‘When there were drinks involved he would get handsy’: Fresh allegations against David Van

Victorian Senator David Van’s return to parliament is in doubt amid fresh allegations from a woman who alleges he was “predatory” and squeezed her bottom multiple times.

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA, NewsWire Photos. JUNE 15, 2023: Senator David Van in the Senate at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Embattled Senator David Van’s return to federal parliament next week is in doubt amid fresh allegations he inappropriately touched another woman’s bottom before entering politics.

The Victorian Senator has come under fire over sexual harassment allegations, the use of taxpayer-funded travel entitlements, and inappropriate behaviour during a defence force parliamentary program.

Senator Van, who strenuously denies all the allegations, took leave for health reasons during the last sitting week before the winter break.

The Herald Sun understands that medical advice on Friday will determine if he will return to the upper house for the sitting fortnight.

Senator David Van has denies all allegations. Picture: David Crosling

It comes as a fourth woman, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald Sun he touched her bottom “at least three times on two separate occasions” in 2018.

The pair, who knew each other professionally, were out for after work drinks at a bar in Melbourne’s CBD when one of the incidents occurred.

She said they were alone at the bar getting drinks when he leaned really close to her, put his hand on her back, before moving it down to her bottom.

She said there was a “squeeze and then lingering there afterwards”.

One woman says the Senator touched her bottom at least three times. Picture: Martin Ollman

“When there were drinks involved he would get handsy,” she said.

“It was quite predatory.

“He never did anything when he was sober.”

She later raised it with a female colleague, but did not raise it with Senator Van, or make any formal complaints saying he was older, there was a “power imbalance” and he had a “temper”.

Instead, she tried to avoid him.

Regarding the latest claim, Senator Van, who was elected to the Senate in 2019, said: “I completely reject this nameless and false allegation.”

Victorian Senator Lidia Thorpe in June accused Senator Van of sexual harassment, using parliamentary privilege to claim she was “being followed, aggressively propositioned and inappropriately touched”.

The allegations also prompted former Queensland Liberal National Party Senator Amanda Stoker to come forward with claims he “squeezed her bottom twice” at a social gathering in a parliamentary office in late 2020.

Mr Dutton, who revealed he had also received “serious, credible allegations” from a third woman, kicked Senator Van out of the Liberal Party room.

He also referred the allegations to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service to investigate.

The service does not comment on whether it has had involvement in any workplace matters.

Senator Van hopes the inquiry will help clear his name, as he intends to sit out the remaining two years of his term on the crossbench, after resigning from the Liberal Party last month following threats of expulsion.

The party is desperate to get their Senate seat back, with Mr Dutton demanding that he resign from the parliament altogether.

Anthony Albanese also said he would be “very comfortable” if Senator Van never returned.

The Prime Minister’s office did not confirm whether Senator Van would have access to a higher staffing allocation because he was now an independent.