- New study reinforces theory Covid emerged at Chinese market
- World Bank boosts climate financing by 10 percent
- Bagnaia eyeing summit on home ground in 100th MotoGP
- 'Something was wrong', defendant in French mass rape tells court
- Hezbollah chief admits 'unprecedented' blow in device blasts
- Sales of US existing homes slip slightly in August
- Fear, panic haunt Lebanese after devices explode
- Labuschagne sparks Australia fightback in England ODI opener
- S.Africa's HIV research power couple says fight goes on
- Why is Israel focusing on border with Lebanon?
- Mpox vaccines administered in Rwanda, first in Africa
- US Fed rate cut is 'very positive sign' for economy: Yellen
- Unknown Mozart string trio discovered in Germany
- 'Are we five-year-olds?' F1 drivers won't mind their language
- Brazil judge orders X to reimpose block or face hefty fine
- Munich to rename stadium street after Beckenbauer
- Champions Italy to face Argentina in Davis Cup Final 8
- The winding, fitful path to weight loss drug Ozempic
- Italians defeat American Magic to reach Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Norris has 'nothing to lose' as he hunts Verstappen in Singapore
- Kyiv 'outraged' at Swiss showing of Russian war film
- French city renames Abbe Pierre square after abuse claims
- Footballer charged after huge cannabis seizure at UK airport
- Vatican recognises Medjugorje shrine, but not Virgin's messages
- Israel bombs Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon after wave of deadly blasts
- Bank of England freezes rate after jumbo US cut
- Playing Nadal is 'kind of a nightmare', says Alcaraz
- Portugal tackles last of deadly northern forest fires
- Ton-up Ashwin lifts India to 339-6 against Bangladesh
- Departing NATO chief warns US against 'isolationism'
- Coming winter 'sternest test yet' for Ukraine energy grid
- Evacuations as tail of Storm Boris floods northeast Italy
- Lebanon's Hezbollah reeling after second wave of deadly blasts
- Taiwan recognises same-sex marriages between Chinese, Taiwanese
- Stock markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Gabon's ousted leader Bongo says renouncing politics for good
- Lebanon device blasts: what we know about deadly attacks
- Equity markets rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Late Harrods owner Al-Fayed accused of rape: BBC
- Hong Kong man sentenced 14 months for wearing 'seditious' T-shirt
- Lebanon's Hezbollah in disarray after second wave of deadly blasts
- Equity markets, yen rally after jumbo US rate cut
- Meta and Spotify blast EU decisions on AI
- Hasan takes three as Bangladesh rattle India in first Test
- Two killed during police operation in New Caledonia
- Flood-hit region leaders to meet in Poland to discuss EU aid
- Sri Lanka to vote in first poll since economic collapse
- Hong Kong probe finds Cathay Airbus defect could cause 'extensive' damage
- AI development cannot be left to market whim, UN experts warn
- All Blacks primed for 'hell' of a Wallabies clash
RBGPF | 5.79% | 60.5 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.14% | 25.02 | $ | |
BP | 1.58% | 32.951 | $ | |
BCC | 4.01% | 142.78 | $ | |
SCS | -6.81% | 13.21 | $ | |
GSK | -1.06% | 41.985 | $ | |
BTI | -0.68% | 37.625 | $ | |
NGG | -1.63% | 68.925 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.1% | 25.005 | $ | |
RELX | 1.54% | 48.11 | $ | |
RIO | 3.56% | 65.23 | $ | |
RYCEF | 5.48% | 6.93 | $ | |
JRI | -0.3% | 13.4 | $ | |
AZN | 0.87% | 79.27 | $ | |
VOD | -1.64% | 10.065 | $ | |
BCE | -0.54% | 35.42 | $ |
Sexual abuse victims condemn Australia PM's 'shocking' response to claims
Two prominent advocates for survivors of sexual abuse pilloried Australia's prime minister Wednesday, decrying "weasel words" and a response to widespread abuse that had not "measured up".
Former government aide Brittany Higgins -- whose allegation she was raped in parliament sparked national protests -- said "too little has changed" since she went public a year ago.
In a widely watched speech, Higgins was sorrowful and withering about the actions of a conservative government she once served.
Higgins said Prime Minister Scott Morrison's response to her claims, which invoked his own daughters and wife, had been "shocking and at times, admittedly, a bit offensive."
"I didn't want his sympathy as a father. I wanted him to use his power as prime minister," she said.
"But his words wouldn't matter if his actions had measured up."
Higgins said the national conversation about ending abuse, harassment and assault had not progressed beyond "trading off offensive, tone-deaf statements for a convoluted mix of appeasing weasel-words".
Higgins was joined in her address by child sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame, the 2021 "Australian of the Year", who also took aim at the prime minister's leadership over the past year.
"It rots from the top," Tame said.
"Unless our leaders take full responsibility for their own failings, abuse culture will continue to thrive inside parliament, setting a corrupt standard for the rest of the nation."
The plight of both women had fuelled national debate and soul searching in Australia, as well as multiple government investigations.
One of those, the 450-page Jenkins Review, found that one-in-three people currently working in parliament and other federal government workplaces have experienced sexual harassment while working there.
- Political pressure -
Tame piled further pressure on the government during her speech by alleging she was asked not to publicly criticise the prime minister.
She recalled a "threatening phone call from a senior member of a government-funded organisation asking for my word that I wouldn't say anything damning about the prime minister" at a recent award ceremony.
Tame said the caller told her the prime minister "would have a fear... with an election coming soon".
Australia's next federal election must be held by mid-May.
Morrison did not attend Higgins and Tame's address, citing other commitments, however several members of his government were in the audience.
Speaking in parliament later Wednesday, Morrison was asked about the progress his government had made on the issue of women's safety.
He cited an upcoming 10-year plan for women's safety, among other measures.
Higgins said the plan's "aims are so lofty and vague that it's impossible to disagree with and equally difficult to examine."
Tame called for more funding for consent training in schools. She said between 2020-22, the government "planned to spend 11 cents per student per year on prevention education".
Both women ruled out any plans to run for political office.
M.Ouellet--BTB