EXCLUSIVE: Labor’s Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers has followed his direct opponent, Josh Frydenberg, as the latest high-profile politician to have serious allegations of sexual misconduct made against them, with the police even getting involved and a mysterious megabucks pay-off being made to silence a survivor. Pierce Field investigates.
In February 2021 Parliament was rocked by the revelations of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins’s alleged rape in Parliament House. After being exclusively outed by True Crime News Weekly as the man allegedly responsible for the crime, former hot-shot Liberal staffer Bruce Lehrmann was six months later charged with rape and will finally face court when his criminal trial begins next month.
The story sent shockwaves throughout the country and rightly so – how could a young woman be allegedly raped in her workplace without so much of an elementary investigation? Instead, we had ministers of the crown having their offices and couches steam cleaned over the weekend? The Prime Minister confusing the days on which he first learnt of what may have happened?
This led to Scott Morrison sticking his head in the sand on the matter whilst tens of thousands of Australians protested outside Parliament House in Canberra with one simple request – do your job.
Meanwhile, one major party and its leader showed their spine and walked outside to join the thousands of women – Labor’s prime ministerial hopeful, Anthony Albanese.
This has become a defining moment in his tenure as Opposition Leader.
However, to end the story on that note would not be the whole truth.
Whilst the values Labor claim to hold true were on display that afternoon, lurking in the shadows was the Opposition’s very own bubble-brat, the Member for Rankin and Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers.
True Crime News Weekly can reveal that Chalmers has a history of alleged sexual misconduct in Canberra since his tenure as a staffer began in 2005, continuing after his election as a Parliamentarian, and has allegedly paid-off a victim of an alleged sexual assault so he can have the chance to become the next Treasurer during his third term in office (2019 to today).
It is understood the matter was referred to the Australian Federal Police as the allegation allegedly occurred in the ACT.
Before continuing this article, it must be stated this journalist was employed by Chalmers in his Logan electorate office in 2016, and did not witness or hear of any allegations during that time.
Chalmers represents the notionally working-class seat of Rankin, primarily centred around the city of Logan, south of Brisbane. He was elected to Parliament in 2013 after a brutal preselection battle, and received a promotion to the frontbench for the first time in 2016 as Shadow Finance Minister.
Before that, he was a staffer to the best Labor Prime Minister-we-never-had, Kim Beazley. He also had stints in various Labor offices around NSW and Canberra, including with former NSW Premier Morris Iemma; leader of one of the most corrupt governments this country has seen. Although, it has to be stated ScoMo has definitely given that title a good nudge over his term as the nation’s PM and a federal ICAC could in the near future even declare him the premiership winner.
1+1=2: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is also facing serious sexual assault allegations and is said to be at the centre of a $500,000 hush settlement paid by Australian taxpayers (Image: Kieran Butler)
Intelligent, charming, charismatic and good-looking (by pollie standards anyway) – the Logan original has been dubbed by many in his home state of Queensland as a future Prime Minister.
Indeed, Chalmers is respected widely within the community as someone with a heart and compassion. But, on those sitting weeks in Canberra, away from home and pocketing $280 a night to live in his own apartment, a different side emerges.
It’s the side that relates well with his direct political opponent – Treasurer Josh Frydenberg – whom was revealed recently by True Crime News Weekly to be the subject of Rachelle Miller’s half-a-million dollar hush payment over an alleged sexual assault involving unwanted kissing and groping.
The Shadow Treasurer also shares another deeply personal and psychological link with Frydenberg.
Similar to the Liberal treasurer, Chalmers lack of experience in the real world has developed a sense of entitlement because he (and powerful players within the Labor Right), believe he is a leader in waiting.
The Reckoning
“Young staffer Brittany Higgins says she was raped at Parliament House,” read Samantha Maiden’s headline on 15 February, 2021.
This report shocked a nation. What was more shocking, was the level of cover-up and deceit employed by the Coalition Government to silence Ms Higgins.
ScoMo’s right hand man and principle private creep / janitor Yaron Finkelstein may have more to answer on that matter given his conduct and the Liberal Party’s subsequent cover-up of his sexual harassment of a vulnerable woman.
Scores of women came forward to share their experiences and express their justified outrage and disgust. Hundreds of thousands of people marched on Canberra a month later to demand action from their Prime Minister.
Ms Higgins, in suffragette white, became a hero to so many, so quickly. Including to those within the Labor Party who have experienced the same thing and have remained silent – despite their best efforts to have their voices heard.
A trickle of sound soon began to emanate against the wall of white noise long deployed within Labor ranks. Some of the revelations soon found their way into the mainstream press.
“‘He is a married man who plied a young woman with drinks until she had no idea what was happening. He promised others at the gathering he would get her home safely but before putting her in the cab he had sex with her when she had no ability to consent’ was just one of the horrible stories exposed in a private Facebook group of current and former female Labor staffers,” detailed one report published in News Corp papers.
“The next day he texted to demand she take the morning after pill and blamed her for what happened saying she was so drunk that she came onto him. He threatened ‘tell no one’.”
