Key Point
- Tanya Privasek urged sexual victims to speak up after her daughter shared her own experience.
- Ms Plibersek said she chose not to run for Labor leader in 2019 to support her daughter.
- The environment minister believes she could have gained leadership if she had run for the job.
This article contains references to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Priversek said she had the numbers to win the Labor Party leadership in 2019 but didn’t run for office because she was supporting her daughter Anna through trauma as a result of an abusive relationship.
Excerpts from journalist Margaret Simon’s biography Tanya Plibersek: On Her Own Terms appeared Saturday in Good Weekend magazine.
Privasek’s daughter Anna said she was allegedly sexually assaulted during a relationship and endured emotional, physical and financial abuse.
Since then, she launched a peer support service called Survivor Hub, run by her and other volunteers.
In a video posted on social media, Privasek said what happened to her daughter was all too common.
“We know this is a very common story in Australia,” she said.
“We know the stats: about one in five women in Australia has experienced sexual violence after the age of 15, and the stats are devastating.”
When asked about the allegations while campaigning for April’s Aston by-election in Melbourne, Albanese sidestepped the issue.
“She’s been my friend for a very long time,” he said.
“I was elected unvoted after the 2019 election and won in 2022. I am very proud of the great team I have.”
The prime minister said one of the differences between his team and the opposition team was “Because they can’t find someone better”.
“Half of his colleagues didn’t like him at all, but they reluctantly chose him,” he said.
Liberal Party deputy leader Susan Ray said she was “moved” by Tanya Privasek’s story. sauce: AAP / Mick Tsikas
Dutton’s representative Susan Ray, the opposition spokeswoman, took the opportunity to side with Priversek.
“As a woman and a mother, I was incredibly moved by Tanya’s story. I would like to give special credit to my daughter, Anna, for expressing her story so bravely.
“There was no doubt in Tanya Plibersek’s mind that she beat the Labor leadership in 2019, and if you look at her first nine months under Albanese, she will be in anyone else’s mind. There is probably little room for doubt.”
Privasek said she and her husband were devastated to find out what happened to Anna, and after setting up a volunteer organization to help other victims of domestic violence called Survivor Hub, told the story. decided to share the
If you or someone you know has been the victim of sexual assault, family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or In case of emergency, please call 000.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/a-story-that-is-so-common-why-tanya-plibersek-chose-not-to-contest-labor-leadership/olcxdwq97 ‘Very commonplace’: Why Tanya Privasek chose not to challenge Labor leaders
