Natalie Barr loses it at Sussan Ley over David Van sexual misconduct ... trends now

Sunrise host Natalie Barr has unleashed at Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley as further allegations of inappropriate conduct have been raised against Senator David Van.

Former senator Amanda Stoker accused Senator Van of inappropriately touching her bottom twice at a drinks event at parliament in 2020.

The allegation was made public on the same day Senator Van was dumped from the opposition party room following sexual assault allegations made by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe in parliament.

Speaking with the Liberal's Sussan Ley and Labor Education Minister Jason Clare on Friday morning's program, Barr questioned why the matter wasn't addressed back in 2020. 

'Why are we only hearing about this now? Has this been swept under the carpet while you were in government?' she asked Ms Ley, the deputy leader of the opposition.

Ms Ley replied that she  'won't comment on the accuracy or otherwise of the allegations.'

'You'll appreciate it's not appropriate to do that. But Peter Dutton heard these issues, he made inquiries, he acted accordingly. That's a strong demonstration of his leadership.'

Her guarded answer only seems to further infuriate Barr.

'Only now when it was forced on him,' she fired back.

'You are supposed to be the best of us, you are supposed to be representing us, you are supposed to be running this country.'

'And from out here it looks like a cesspool.'

'Amanda Stoker reported it. She did not hide this by the sound of it.'

Ms Ley insisted that once the issue 'became known' Peter Dutton acted quickly.

'His actions have been endorsed by our party and many Australians,' Ms Ley said.

'It's always difficult for women to come forward.'

'That is a general comment I want to make, it's always difficult to step up and talk about things that have happened and workplaces do have to improve.'

'Let's wait for the parliamentary workplace support service to do its work.'

Asked on Friday if he was aware of further allegations against the now-crossbench senator, Mr Dutton replied: 'Yes.'

'I raised another allegation with Senator Van, but I'm not going to comment in relation to those matters otherwise,' he told Nine's Today program.

'I made a decision yesterday based on all of the information that was available to me ... that's a decision I don't regret at all.

'I believe it is in the best interests of the Liberal Party and that's what I have acted upon and I don't want Senator Van sitting in our party room. I have made that clear.'

Mr Dutton said the alleged behaviour was unacceptable.

'The thought of sexual assault against any woman in the workplace is not something that I would tolerate,' he said.

'It's been an issue in the press gallery, been an issue in Parliament House and obviously ... I've referred the matters to that independent workplace authority for investigation.'

Senator Thorpe said the last 48 hours had been 'horrible' and parliament was not a safe workplace for women.

'It's such a toxic culture in that workplace, I've never experienced such a toxic workplace culture towards women,' she told ABC Radio.

'I had a media pile-on that day, and it wasn't until a white woman stood up and said 'yeah, this happened to me too' that the media took notice.'

Senator Thorpe said the case exemplified why women did not speak out against improper behaviour.

'I was not believed, I was questioned, I was absolutely demonised that day, by everybody,' she said.

In her statement, Ms Stoker said

read more from dailymail.....