Second female senator accuses Senator David Van of groping
Suspended Liberal Senator David Van has responded to former senator Amanda Stoker’s claim that he squeezed her bottom.
Liberal Senator David Van has broken his silence on claims he squeezed the bottom of former senator Amanda Stoker, saying he has “no recollection” of the incident.
The Victorian senator, who has been booted out of the party room while Ms Stoker’s claim is being investigated, insisted he had a “very friendly” chat with her when she complained.
“I can confirm I had a very friendly and open discussion with my colleague some years ago about this and made it clear that I had no recollection of any such event, and can confirm it is not something I would ever do,” he told news.com.au.
Senator Van has told colleagues it was a crowded room and it’s possible he inadvertently touched Ms Stoker, but it would never have been on purpose.
However, that’s not the recollection of Ms Stoker, a lawyer and Sky News host.
Ms Stoker said she had hoped to keep the matter confidential but, in the wake of Senator Lidia Thorpe’s complaint, this was no longer tenable.
“In November 2020 Senator Van inappropriately touched me at an informal social gathering in a parliamentary office,’’ Ms Stoker said.
“He did so by squeezing my bottom twice. By its nature and by its repetition, it was not accidental.
“That action was not appropriate. It was unprofessional and uninvited.”
The former senator, who served as the Assistant Minister to the Attorney-General, said in a statement that she confronted him about the incident the next day.
“I described the action, told him it was unacceptable, and that it was not to be repeated,’’ she said.
“He apologised and said he would never do it again. I accepted his apology and his undertaking.
“Contemporaneous notes of the meeting were taken and it never happened again.
“I believe all women should be free from unwanted advances and confident to speak up immediately and be respected for doing so.
“I promptly advised a senior female colleague about the incident, and of the action I had taken. I did so to ensure that if there were any other incidents of which I was not aware, or any future reports, they could be dealt with appropriately.
“Obviously, this was not a good experience. I took it very seriously but did not want his misbehaviour to define me or any other woman. I simply wanted to ensure his behaviour was never repeated.
Ms Stoker said she used internal processes for his behaviour to be addressed, whilst asking for it to be kept confidential.
“I would have preferred that the matter be resolved privately and finally – as I thought it was. However, following Senator Thorpe’s allegations, it is now clear that is no longer tenable,’’ she said.
Dutton’s big call after sex assault claims
This came after it was revealed that Mr Dutton informed Senator Van he can “no longer sit in the party room” while “further allegations” are investigated.
Senator Van has utterly rejected Senator Lidia Thorpe’s claim - subsequently withdrawn under parliamentary rules - that she was the subject of conduct that she regarded as a sexual assault.
But Mr Dutton said he had asked Senator Van to stand aside while further allegations were investigated. He stressed he was not making any judgement on the veracity of the claims.
“Since the airing of Senator Thorpe’s allegation yesterday, further allegations in relation to Senator Van have been brought to my attention overnight and this morning,” Mr Dutton said.
“As such, I met with Senator Van this morning and a short time ago, I advised Senator Van of my decision that he should no longer sit in the Liberal Party party room.
“At the outset, I want to make clear, very clear that I’m not making any judgement on the veracity of the allegations or any individual’s guilt or innocence.”
The allegations have been sent to the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service for consideration.
“My office last night and again today spoke with the PWSS, and they will conduct their considerations of these matters,” he said.
“In relation to the movement of officers, Senator Thorpe made the allegation yesterday in the Senate.
“I wasn’t aware of the details of Senator Van moving office. But I’ve conducted inquiries in relation to that matter overnight.
“I’m advised that the action at the time that was taken was to the satisfaction of both Senator Thorpe and the Greens Senate leadership team.”
‘Concocted’: Senator’s new statement
In a statement to the Senate, Senator Van has slammed Senator Thorpe’s claims as “concocted.”
His hands shaking, Senator Van delivered his statement shortly after 2pm and read from a prepared speech.
“Let me say this in the clearest possible terms. Senator Thorpe’s allegations are concocted from beginning to end,’’ he said.
“Nothing that she has alleged about me is truthful.
“No such exchange occurred between us. There is no interaction that could conceivably resemble what she described today.
