The chief executive at one of Australia’s largest law firms has left by “mutual agreement” after a firestorm erupted about representing Christian Porter.
Without a living person to provide evidence, the very low prospect of a conviction evaporates. The police discontinued their investigation into the allegations against Porter largely because of this. Is that then the end of all possible legal or institutional responses as Morrison is suggesting?
The answer is no: alleged sexual violence can be investigated without police or criminal proceedings. There are a range of legal responses available to victims and their families, including a civil action in battery, a sexual harassment claim, or pursuing compensation under other statutes. In each of these instances, victims do not have to rely on police to bring their claim, and the standard of proof required is lower.
On Wednesday attention swung to the Labor side of politics after a former adviser, Anna Jabour, warned in an op-ed published on News.com.au about the culture within the Labor party during her time working for the then Gillard government.
Asked about Jabour’s piece, the South Australian Labor MP Amanda Rishworth “100%” encouraged all Labor staffers to come forward with their own stories.
“I have never and I don’t think anyone in Labor has suggested that this is just one side of politics or another,” Rishworth told the ABC on Wednesday afternoon.
“And that’s why actually you had Labor people actually calling for an independent inquiry, not saying, not just wanting to see the Liberal party investigated but actually call for an independent inquiry across the whole parliament – for staffers and people who have worked in the building to come forward.