Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee on the importance of speaking out about injustice as a woman in leadership – ABC News
For Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee, the last few weeks have been "emotionally charged".
Late last year, she decided to go public with claims she'd been sexually harrassed by former High Court Judge Dyson Heydon in 2013.
Mr Heydon has emphatically denied any allegation of sexual harrassment.
Over the past few weeks, she's been reflecting on her decision to speak out, while watching on as women have made allegations of sexual assault, sexism and misogyny at Australia's federal Parliament.
They included Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal staffer who claims she was raped by a colleague in a ministerial office.
When the March 4 Justice protest was held on the lawn of that same building, Ms Lee joined their ranks.
ABC News: Tom Maddocks
Ms Lee said those recent events had reinforced her belief in the importance of women in leadership positions telling their stories.
It was a conviction that was also galvanisedin the aftermath of her accusation against Justice Heydon, when she received an outpouring of support.
"A lot of women who I know and who I don't know, reached out to me and said 'thank you for sharing because a similar experience happened to me and made me realise I'm not alone'," she said.
"As somebody especially from a multicultural background, there is so much stigma attached to coming out and revealing that you've had an experience."
Ms Lee said she wantedto set an example forwomen from diverse backgrounds "to let them know that it's not their fault".
She said too often, people who had experienced sexual harassment or abuse blamed themselves for what had occurred.
"A lot of the time that's where it goes a self-blame game," she said.
From the start, she was aware of the significance of her appointment to the top job.
"There was a lot of interest when I was elected leader of my party. The first woman leader for my party for about 20 years, but also of the female leadership team with my deputy Giulia Jones," she said.
"I think that was really welcomed by the community."
She said she was encouraged by the fact that women were strongly represented in the ACT Legislative Assembly.
"I think it helps enormously, because the public has spoken very loudly that they want to see women in leadership roles," she said.
ABC News: Dylan Anderson
Ms Lee contends there isa big difference between the culture on Capital Hill and what happensup the road at the ACT Legislative Assembly, but she warns no workplace is immune.
"What we've been hearing is just horrific," she said.
"The other thing that we've realised from these instances that have come up is that we can't be complacent in any workplace.
"It's about making sure that our leaders, across the country, across all political parties, know that this is not limited and it's not unique to politics and that we do need to look at this very seriously across the board."
Ms Lee would notbe drawn on whether she thinks there needs to be an inquiry into the allegationagainst Attorney-General Christian Porter, but said she hassince spoken to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about issues for women in parliament.
"He himself actually raised his concerns about what was happening as well," she said.
"So I am under no delusions about the importance of what is happening, the gravity of the situation and that is why politicians from all parties have been very concerned and have expressed that concern."
Read this article:
Canberra Liberals leader Elizabeth Lee on the importance of speaking out about injustice as a woman in leadership - ABC News
- Conservatives are dying at higher rates than liberals. A new study points to mistrust in medicine - Fast Company - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Conservatives view addictive products more favorably than liberals, study finds - PsyPost - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Op-Ed: Rep. Buddy Carter: It is time for liberals to rediscover patriotism - Washington Reporter - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Opposition parties up in arms as Liberals use majority to speed up legislation before summer - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Liberals ramming through legislation 'without proper scrutiny': Scheer - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Liberals tout 21 bills passing House of Commons this year as MPs break for summer - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Conservatives blast Liberals for trying to 'ram' controversial lawful access bill through House - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Bloc says Liberals 'working as if they are the only party in the House' - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Navdeep Bains plans to run for the Liberals regardless of whether he wins the leadership - Toronto Star - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Liberals set to force committee to wrap up review of lawful access bill - iPolitics - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- How the Quebec Liberals plan to protect the French language - CBC - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Liberals continue to be in the drivers seat with comfortable double-digit lead in polls: Nanos - CP24 - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Bill Maher tells liberals to stop 'partisan sulking' and join America 250 party - AOL.com - June 22nd, 2026 [June 22nd, 2026]
- Israel's Liberals Are Anything but Liberal - Haaretz - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Newsroom edition: Are the Liberals already surrendering to One Nation? Full Story podcast - The Guardian - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Rising inflation concerns. Liberals ahead while Conservative support hits a low not seen since November 2022. (Nanos) - Nanos Research - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Democrats Just Won The Midterms: Liberals Take Victory Lap Over Trump Declaring I Love the Inflation - Mediaite - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Ritz in The New York Times: Liberals Must Oppose Nationalizing AI - Progressive Policy Institute - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Beliefs Matter: New Study Shows Widening Mental Health Gap Between Conservatives and Liberals - Focus on the Family - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- What happens in the meantime? Critics question long road for Liberals' 'soft ban' on social media - The Hill Times - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Loyal Liberals: Deeply liberal at home and abroad, they feel well-represented by the Democratic Party - Pew Research Center - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Tony Abbott backs One Nation preference deal and says Liberals cant just be a little less woke than Labor - The Guardian - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Globe editorial: The Liberals think small on AI - The Globe and Mail - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- View from The Hill: Tony Abbott to tour the country, trying to energise Liberals - The Conversation - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Afternoon Update: Barnaby Joyce on foreign ownership; Liberals eye One Nation preference deal; and Australias path to World Cup glory - The Guardian - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Hanes: Are the Quebec Liberals poised for a different tone