At a press conference in Perth on Wednesday, Porter vehemently denied the allegations against him. “Nothing in the allegations that was printed has ever happened. Even now, the only information I have about the allegations is online that has done the rounds,” he said.
During the press conference, Porter responded to questions from journalists about the details of the allegation, saying it just did not happen.
Porter said he would not act as attorney general, but that he would take a short leave of absence.
“If I quit my job … because of an allegation about something that simply did not happen, any person in Australia could lose their career, their job, their life’s work, based on nothing but an accusation. not, “he said. said.
The allegations came to light after statements by the alleged victim were sent anonymously to the prime minister’s office and two female politicians from the opposition Labor and Green parties.
Greens Party Senator Sarah Hanson Young, who sent a copy of the statement, told CNN that he accused the minister of raping the woman when she was 16. The alleged victim died at the age of 49 in June 2020.
CNN did not see the statement and could not independently verify its contents.
The allegations have led to calls from women’s supporters and opposition politicians that Prime Minister Scott Morrison should ask the minister to step aside and conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations.
“We can not have a situation where the mere making of an allegation and that it is published through the media is governments to set up people simply on that basis, you know,” Morrison said. “We have a rule of law in this country.”
The historic allegations come less than two weeks after a former staff member in the ruling Liberal Party came forward to allege that she was raped by a colleague in a parliament building in 2019.
In February, Prime Minister Morrison Higgins apologized and promised an investigation into the alleged rape.