Australia PM sorry over handling of rape complaint

SYDNEY: A former Australian government staffer has said she was raped in a minister’s office in parliament and failed by her bosses ater coming forward, prompting an apology from the prime minister on Tuesday.

Brit any higgins alleged she was sexually assaulted by a male colleague in now-defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ office in 2019, ater a night out drinking with conservative Liberal Party colleagues.

Higgins told that, ater reporting the incident to a superior, she was asked to attended a formal employment meeting in the same room the alleged rape occurred.

Then aged 24 and a few months into her “dream job,” she described feeling forced to choose between her career and making a report to police.

The revelation follows a string of allegations about the mistreatment of women in Australian politics in recent years, including bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct.

Higgins told Channel 10 that she felt like a “political problem” that needed to be solved, with her bosses appearing “uncomfortable” if she brought up the issue again.

The government initially defended its approach following the revelations on Monday, saying she had been encouraged to speak to the police and told she would be supported in her decisions, though an official conceded the choice of meeting location had been a mistake.

But amid growing public outrage over the scandal on Tuesday, Prime Minister Scot Morrison shited gears and apologised.

“That should not have happened. And I do apologise,” he told reporters in Canberra.

Morrison said that - ater taking advice from his wife overnight - he realised further action was needed to address the mater and announced an investigation into processes dealing with sexual assault complaints and a review of workplace culture in the parliament.

“There should not be an environment where a young woman can find herself in such a vulnerable situation. That is not OK,” he said.

Higgins thanked Morrison for his apology but said she should not have needed to go public for him to take action.