“Making false allegations in the Senate today is disgraceful and brings the Senate into disrepute.”
Senator Van said her decision not to complain to the police was “evidence of her consciousness of guilt that what she said is false.”
“Because if it were true, she would not be cowering under the umbrella of parliamentary privilege to make such scandalous and serious claims so carelessly and without notice,’’ he said.
Asked to withdraw that reflection on Senator Thorpe he agreed to do so.
“I’ve acknowledged publicly that I moved offices after an allegation from Senator Thorpe that I made her feel uncomfortable.
“I agreed to move offices to ensure the avoidance of any misconceptions.
“To protect myself against her irrational concerns and ensure the effective and smooth running of the parliament,’’ he said.
“I do not wish this matter to stay in the Liberal Party that I fought so hard for. so I accept that I will no longer be sitting in the party room.”
“There should be an investigation into these outrageous claims, so they can be proved to be false.
“I will fully cooperate with investigators.”
Senator Van also said his lawyer Rebekah Giles rejected Senator Thorpe’s claim that a legal letter was designed to intimidate her.
“Finally the allegation of intimidation by my lawyer is unfounded,’’ he said.
“Ms Giles operates a specialist practice and has acted for Ms Brittany Higgins Senator Hanson Young and presently acts for members of every political party in this chamber.
“That slur on her was irrational and unjustified and should also be withdrawn.”
‘Cornered’: Thorpe’s sexual assault claim
This all came after a tearful Thorpe told Parliament that the building is “not a safe place” and that she was once “cornered" in a stairwell and has been “inappropriately propositioned by powerful men.”
The former Greens Senator did not name any MPs or senators in today’s speech, noting that she was unable to reflect on the politician’s “character” under standing orders.
It follows her claim under parliamentary privilege yesterday that she was “sexually assaulted” by Senator Van - a claim she subsequently withdrew and which was utterly rejected by Senator Van who described Thorpe’s words as a “disgusting statement”.
Today, declaring that “silence is violence” she said she would not go to the police but would continue to speak out.
“Yesterday, I made remarks in relation to another senator. I then had to withdraw them because the rules of the Senate do not allow you to speak about someone’s character,’’ she said.
“So today, I will speak about my experience in Parliament. When I started, I was a new senator. As all women that have walked the corridors of this building (know) it is not a safe place.
“You are often alone in long corridors with no windows and in stairwells hidden from view where there are no cameras.
“This was my new workplace. I experienced sexual comments and was inappropriately propositioned by powerful men.”
Senator Thorpe then claimed one man had “cornered her” in a stairwell where there were no security cameras.
“One man followed me and cornered me in a stairwell. And most of this was witnessed by staff and fellow members of parliament,’’ she said.
However, she conceded there were no witnesses to what she claimed happened next with the unidentified male.
“No one witnessed what happened in the stairwell as there are no cameras in stairwells,’’ she said.
“There are different understandings of what amounts to sexual assault.
“What I experienced was being followed aggressively, propositioned and inappropriately touched.
“I was afraid to walk out of the office door. I would open the door slightly and check the coast was clear before stepping out.
“It was to the degree that I had to be accompanied by someone whenever I walked inside this building. That is how the Greens supported me and I thank them for that. To me, it was sexual assault.”
Senator Thorpe told the Senate the previous government was aware of her allegations.
“At the time, I spoke to the President of the Senate about it. I spoke to my colleagues about it. I spoke to Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins about it during her inquiry,’’ she said.
“I spoke to senior leaders in the Liberal Party and was assured the Prime Minister was informed at the time I was convinced that the government believed me.
“I did not make the incident public at the time, because it was during the time Brittany Higgins had made her experience in this building public. I did not want to have anything taken away from Brittany’s experience and her bravery in coming forward.
“I believe that was the right decision. My faith in the Liberal Party was not the right decision.
“Until yesterday, I thought they had taken this matter seriously.
“But then yesterday I had to listen to a Senator who has made me feel unsafe. Speak on how important it is to keep women safe in Parliament.
“Silence is violence. And yesterday I could not stay silent.
“This was not an isolated incident. And there are others I could name who have inappropriately.”
