Frank Zumbo having a meal with Craig Kelly. Source: Supplied

The woman first began working in Mr Kelly’s office when she was 17, buoyed by what she said were Zumbo’s promises to mentor her and help her build a career.

“The whole goal was to make me a politician one day,” the woman told the court.

“He said he could take me to great heights and give me a career I could not even dream of, which sounded really positive and exciting.”

Like the second complainant, the third complainant made some recordings of conversations she had with Zumbo because – she told the court – they made her “quite scared”.

“I knew (the recordings) were illegal because I didn’t ask for his consent but I was quite worried something would happen,” the woman said.

“He would just berate me for long winded conversations … I thought no-one would believe me if I ever tried to explain our conversations.”

In a recording played to the court, Zumbo tells the woman he is falling in love with her as a person, she is everything he is looking for in a woman, and discusses his political ambitions.

“I’m not an old guy, I’m just a guy … I’m falling in love with you as a person, I’m closer to you than I am to any of the other sisters,” Zumbo says to the woman.

“I know you value our friendship and you value me as a person.”

The woman clarified that Zumbo referred to her and the other young female employees in Mr Kelly’s office as “the sisters”.

“You’re everything I’m looking for in a woman,” Zumbo goes on at a later point.

“You’re intelligent, good looking, bright, willing to serve, loyal.”

In the 58 minute recording, Zumbo also repeatedly refers to the woman’s Christian faith and suggests “the Lord” has caused their paths to cross.

“I need you to open your mind to the Lord’s vision,” Zumbo says.

Zumbo also revealed he had ambitions of being a member of parliament, after he said he missed out on being a “full” professor and the chairman of the ACCC.

The hearing continues on Tuesday.