The “inappropriate” advances that led to married Australian minister Jamie Briggs’ resignation went down in Lan Kwai Fong’s own Stormies bar, it has been reported.
The Weekend Australian reports the then-Cities minister dined at Stormies on Nov. 27 with Stuart Eaton, his head of staff, and a 26-year-old female civil servant, who had been assigned as Briggs’ official notetaker for the taxpayer-funded trip.
The trio reportedly stayed at Stormies for three hours (perhaps partaking in their famous jello shot syringes?), during which the civil servant apparently complained that Briggs was standing too close to her, and moved next to Eaton on his suggestion.
The civil servant is said to have texted Eaton three days later to make an informal complaint about Briggs’ advances, saying he had complimented her “piercing” eyes, placed his arm around her and kissed her neck.
Briggs has maintained that he commented on the civil servant’s “beautiful eyes”, put his arm around her for a photograph and merely pecked her goodbye on the cheek.
According to sources who spoke to The Weekend Australian, “several government ministers” have expressed their concern that Briggs’ resignation has raised the bar for acceptable conduct “impossibly high”.
Yes, because not (allegedly) sexually harassing people is just too much to ask of government officials.
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