on language issues? - Montreal Gazette - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- In wake of protest, Liberals may avoid political price for vet cuts - CBC - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- The Really Big Show: Liberals tighten their control on Canadians - PentictonNow - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Liberals to accept Senate change to anti-hate bill, paving the way for C-9 to become law - iPolitics - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- The Really Big Show: Liberals tighten their control on Canadians - KelownaNow - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- The Really Big Show: Liberals tighten their control on Canadians - VernonNow - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- VIDEO: Will the Liberals make a preference deal with One Nation? - Australian Broadcasting Corporation - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Carney to unveil pitch for a 'more resilient, affordable food system' as Liberals aim to put more bills on the fast track - iPolitics - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Liberals Locking in Native Forest Destruction - tasgreensmps.org - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- GOLDSTEIN: Cmon Liberals, admit the Trudeau climate policy doesn't work - Toronto Sun - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Mixed reactions as Liberals step into a new Abbott era - AFR - June 12th, 2026 [June 12th, 2026]
- Conservatives and Liberals Have Diverging Health Outcomes. Why? - The Dispatch - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with a call for emergency debate on the economy - Canada's National Observer - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy - CityNews Halifax - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- 'Backbiting and undermining': Leanne Castley calls it quits on the Canberra Liberals - The Canberra Times - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Why Tony Abbott could be the answer to the Liberals woes - The Nightly - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Guilbeaults exit is the best of a bad scenario for Liberals - The Hill Times - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Former opposition leader quits Liberals over bullying - The Canberra Times - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy - CityNews Calgary - June 3rd, 2026 [June 3rd, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy - Yahoo! Finance Canada - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy - Toronto Star - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- CTV QP: Examining Steven Guilbeault's exit from the Liberals - CTV News - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy - The Lethbridge Herald - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- What will the Liberals do to fix the budget? Tell us, Mr Parton - Region Canberra - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- A voice from past is no help to the Liberals future - SMH.com.au - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- Abbotts win signals Liberals ready to fight and govern again - Sky News Australia - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- Australias embattled Liberals tap former PM Abbott as party president, reinforcing rightward shift - The Hindu - May 31st, 2026 [May 31st, 2026]
- Australia's embattled Liberals tap former PM Abbott as party president, reinforcing rightward shift - Reuters - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Liberals Who Get Mistaken For MAGA Are Getting Hilarious Reactions About Their Appearances - BuzzFeed - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Why Seattle liberals have made peace with tent cities and open drug use - Seattle Red - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Liberals to amend police data interception bill following searing criticism - CBC - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Carneys climate policy is splitting the Left. Heres what it means for the Liberals, Conservatives, and the NDP - The Hub | More Signal. Less Noise. - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Weekly Writ 5/28: Can the Liberals hold Guilbeault's seat? - The Writ - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Tech companies voice opposition to Liberals proposed Bill C-22 - Global News - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Liberals and Greens give Labor two paths to success, and it uses either when it wants to - thepoint.com.au - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Time to move past Trump's tariffs and focus on boosting growth, Chamber of Commerce tells Liberals - National Post - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- The Really Big Show: Liberals will face a reckoning when the truth wins out - KamloopsBCNow - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- Liberals say they can't 'reject' rules tripling streamers' contributions - Q107 Toronto - May 29th, 2026 [May 29th, 2026]
- LILLEY: Refugee health program abuse is costing you, but Liberals ignore it - Toronto Sun - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Rantz: Liberals, can you please stop trying to murder conservatives? - Seattle Red - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Tech companies voice opposition to Liberals' proposed Bill C-22 - Yahoo News Canada - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- China doesn't even have to pressure Canada to keep Liberals in line: Joe Varner in the National Post - The Macdonald-Laurier Institute - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Conservative MP Pushes Liberals On India Political Interference Gap - thedeepdive.ca - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Liberals couldnt have hoped for a better budget. But is it too late? - AFR - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Wind industry warns of capital flight if Liberals press pause on transmission projects - Renew Economy - May 27th, 2026 [May 27th, 2026]
- Australia has a problem with migration. The Liberals policy approach will do nothing to fix it - The Conversation - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- With just four weeks left in the sitting, Liberals aim to accelerate vote on latest budget bill - iPolitics - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Why Kavanaugh and Barrett Joined With the Liberals in a 54 Death Penalty Case - Slate - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Detroit Free Press. . Under mounting pressure, the Democratic National Committee released a much-anticipated autopsy explaining the 2024 presidential... - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Liberals, PCs at odds over raising thresholds for P.E.I.'s Down Payment Assistance Program - CBC - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Teals In Talks To Form New Political Party 'Like The Liberals But Not Fucked In The Head From Sky News' - The Betoota Advocate - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- 'Don't split the vote': Barnaby Joyce mocks Liberals over new poll - 9News - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- Change or die: Inside Angus Taylors high-wire act to save the Liberals - SMH.com.au - May 25th, 2026 [May 25th, 2026]
- In NJ's most crowded Democratic primary, liberals fight to own the progressive vote - Gothamist - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]
- GMR Today: Outhawking the hawk: liberals pivot right on China - Communist Party USA - May 22nd, 2026 [May 22nd, 2026]