Extract from ABC News
Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins has made a formal complaint to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) about her alleged rape in March 2019.
Key points:
- Ms Higgins flagged last week she intended to re-engage with police about the alleged incident
- In a statement last week she said she wanted the alleged rapist to "face the full force of the law"
- The former Liberal staffer's allegations have sparked a number of investigations into workplace culture at Parliament House
Ms Higgins alleges she was sexually assaulted by a colleague inside then-defence industry minister Linda Reynolds's office two years ago.
The ABC has been told she has now reported the alleged assault to police.
Ms Higgins originally met with the AFP shortly after the incident but asked officers not to pursue an investigation in April 2019.
Last week she said she decided not to push forward with the complaint at the time because she was made to feel that it would affect her job.
But on Friday she revealed she would re-engage with police, saying she had "waited a long time for justice" and wanted the alleged perpetrator to "face the full force of the law".
"Firstly, I want a comprehensive police investigation into what happened to me … and for my perpetrator to face the full force of the law," she said.
ACT Policing confirmed it was investigating the alleged incident and that no other formal reports associated with the matter had been made.
It said that no additional comment would be made now the investigation was underway.
Earlier today Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton revealed to Parliament he was only notified by the AFP about the alleged rape a few days before Ms Higgins went public.
Under its guidelines, the AFP has to report "politically sensitive" investigations to the Home Affairs Minister.
Ms Higgins has called for major changes to the way federal political staffers are treated and how complaints at Parliament House are handled.
"I was failed repeatedly but I now have my voice and I am determined to use it to ensure that this is never allowed to happen to another member of staff again," she said.
As well as her formal police complaint, a number of investigations have been sparked in the wake of her allegations.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has asked for a review into what support is available to political staffers and what processes are in place for dealing with complaints, as well as a cross-party independent review into the workplace culture at Parliament House and what can be done to improve it.
Mr Morrison has also ordered an internal investigation into who in his office knew about the allegations, and when.
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