Australian senator pressed to quit over sexual assault claims

SYDNEY, Australia - Australia's opposition leader on Friday urged an under-fire colleague to resign, saying he could not stay in parliament while facing sexual assault allegations.

Senator David Van, of the opposition Liberal Party, was separately accused on Thursday of sexually assaulting a woman senator in the halls of parliament - and groping the bottom of another at an office party in the building.

Party leader Peter Dutton on Friday said a third unspecified accusation had surfaced about Van - who maintains his innocence - before calling on the former PR consultant to quit his role in the country's senate.

"I think it's in everyone's best interest that he resign from the parliament, and I hope he's able to do that sooner than later and seek the help that he needs," Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB.

"I think that would be an appropriate next step." Dutton has already suspended Van, 58, from the parliamentary caucus but cannot force his resignation.

Van has variously described the allegations as "scandalous", "concocted" and "utterly untrue".

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe stood up in parliament this week to accuse Van of sexually assaulting her in 2021, saying she feared leaving her office following the alleged incident.

Former Liberal Party senator Amanda Stoker released a statement Thursday accusing Van of "squeezing my bottom twice" at an office party in 2020.

The claims have rekindled accusations that Australia's crucible of democracy is also a bastion of sexism and misogyny. - AFP