Labor MP Emma Husar accused of exposing herself in front of Labor colleague

Emma Husar has denied sensational claims that she exposed herself in front of a Labor colleague and diverted money into her personal account.

Labor Member for Lindsay, Emma Husar.

Emma Husar has denied explosive new allegations including that she sexually harassed another politician and diverted thousands of dollars into her personal bank account.

Staff allege Ms Husar performed the revealing leg-crossing move made famous by Sharon Stone in the film Basic Instinct in front of a Labor frontbencher, BuzzFeed News report today.

It cites a letter dated May 16 in which Lawyer John Joseph Whelan — who was appointed by NSW Labor in March to oversee an investigation into bullying and misuse of staff allegations against Ms Husar — requesting that the western Sydney MP appear in person to be interviewed and respond to an attached list of allegations and alleged behaviours.

The letter details allegations of misuse of funds and entitlements, misuse of staff, workplace bullying, intimidation, verbal abuse, spreading false rumours, sexualised behaviour and sexual harassment.

This morning Ms Husar tweeted, disputing the allegations: “This smear is completely and utterly untrue, unfair and hurtful beyond belief. 100 per cent false”.

“These are absolute lies that have been fabricated by (a former staffer) .... against me (to) ruin my reputation.

“I have done my best to cooperate with the investigation and clear my name, but it’s clear these people will stop at nothing to destroy me.”

The Australian is not suggesting the new allegations are true only that they have been made.

The new allegations also come after The Australian revealed today that Ms Husar took a $6000 taxpayer-funded trip across Australia that included a side trip to Perth for an ALP event billed as “consultations” with party members on gender equality.

Staff allegedly told Mr Whelan that Ms Husar would often talk about sex and engage in inappropriate sexualised behaviour in the office.

“Several employees reported that you would discuss in the office who you found attractive and who you wanted to have sex with or who you have had sex with including references to Members of Parliament and Members of Staff,” Whelan reportedly wrote in his letter to Husar.

The letter details an allegation from a staff member that on 19 June 2017 at approximately 7.05pm while in Labor frontbencher Jason Clare’s office, Ms Husar performed the revealing leg-crossing move made famous by Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.

Bill Shorten and Labor Member for Lindsay Emma Husar.

“It is alleged that you and [a staff member] attended Mr Jason Clare’s office at Parliament. Mr Clare was sitting on the floor playing with his son. [The staff member] alleged that he was sitting opposite you and that on three occasions you spread your legs, revealing that you were not wearing any underwear. [The staff member] felt that your conduct was deliberate, proactive and targeted towards Mr Clare.”

Mr Clare said the allegation that Ms Husar had performed the Sharon Stone move in his office was “categorically untrue”.

A spokesman for Labor leader Bill Shorten said Mr Shorten had not seen the letter referred to in the BuzzFeed article. “Nor was he aware of its existence before today,” the spokesman said.

“NSW ALP informed the Opposition Leader of the independent investigation on 18 July, following a media enquiry,” the spokesman said.

BuzzFeed has also detailed allegations from a number of employees who told Mr Whelan that Ms Husar asked them to zip up her dress, making them feel uncomfortable.

Others allegedly said Husar purchased multiple topless firefighter calendars and placed them on employees’ desks.

“It has been alleged that you invited your physiotherapist to a Friday work drinks function in the office and flirted with them throughout the evening, making staff feel uncomfortable,” Whelan wrote.

According to BuzzFeed, one former staff member made two allegations of sexual harassment against Husar.

The staff member alleged that in August last year the Labor MP “rubbed her body up against him”.

The staff member said that Husar had her right breast against his left shoulder and arm for about 10-15 seconds.

On another occasion in September, he alleged Husar rested her right breast on his arm.

Also included in Mr Whelan’s letter was an allegation from a staff member that there was “money intended for other uses diverted into [Ms Husar’s] personal bank account”.

According to BuzzFeed, several thousands of dollars were fundraised by NSW Labor for Ms Husar’s election campaign and put into her personal bank account.

The letter also offered further detail on allegations that Ms Husar required her staff to look after her black labrador, Thomas, as well as the claim that she targeted a male staff member for being a “privileged, white male”.

Emma Husar opens the Australian Labor Party 2016 Federal Campaign Launch at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Sydney.

“Staff were specifically directed to take the dog to relieve itself at the park across from the Catholic Church and to clean up after the dog,” Mr Whelan said in the letter, detailing the date and location of each allegation.

“At an office party [a staff member] alleges that you said to other staff members … ‘he is a privileged white male. I am an equal opportunity employer, he can clean up’.”

Mr Whelan has received more than 200,000 words of statements from 20 people formerly in Ms Husar’s employ

The complaints include that staff were forced to pick up dog excrement and perform household chores, that she gave her nanny a job in her office and that she has a staffer living with her performing domestic duties.

There are also claims she ­referred to staffers as “c … s” and “f. kwits”.

Labor leader Bill Shorten and his deputy Tanya Plibersek maintain they first learnt of the allegations against Ms Husar less than a fortnight ago, despite the Whelan investigation having begun in March.

Yesterday, The Australian revealed allegations that Ms Husar skipped a day of an NDIS parliamentary hearing in far north Queensland in March to attend a Bruno Mars concert in Brisbane.

Ms Husar yesterday defended herself, tweeting that no work expenses had been claimed to attend the concert.

The allegations against Ms Husar include a claim that she used parliamentary entitlements to buy household groceries including toilet paper.

She has also been accused of using the taxpayer-funded Comcar service to travel to meet her divorce lawyer and was allegedly questioned by staff over using parliamentary entitlements to fly to Melbourne to attend an Emily’s List function.

The former disability and domestic violence campaigner holds the marginal Western Sydney seat of Lindsay by just 1.1 per cent, having secured a 4.1 per cent swing to win the seat from Liberal Fiona Scott in 2016.

Ms Husar and Mr Shorten’s offices have been contacted for comment.