‘Come forward’, Albanese tells ALP women after sexual harassment, assault claims

Anthony Albanese urges women to speak out about allegations of harassment and assault shared in ALP group chat.

Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese responded to the assault claims as he attended an announcement on childcare today Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

Anthony Albanese has urged women in the Labor Party to come forward about allegations of harassment and assault, after claims were shared in a private Facebook group

Allegations of sexual assault and harassment directed at female politicians and staff inside Parliament House have been shared in a Facebook group for former and current female Labor staffers. The posts include allegations of married senior staff members propositioning female staffers, messaging them up to 50 times in a single evening and victim-blaming.

“I would encourage women to come forward. I encourage women to speak out. I encourage men to listen to those concerns and to respond,” the Opposition Leader said.

“It is hard to look into anonymous suggestions. That is the truth.”

Mr Albanese said he was not aware of any claims that had been made against caucus members.

Mr Albanese also said he believed women who had come forward with allegations of harassment and assault.

Meanwhile Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said the allegations of sexual assault and harassment were “appalling.”

Mr Marles told the ABC the allegations were an “indictment” on the Labor Party.

“On behalf of the party, I am deeply sorry for the experiences that these women have had,” he said.

“What matters now is going forward that we do everything we can to ensure that this behaviour stops.”

“There are internal processes within the party, but there are now processes which have been established with the Parliament, and I think it’s really important that all of us are doing everything we can to support people and women to come forward, and to work through those processes.”

The claims

The social media posts, shared in a private Facebook group, include allegations of married senior staff members propositioning female staffers, messaging them up to 50 times in a single evening and victim-blaming.

One Labor figure told an ­alleged victim that because she was “an attractive woman” that “the world is always going to treat you like that”.

One woman alleged that a married senior staffer promised others he would get her home safely after he had “plied” her with drinks but “before putting her in the cab he had sex with her when she had no ability to consent”.

The airing of the allegations, revealed by news.com.au and verified by The Australian, received responses from female Labor staffers, some of who shared their own experiences of misconduct.

Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek was among the female Labor MPs who expressed concern about the alleged incidents.

Ms Pilbersek released a joint statement of support for the complainants with Labor MPs Katy Gallagher, Sharon Claydon and Anika Wells.

“We see you and hear you and are truly sorry that you have had these experiences working in the party,” the statement read.

The details emerged as more than 100,000 women prepared to march in solidarity of sexual assault victims and to demand justice over harassment and toxic workplaces cultures.

Allegations aired in the Facebook page, seen by The Australian, include:

“He is a man who punches the wall next to his female staffer’s head calling her a “f. king C. t”when she passes on news he doesn’t want to hear.”

“He is a man who calls his ­female colleague a ‘pig dog’ when she disagrees with him and says in front of her staff “that’s why no one wants to f. k you.”

“He is a man who says he’d “never f. k a woman without a thigh gap” and asks if I’ll show him mine while we sit waiting for a meeting I’m about to run to start in a room full of young men.”

“He is a married man who plied a young woman with drinks until she had no idea what was happening. He promised others at the gathering he would get her home safely but before putting her in the cab he had sex with her when she had no ability to consent.”

“He is a man who knows you’re a lesbian but thinks you’ll make an exception for him.”

“He is a man who spent years telling me I was special, intelligent, going places, and that he was so disgusted by the actions of some of the men in the party who had taken advantage of their power over women. He got me to trust him, believe he had my best interests at heart, and then took advantage of me after a night of drinking — knowing how unfair the power imbalance was.”

“He is a senior cabinet minister who, after a meeting, will not let me leave his office until I ask my CoS why the Minister calls him ‘pussyfingers’. After three or four repetitions of the term ‘pussyfingers’ I tell him in my serious voice that I don’t think this is workplace-appropriate language. He tells me I’m a shit C. t.”

Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek was among the female Labor MPs who expressed concern about the alleged incidents. Picture: Adam Yip