Australian Attorney General Christian Porter Denies He Raped A Woman In 1988

Australia's Attorney General Christian Porter has denied allegations he raped a woman more than three decades ago.

The minister has outed himself as the politician at the centre of a decades-old rape allegation.

The alleged victim went to police last year to report the alleged sexual assault at Sydney University in January 1988.

Mr Porter said he heard whispers of the story going around Canberra for many months, but he decided to stay silent on the advice of experts - until now.

"Only thing I will ever be able to say is that nothing ever happened," he told reporters.

"A very difficult part of following those rules, was that my colleagues have become the target of allegations and speculation themselves.

"My colleagues are my friends. And I'm deeply sorry to ensure that I follow the rules.

"I did precisely the same thing, the former opposition leader did and I've waited for the police to conduct and conclude the process that they apparently had on foot. I make no criticism of the former opposition leader, I now understand what he went through.

"He also followed the rules and he did difficult thing asked of all of us, by law enforcement authorities."

Mr Porter added that no media organisation put the accusation to him 'before they were printed'.

"I would have at least been able to say, the only thing that I can say, likely the only thing that I'm ever going to be able to say," he said.

The Attorney General will not stand down, however will take a short leave to look after his mental health.

New South Wales Police revealed yesterday (March 2) it was no longer investigating the incident because they did not have enough admissible evidence to proceed. The alleged victim took her own life in June.

Mr Porter has already denied the allegations to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has since defended the Attorney General.

"I had a discussion with the individual, who absolutely rejects the allegations," the PM said on Monday. "At this stage there are no matters that require my immediate attention.

Mr Morrison has also rejected calls for more investigation to be done.

"We can't have a situation where the mere making of an allegation, and that being publicised through the media, is grounds for governments to stand people down," the Prime Minister said.

"We have a rule of law in this country and it's appropriate that these things were referred to the federal police - they have been. They're the people who are competent and authorised to deal with issues of this sensitivity and this seriousness."

While Australia's leader won't back calls for another investigation, there have been calls for the minister to out himself in order to clear the air.

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said: "The fact is he owes it to his colleagues and the country to step out, step forward to say, right, 'I'm the person referred to' and then set out all the details."

Featured Image Credit: Christian Porter/Twitter

Topics: Australia

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie is a Trending Journalist at LADbible. His first job was as a newsreader and journalist at the award winning Sydney radio station, Macquarie Radio. He was solely responsible for the content broadcast on multiple stations across Australia when the MH17, Germanwings and AirAsia disasters unfolded. Stewart has covered the conflict in Syria for LADbible, interviewing a doctor on the front line, and has contributed to the hugely successful UOKM8 campaign.

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