For anyone that has any shred of decency it’s enough to make your blood boil. Especially when you hold the values of the Australian Labor Party dear, like so many in politics do with their respective organisations.
Then there was the brave testimony of Queenslander, Anna Jabour, who worked for Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Ms Jabour entered Parliament with a clear desire to make a difference. But it was a dream job as a Labor staffer that quickly became a nightmare.
“I thought Parliament House would be filled with some of the smartest people in Australia, who were driven by a sense of justice and purpose,” Ms Jabour wrote.
“A few months after I arrived, I left, never wanting to work there ever again.
“Being taken advantage of – being abused – is something I thought could never happen to me, but it did.”
– Former Labor Staffer Anna Jabour
Yet, not one Labor MP implicated in the alleged conduct was named. Questions were asked, new policies were developed by the Party, yet not one admonishment, punishment or even a demotion for anyone on the Opposition benches.
True Crime News Weekly is not stating the aforementioned is referring to Dr Chalmers and we have not spoken to the anonymous sources in the article. Attempts were made to contact Ms Jabour as the only identifiable person that has told their story publicly. However, given the Labor MP’s history and our knowledge of a serious allegation, we have elected to publish this story in the public interest.
“Being abused – is something I thought could never happen to me, but it did“: Former Labor staffer Anna Jabour (Image: Supplied / News Corp)
Shadow Media
It’s one of the biggest un-written stories from Capital Hill – Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers has a ‘history’, as they say. One that requires scrutiny.
Such is the reputation of Chalmers, who wishes to hold one of this country’s highest offices, he is now known to some young women in the Canberra Bubble as one of the MPs you don’t catch up with alone.
It is not uncommon for politicians, staff and journalists to have consensual relationships however as we have discovered over the course of the last twelve months or more, we know that is not often the case. Power imbalances, coercive control and deceit make up the trifecta of grotty behaviour from the men supposedly running the country.
Seasoned Canberra veterans are aware of the Shadow Treasurer’s behaviour, however any reporting attempted on the matter is mysteriously squashed.
The Member for Rankin is not one to shy away from the cameras – his social media is full of images of him preparing or completing interviews with major media outlets.
He is one of Labor’s star performers of the 2022 campaign.
Curiously, during the period where Brittany Higgins, women’s safety and the March4Justice all took place, Chalmers took a strange side step.
His media appearances dropped off. Reviewing transcripts, it is clear that it was not a regular topic of conversation for any interviews with the Shadow Treasurer, including local Logan radio station 101FM.
Not one word on women’s safety from the federal member of Parliament that represents a part of the world that has witnessed an 8% growth in domestic violence order applications in just four years.
Not one word on the allegations from Ms Jabour in his home state of Queensland.
Not one word from the federal representative who’s’ seat overlaps with the state seat of Waterford, held by Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Women, Shannon Fentimenn MP.
The same Attorney-General who has introduced new coercive control laws in Queensland, with Premier Annastacia Palasczuck deeming them as a historical moment for the Sunshine State.
Only two mentions of the subject on Chalmers’s regular spot with ABC Brisbane when it came to the damning sexual harassment allegations in his own party.
True Crime News Weekly is not stating Dr Chalmers has committed a criminal offence. That is entirely a matter for the Australian Federal Police. We are simply stating there are allegations, and the particulars of these allegations are now bound by a non-disclosure agreement.
Chalmers refused to comment when questions were put to him and did not agree to answer any questions on-the-record. A spokesperson also contacted us on Chalmers’ behalf attempting to kill this story noting: “The allegations are false and defamatory and we will not dignify this with any further response”.
Questions were also put to the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese and Labor’s media guru, Liz Fitch. ‘Albo’ nor his media team responded to our queries.
These are incredibly disturbing revelations that will no doubt rock the Labor-side of politics due to the Party’s commitment to women’s safety. Many will argue you have to fix your own house before you criticise others, in reference to Albanese’s attacks on Morrison this year in relation to women’s issues.
These remarks reflect a growing frustration from women within Labor who are supportive of Anthony Albanese’ response, yet have little-to-no faith in change actually occurring in its structure.
History of alleged sexual misconduct: Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers is said to have been at the centre of a woman’s complaint to the Australian Federal Police (Image: Supplied / JimChalmers.org)
The question has to be asked – how many talented Labor staffers or potential MPs have left because of this behaviour? How many more must suffer? Are both sides of politics losing their best and brightest because certain MPs believe they have an ordained right to be there?
Luckily for Anthony Albanese there is an abundance of talent with Labor’s ranks. Indeed, just one example as a capable treasurer-in-waiting could be the Member for Fenner and chief economics nerd, Dr Andrew Leigh MP.
Not factionally-aligned, on paper, Dr Leigh is also infinitely more qualified for the role than Chalmers.
And perhaps Chalmers will be the first casualty of a Labor Party trying to walk their talk on genuinely improving the political environment for women. With millions across the country calling for leadership on these issues, it could put ‘Albo’ firmly in The Lodge for the next three years.
With all signs suggesting the hapless and hectoring Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to be toppled by the Labor Party come the federal election this weekend, only time will tell if indeed “it won’t be sleazy under Albanese”.
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