Key Points
- Tanya Plibersek has urged sexual survivors to speak out after her daughter shared her own experience.
- Ms Plibersek said she chose not to contest Labor party leadership in 2019 due to supporting her daughter.
- The Environment Minister said she believes she could have won the leadership had she run for the job.
This article contains references to sexual assault and domestic violence.
Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says she had the numbers to win the leadership of the Labor party in 2019 but chose not to contest because she was supporting her daughter Anna through trauma as a result of an abusive relationship.
Extracts of the biography, Tanya Plibersek: On Her Own Terms by journalist Margaret Simon, were published on Saturday in Good Weekend magazine.
Ms Plibersek's daughter Anna allegedly experienced sexual assault in a relationship where she says she endured emotional, physical and financial abuse.
She has since set up a peer support service called The Survivor Hub, which is run by her and other volunteers.
In a video posted to social media, Ms Plibersek said what happened to her daughter is far too common.
"We know that this is a story that is so common in Australia," she said.
"We know the statistics, about one in five Australian women have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15 and those statistics are just devastating."
When asked about the claims while campaigning for April's Aston by-election in Melbourne, Mr Albanese stepped around the issue.
"She's been a friend of mine for a very long period of time," he said.
"I was elected unopposed after the 2019 election and I won in 2022, and I'm very proud of the amazing team that I have."
The prime minister said one of the differences between his own team and that of the opposition was that it was "because they can't find anyone better".
"They reluctantly chose him, even though half his colleagues don't like him at all," he said.
Liberal party deputy leader Sussan Ley said she was "touched" by Tanya Plibersek's story. Source: AAP / Mick Tsikas
"As a woman and a mother, I was incredibly touched by Tanya's story and I particularly want to praise her daughter Anna, who so bravely articulated her story," she said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.
"There is no doubt in Tanya Plibersek's mind that she would have won the Labor leadership in 2019 and looking at the first nine months under Prime Minister Albanese, there's probably not much doubt in anyone else's mind either."
Ms Plibersek said she and her husband had been devastated to learn about what had happened to Anna and had decided to share the story following the setting up of a volunteer organisation to help other domestic violence victims called Survivor Hub.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
