CANBERRA (AUSTRALIA) – Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised on Tuesday to a woman who has made allegations that she was raped in parliament two years ago. The apology was for the way her complaint was dealt with at that time, and ordered an inquiry into the government’s workplace culture.
The woman told an online news publication and Channel 10 on Monday that she was raped in the office of the current Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in March 2019 by a colleague who also worked for Morrison’s ruling Liberal party, and whose identity was not revealed.
She said she spoke with police in early April of that year. However, she decided about not making a formal complaint as she was afraid that it would damage her career prospects.
It is not yet clear whether she has now lodged a formal complaint to police.
Going public with the allegation, the woman gave her name to media.
Police in the capital confirmed they had spoken to a complainant in April 2019, but said that she chose not to go ahead with a formal complaint.
The woman divulged about informing senior staff in Reynolds’ office of the alleged attack. She said she was then asked to participate in a meeting in the office where she alleges she had been subjected to assaults.
Reynolds on Monday confirmed she had been told of the complaint in 2019, though she denied the woman was pressured against making a police complaint.
Morrison on Tuesday apologised to the woman and promised an investigation.
“That should not have happened, and I do apologise,” Morrison told reporters in Canberra. “I want to make sure any young woman working in this place is as safe as possible.”
Reynolds echoed Morrison, and apologised a few hours later.
He told lawmakers, “Saying sorry is often the hardest thing for those of us who work in this place to say.”
“But can I say today, sorry is the easiest word for me to say.”
Reynolds was the Defence Industry Minister when the alleged rape had happened, and became Defence Minister two months later.
Morrison said he has appointed Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet official Stephanie Foster to evaluate the process using which it dealt with workplace complaints, while a backbench lawmaker will conduct inquiry into workplace culture.
The Liberal party has already been bruised by allegations of improper behaviour towards women.