By Colin Packham
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Thousands of protesters are expected to storm the Australian capital on Monday as the country’s parliament resumes as part of nationwide protests, which will intensify pressure on Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
In the wake of rape charges against Attorney General Christian Porter and a former employee of Morrison’s Liberal Party, 43 protests are planned across the country on Monday to demand equality and justice for women.
Porter denies the recent allegation of the 1988 rape.
A March 4Justice gathering is expected to gather several thousand people outside parliament in Canberra, the largest of the demonstrations the organizers predict will have around 85,000 people nationwide.
The protests will put pressure on Morrison, who will sit without two members of his cabinet when parliament resumes on Monday.
“People who are not interested in politics are engaged and angry and the number is increasing,” said Haydon Manning, a professor of political science at Flinders University in South Australia. “Morrison can not afford to continue the issue, he simply has to change the agenda.”
In search of the growing anger, Morrison said Sunday he will meet with a delegation, though he will not attend the protest.
The allegations involving people in Morrison’s government are expected to dominate the proceedings over the next two weeks, and Morrison is also facing an exhausted front bench.
Porter and Defense Secretary Linda Reynolds – who has been criticized for reporting the alleged rape by an unknown former staff member – are both on sick leave.
(Reported by Colin Packham; edited by William Mallard)