The Australian Parliament on Monday inflicted even more sexual abuse when footage of a senior government official masturbating on the desk of a female lawmaker was leaked by a whistleblower.
The disgusting video – obtained by The Australian newspaper and Channel Ten – led to the immediate dismissal of the unnamed assistant, but it comes alongside other images of at least four government staff members exchanging images of sexual acts from the House of Commons for years.
One of the clips showed a man in pixel exposing his penis with a copy of Parliament’s rulebook right behind him, while another man pointed to the desk of a female Liberal MP before masturbating on it. “The fact that it is a female MP only adds to the shame it is,” the whistleblower said, adding that he had been sent so many explicit tracks that he would be ‘immune’ to them.
The whistleblower – who was only identified in the report as Tom – admitted that he had participated in some of the misconduct, but said he had decided it was time to expose what was going on. In addition to sharing the excerpts, he revealed that it was already known that government officials and even MPs had sex in a small room in the House of Parliament that was supposed to be set aside for prayer or mediation.
“I can probably say that there is little meditation or prayer going on in that room,” Tom says, admitting that he used the room for sex. The whistleblower added: ‘It’s time to talk, now’s the time to put it on record. It is a culture in which men think they can do what they want. ‘
After the report was broadcast, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison described the videos as “disgusting and sickening”, saying those involved had shown “astonishing contempt” for everyone working in Parliament. The prime minister also confirmed that the man who masturbated himself on the table of a female MP “immediately” ended.
The report follows an even more serious allegation of sexual abuse in parliament. Last month, Morrison ordered a review of the toxic workplace culture in the House of Commons after a former government press officer, 26-year-old Brittany Higgins, claimed that in March 2019 she was approached by one of her colleagues in a ministerial office was raped. Federal police are investigating Higgins’ allegations.
Home Affairs spokeswoman Kristina Keneally said The Australian that the footage becomes all the sicker because of its context. “On the heels of Brittany Higgins’ brave revelations, the behavior of these male staff members, with their perverted mockery of a female Coalition MP as a prop in their obscene videos, is reprehensible,” she said.
Tom, the whistleblower, said he was aware that the allegation of licking him would put him in the firing line, but that he was sick of the ‘privileged boys’ club getting away with repeated misconduct – and having to change things. “It should start with the removal of this toxic, powerful, privileged boys’ club that does what it wants, when it wants, where it wants,” he said.