Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday stood by an unnamed Cabinet minister against calls for him to step down from office over an allegation that he raped a 16-year-old girl more than 30 years ago.
The allegation has created a cloud hanging over the 16 men in Morrison’s 22-minister Cabinet and feeds complaints of a culture within Parliament that is toxic for women.
The allegation was contained in an anonymous letter sent to the prime minister’s office and to three female lawmakers last week.
The letter contained a statement from a complainant that detailed her allegation of a rape she said occurred in New South Wales state in 1988.