Exclusive: Response to freedom of information request shows Australian federal police investigated two allegations, with five referred to state and territory police
Seven sexual assault allegations against federal parliamentarians were investigated by federal police or referred to state and territory law enforcement in the year-and-a-half period after Brittany Higgins’ allegations first became public knowledge, Guardian Australia can reveal.
The FoI request was for documents from the AFP’s oversight board about the number of briefs it received relating to sexual assault allegations against federal parliamentarians during the period. Access to the seven briefs located was denied in full – as were the associated case file notes and a question time brief provided to an unidentified minister.
A spotlight has been on the culture within Parliament House after former Liberal staffer Higgins first publicly alleged she was raped inside Parliament House by a colleague in February 2021. But the creation of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission – an independent enforcement body with the power to sanction misbehaving MPs and senators – has so far been delayed until the first half of 2024.said work to set up the body had been “too slow”, with staff were reluctant to come forward if there is no real prospect an MP will be sanctioned.“Not everyone wants to report assault or harassment to police.