As Senator Thorpe concluded her statement, Pauline Hanson made an inaudible remark to her. According to multiple witnesses including senators, Senator Thorpe responded saying “f*** off Pauline!”
Liberal Senator David Van ‘shattered’
Her comments come hours after Liberal Senator David Van declared he was “shattered and battered” after being accused of sexual assault.
On Wednesday night, Senator Lidia Thorpe claimed and then sensationally withdrew allegations under parliamentary privilege that a Liberal senator “sexually assaulted” her. The claim sparked uproar in parliament.
Speaking this morning on 2GB radio, Senator Van provided some of the back story to why he had moved offices after Senator Thorpe complained about him two years ago.
But he said the claims were “utterly untrue” then and now and he had never touched her beyond shaking her hand.
“I’m shattered by these allegations. I feel battered,’’ he told Ben Fordham on 2GB radio.
“Mate, I am hurting so badly.
“I’ve been in shock ever since. It’s just awful. It’s terrible for me and my family.”
Senator Van said the claim was completely untrue and he had never had physical contact with the Senator Thorpe.
“I think the only time I’ve ever even touched her would have been when I shook her hand after her maiden speech. Nothing else that’s for sure,’’ he said.
“I have not harassed her in any shape or form.”
Host Ben Fordham then put to him her claim under parliamentary privilege that he was “a perpetrator.”
“Ben, please. No. No,’’ he said.
“It’s utterly disgusting that she would say these words and I’m kind of upset that you would even raise those words with me again. It is so far from any facts.”
“If she has any belief that anything happened. I’d encourage you to take it to the police. Don’t hide behind parliamentary privilege. Take it to the police. Let the court’s decide.
“She’s suggesting your office physically had to be removed away from her office,’’ host Ben Fordham said.
“Do you know where this comes from?.”
Senator Van said it was “gobsmacking”.
“I don’t know where this comes from,’’ he said.
Senator Van admits he moved offices in 2021
However, Senator Van said that he did move offices in 2021.
“I did make an office move in 2021. So, I don’t know what that’s referring to. I did actually move offices,’’ he said.
Asked why he moved offices he confirmed it followed a complaint by Senator Thorpe.
“To put this on the record- she’d made an allegation to our leadership, through her leadership, that I was following her into the chamber which made her uncomfortable,’’ Senator Van said.
“At times I’d be in front of her. At times I’d be behind her. But at no time did I harass her, touch her, barely even said ‘hello’. I’m sure I said hello at some point.
“So the leadership offered me another office- so I moved.”
Asked if this was arranged by Scott Morrison, Senator Van said it was actually the Senate President who arranged the office move.
“No- it was President Scott Ryan at the time,’’ Senator Van said.
“I haven’t slept last night. My wife has been absolutely wonderful and supportive. And also to the hundreds if not thousands of messages I’ve had from friends and family around the world.
“To have an allegation like this made against you is the most awful thing that’s happened to me in my life.
“I’d feel less bad if she’d accused me of murder rather than this.”
Senator Thorpe withdrew the remarks last night following the intervention of the Senate President but indicated she would have more to say in Parliament on Thursday.
“Earlier today I made some comments in relation to another Senator,” she said.
“In order to comply with the parliamentary standing orders I withdraw those remarks.
“For the information of the Senate I will make a further statement on the matter tomorrow.”
In extraordinary scenes on Wednesday, Senator Thorpe interrupted Senator Van’s speech reflecting on the handling of Brittany Higgins’ text leaks.
“I just want to relay that I’m feeling really uncomfortable when a perpetrator is speaking about violence,’’ she said.
“This person harassed me, sexually assaulted me, and the prime minister had to remove him from his office,” she said.
“And to have him talking about this today is an absolute disgrace! On the whole party!”
Senator Van was left visibly distressed and stunned by the comments, telling parliament “it is simply not true”.
Last year, Senator Van issued an “unreserved apology” after he was accused of making growling dog noises at Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie.
Senator Van denied he was making an animal noise but said he interjected while Ms Lambie was speaking and that was not appropriate.
“I was just interjecting with a gruff voice and I think with the mask and everything, in all the noise that was going on, it was that,’’ Mr Van said.
“It was in no way an animal noise or meant to be disrespectful to (her) in any sort of gendered way.”
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