Liberal Senator David Van was accused by Lidia Thorpe of harassment, here’s what we know about him

Accused by Lidia Thorpe of harassment, the former consultant, who is married to ‘one of Australia’s most talented corporate women’, has made headlines before.

Senator David Van on a trip to Ukraine, despite travel advice urging Australians not to visit the war-torn nation.

A former public affairs consultant from Victoria, ousted Liberal senator David Van was thrown into the spotlight when independent Lidia Thorpe used parliamentary privilege to accuse him of harassment and sexual assault.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Thursday afternoon said further allegations had emerged about Senator Van and had “advised Senator Van of my decision that he should no longer sit in the Liberal Party party room.”

Senator Thorpe on Thursday spoke of how she had faced “sexual comments” and had been “inappropriately propositioned” in corridors and stairwells of parliament house in an emotional speech to the Senate. “One man followed me and cornered me in a stairwell,” she said. “To me, it was sexual assault and the government of the time recognised it as such.”

Despite withdrawing her statement about Senator Van in the Senate within a matter of hours on Wednesday, her spray and claims he was a “perpetrator” raised a question onlookers are still asking: who is he?

Senator Van, who has strenuously denied Senator Thope’s allegations calling them “untrue” and “unfounded” faced some controversy last year when he was accused of making growling noises at Senator Jacqui Lambie in the upper house, which he denied but still apologised for.

“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,’’ he said.

Despite rejecting Senator Thorpe’s allegations, Senator Van agreed to leave the Liberal party room to ensure there was no negative impact to the Opposition in the wake of the claims.

Corporate life before politics

Before entering parliament in 2019, Senator Van worked for communications and public relations firms in Australia and the US before founding his own company – the De Wintern Group – in 2003.

In his first speech, Senator Van paid tribute to the “wonderful women” in his life, which included his three sisters, who he grew up with in what he called an “ideal” childhood.

Ousted Liberal senator David Van and his wife Nerilee at the Midwinter Ball.

“I am fortunate that I don’t have a ‘log cabin’ story. My childhood was ideal and I wish all children experienced the wonderful childhood I had,” he said in 2019.

“My life has always been full of the most wonderful women. My sisters Kristine, Lisa and Madeleine and my niece Lucia have given me so much joy and I love them all very much.”

Senator Van also paid tribute to his “life partner” Nerilee who he thanked for standing by him as he entered parliament.

“She is one of Australia’s most talented corporate women and I admire how she has never let gender get in the way of her success even while working in a male dominated industry,” he said.

Ukraine controversy

While relatively unknown, the Victorian senator made news in his home state for flying to Ukraine last year despite travel advice urging Australians not to visit the war-torn nation.

“I’ve been privileged this week to meet the Ukrainian people, their government and their defence forces, who are the bravest people I’ve ever met,” he said at the time.

The trip raised eyebrows not only because it defined travel advice, but because it was funded by drone company, DefendTex, which Senator Van spruiked upon his return without mentioning the organisation had paid for his Ukraine visit.

Senator Van first met DefendTex chief executive, Travis Reddy, in 2019 when he and then defence industry Minister Melissa Price awarded the company a $2mn innovation grant.

Senator David Van and former Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price announcing a $2 million grant to Defendtex CEO Travis Reddy in August 2019

The Victorian senator declared in his register of interests that DefendTex Ltd had paid for his travel to Ukraine in August 2022, and told The Australian earlier this year he had “done everything I need to do” in disclosing the matter.

A member of parliamentary committees including the joint statutory committee on human rights and the senate select committee on foreign interference through social media, Senator Van is vocal on matters of foreign affairs and in March last year completed a Masters of international and national security studies at Monash University.

Thorpe’s allegations, since withdrawn

Senator Van has confirmed he did move offices after Senator Thorpe made a complaint against him in 2021.

At the time, Senator Thorpe had made complaints to Greens leadership, who had communicated with the Liberal Party, that Senator Van’s behaviour was making her “uncomfortable”.

On Wednesday, Senator Thorpe told the chamber she was “feeling really uncomfortable when a perpetrator is speaking about violence”.

“This person harassed me, sexually assaulted me, and the prime minister had to remove him from his office,” she said.

Senator Van immediately told the chamber it “is simply not true”, labelling it a “disgusting statement”.

‘I’m hurting so bad’

Speaking to 2GB radio on Thursday ahead of stepping down, Senator Van said the allegations were “completely unfounded”, and he was “shocked” by Senator Thorpe’s claim.

When asked whether he had ever sexually assaulted her, Senator Van said “absolutely no”.

“It’s absolutely disgusting that she would say those words … I mean, it’s so far from any fact.

“I’m hurting so badly.”

However Senator Van also said he wanted to “put on the record” he had taken up an offer from then-senate president Scott Ryan to move his office further away from Senator Thorpe’s following a complaint.

He said Senator Thorpe had “made allegations to our leadership through her leadership that I was following her into the chamber, which made her feel uncomfortable”.

“That was just the way that we call into the chamber when there are divisions,” he said.

“And at times, I’ve been in front of her, at times behind her – but at no time did I harass her or touch her. I barely even said hello.

“ … And so the leadership offered me another office.”