<p>CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s prime minister said on Tuesday he was shocked and disgusted by the latest sex scandal to rock his government and vowed to do more to attract women into politics.</p>
<p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a lawmaker’s staff member at the center of the latest allegations of sexual misconduct had been terminated over “disgusting and sickening” behavior.</p>
<p>Ten Network television news reported late Monday that several male government staffers had set up a Facebook Messenger group that enabled them to share images and video of sex acts performed in Parliament House, including on the desks of female lawmakers.</p>
<p>Perceptions of a culture within Parliament House that is toxic for women have been bolstered since a former staffer alleged last month that she had been raped by a senior colleague in a minister’s office two years ago. She said she did not go to police for fear of losing her job.</p>
<p>Attorney-General Christian Porter has since been criticized for refusing to stand down over an allegation that he raped a 16-year-old girl when he was a teen 33 years ago. The complainant has since died and police have ruled out charges.</p>
<p>“I’m shocked and I’m disgusted. It’s just absolutely shameful,” Morrison said of the Facebook Messenger group.</p>
<p>“I was completely stunned, as I have been on more than one occasion over the course of this last month,” Morrison added. </p>
<p>An emotional Morrison said “a very traumatic month” had passed since the staffer went public with her rape allegation and he welcomed the spotlight that events had placed on political culture.</p>
<p>“I want to see more women in this place,” Morrison said, referring to Parliament House.</p>
<p>“I‘ve done many things to get more women in this place and I intend to do more,” he added.</p>
<p>The staffer’s rape allegation prompted Morrison to order a review of Parliament House workplace culture by Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins. The investigation will conclude in November. </p>
<p>Morrison said he expected compulsory harassment and misconduct training would be introduced in Parliament House as well a “more robust and independent” complaints mechanism for staff who are sexually harassed.</p>
<p>Morrison said he was also open to his conservative Liberal Party introducing a minimum quota of female candidates to run in elections to increase the number of women who serve as lawmakers.</p>
<p>The center-left opposition Labor Party has had female quotas for years, but the conservative coalition parties argue that candidates should be chosen on merit.</p>
