The Australian Prime Minister has enjoyed a refreshing dip in the ocean while on a relaxing trip to the beach with his family this week.
Scott Morrison was captured soaking up the sunshine at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Friday alongside his wife Jenny and daughters Lily and Abbey.
Donning a pair of blue and white boardshorts, the 52-year-old was all smiles as he emerged from the surf with a pair of flippers in hand.
The Australian Prime Minister has enjoyed a refreshing dip in the ocean while on a relaxing trip to the beach with his family this week (pictured in Bronte Beach)
Donning a pair of blue and white boardshorts, the 52-year-old was all smiles as he emerged from the surf with a pair of flippers in hand
Scott Morrison was captured soaking up the sunshine at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Friday along with his wife Jenny and daughters Lily and Abbey
After a cool dip in the water Mr Morrison draped a towel over his shoulders, and the family decided to head home.
The prime minister and his wife of more than 30 years walked hand-in-hand along the pathway as their daughters skipped ahead.
The relaxing day in the surf comes after a turbulent week for Mr Morrison with a string of sexual assault allegations surfacing allegedly involving members of the government – with one dating back to 1988.
A letter was sent to Mr Morrison, as well as Labor’s leader in the senate Penny Wong and senator Sarah Hanson-Young on Friday, alleging rape by a senior minister before he entered politics.
The letter came with a detailed statement attached, prepared by the complainant for her lawyer, ABC’s Four Corners has reported.
Mr Morrison is seen relaxing in the surf at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s east on Friday
After enjoying a swim with a pair of flippers the prime minister is seen heading back to shore at Sydney’s Bronte Beach
Carrying a backpack and wearing a towel over his shoulders the 52-year-old is seen heading home from a relaxing day at Bronte Beach
Mr Morrison walks hand-in-hand with his wife of more than 30 years Jenny while at Bronte Beach on Friday
The PM’s relaxing day out at Bronte Beach in Sydney comes after a turbulent week for the government with a string of sexual assault allegations
The complainant is no longer alive.
A spokesperson for Mr Morrison on Friday evening said any allegations should be referred to the Australian Federal Police.
‘As per the AFP Commissioner’s instruction, any complaints or allegations of this nature made to anybody – whether they’re parliamentarians or journalists – should be referred to the AFP,’ the statement said.
On Friday night an AFP spokesperson said in a statement the force would ‘not be commenting on this matter’.
Senators Hanson-Young and Wong both released statements saying they had contacted the AFP about the letter.
Ms Hanson-Young said the information she had received regarded a ‘disturbing and a very serious allegation of a criminal nature against a senior member of the government’.
Senator Wong said it was her understanding the complainant, who was 16 at the time of the alleged attack in Sydney, reported the assault to NSW Police and South Australia Police.
Four Corners says the woman reported the alleged rape to NSW police in February 2020, but took her own life in June after informing them she no longer wanted to proceed with the complaint.
The Morrison family heads home after enjoying a day down at Bronte Beach
NSW Police said in a statement on Friday night that a report of alleged historic sexual violence was received in February 2020 and detectives commenced an investigation.
The explosive revelations come a fortnight after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’s rape allegation engulfed parliamentary sittings, prompting Australia’s major political parties to back a cultural overhaul.
The Morrison government has been under intense pressure over its response to the 2019 incident, in which Ms Higgins alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former colleague in Parliament House.
There are four inquiries under way including a multi-party investigation aimed at ensuring parliament is a safe working environment.
Ms Higgins is pushing for change after feeling she wasn’t supported when she first made the allegation, leading to her withdrawing her police complaint out of fear for her job.
She reinstated the complaint on Wednesday and an investigation is under way.
Defence Minister Linda Reynolds was released from hospital on Friday after being admitted on advice of her cardiologist.
Senator Reynolds, who was Ms Higgins’ boss at the time of the incident, was under extreme scrutiny about her handling of the complaint.
The Morrison government has been under intense pressure over its response to an incident from 2019 in which former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins (pictured) alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former colleague in Parliament House