Australia's opposition party expelled Senator David Van from the Liberal Party following accusations of harassment and rape made by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe.
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The allegations were made in Parliament and are protected under parliamentary privilege, which prevents lawsuits for defamation.
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Last year, political leaders apologized for the culture of harassment, bullying, and rape within Parliament House.
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An investigation by the national sex discrimination commissioner revealed instances of harassment and assault against staff members.
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The investigation was prompted by a staff member's claim of assault in a minister's office in 2019.
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Senator Lidia Thorpe accused Senator David Van of harassment during the same time period when the staff member's allegations came to light.
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The previous government agreed to relocate Van to a different office to minimize contact between him and Thorpe.
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Thorpe publicly accused Van of grabbing her in a staircase where there were no surveillance cameras.
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Thorpe reported the incident to the independent Parliamentary Workplace Support Service, which handles workplace complaints.
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Van denied the allegations and welcomed the investigation by the support service.