Video lessons of parliament sex works rock Australia's government
23 March, 2021
Leaked videos of staff from Australia's conservative government performing sex acts on parliament, including 1 man masturbating above a lady MP's desk, kept Scott Morrison's administration facing just one more major scandal Tuesday.
The prime minister -- already under pressure for his handling of sexual assault allegations including a feminine government adviser was raped by a colleague -- called the behaviour "disgraceful" and "absolutely shameful".
The clips and photos, which had allegedly been shared in an organization chat of coalition government staff before appearing leaked by a whistleblower, were 1st revealed by The Australian newspaper and Channel 10 late Monday.
The graphic images have prompted fresh outrage from female lawmakers and the Australian public, coming on the heels of the rape allegations which sparked mass nationwide protests.
The whistleblower, determined only as Tom, told the news outlets that government staffers and MPs often used a Parliament House prayer room to have sexual intercourse, and alleged that sex workers had been brought in to the building "for the pleasure of coalition MPs".
He also said several staffers routinely swapped explicit images of themselves and he received as a result many he had "become immune to it".
He said there is a "culture of men convinced that they are able to do whatever they want" even though he did not are convinced the staffers had broken any regulations, "morally, they are bankrupt".
One aide was immediately fired and the government has promised even more action.
Minister for Women Marise Payne told hometown media the most recent revelations were "beyond disappointing", saying they highlighted the necessity for a government-ordered inquiry into parliament's workplace culture.
Cabinet minister Karen Andrews said she had had an "total gutful" of sexism found in politics and her "conscience won't let me remain quiet".
She told reporters in Canberra that the ruling Liberal Party should think about gender quotas for its political representatives.
Australia's parliament possesses been repeatedly criticised for a good "toxic" workplace culture which has allegedly spawned persistent bullying, harassment and sexual assault of girls -- particularly in the ruling coalition.
Former government staffer Brittany Higgins alleged publicly previous month that she have been raped by a colleague in a minister's parliamentary office on 2019.
And previously this month, Attorney-Standard Christian Porter vigorously denied swirling accusations he had raped a 16-year-old girl found in 1988 if they were both students.
The controversies have located growing pressure on the prime minister, who critics say has fumbled the government's response.
Morrison grew emotional in a press conference found in Canberra on Tuesday when discussing the value of his wife, mom and daughters, also telling women had endured a good "very traumatic" month.
"These occurrences have triggered, proper across this construction and indeed right in the united states, women who have endure this rubbish which crap for their complete lives, as their moms did, as their grandmothers did," he said.
"It is a thing that offers been the lived connection with Australian girls for a very long time, and I welcome the spotlight which has nowadays been placed onto it," he said, acknowledging many were unhappy with his response to date.
Thousands of women of all ages this month joined "#March4Justice" rallies to protest sexual violence and gender inequality, calling for systemic transformation in politics and wider Australian culture.
The opposition Labor party, which already has gender quotas in place, has not been immune from similar allegations. A Facebook group of female workers recently complete alleged sexual harassment by man colleagues and politicians.
Source: japantoday.com