Adviser to Libs female MP sacked after charity ball
Numerous witnesses reported incidents at the parliamentary press gallery’s Mid-Winter Ball on Wednesday night ranging from Anthony Scrinis fondling women’s breasts, or asking to — to him questioning guests about their sexuality and extramarital relationships.
I’ve only got the basics on this (his boss Sophie Mirabella has accepted his resigation, he’s taking responsibility for “inappropriate behaviour” but disputes some of the allegations), but as the story says:
Wednesday night’s imbroglio is doubly embarrassing because Mr Scrinis had been working on a women’s initiative to encourage greater participation and debate within the Liberal Party.
O RLY.
Categories: gender & feminism, Politics
QOTD for IWD: Aung San Suu Kyi 
Grabbing somebody is Assault, and sexual touch makes it Sexual Assault. Stop minimising this. #rapeculture101 
BFTP Friday Hoyden: Emma Goldman 
96th Down Under Feminists Carnival 
Hoyden About Town 
”fondle”: to caress: touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner.
Uh, no, TheAge. One woman left the room in tears. That’s assault, not “fondling”.
YARLY.
Tania Plibersek appears to be blaming Sophie Mirabella for this:
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/plibersek-tells-of-staffers-behaviour-20090619-cnhd.html
The blame seems to lie with Sophie Mirabella’s hiring strategy and staff management. She really needs to sit her staffers down and say “Um, Dude, I think the Womens’ portfolio does not mean what you seem to think it means.”
Unfortunately, she is the kind of special-snowflake semi-feminist who probably thinks that it would be unacceptable positive discrimination to employ a woman in the role.