Australia’s chief officer of law, Attorney-General and Minister for Industrial Relations, Christian Porter, filed a defamation suit in the Federal Court of Australia Sunday. Porter is suing the ABC and Louise Milligan, one of the ABC’s investigative reporters. Porter argues that an article written by Milligan and published by the ABC last month claiming that “Australian Federal Police have been notified of a letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison detailing an alleged historical rape by a Cabinet Minister in the federal government” contained falsehoods about him.

Porter was not named in the article but alleged in his statement of claim that he could be identified by inference in light of previous articles published by ABC accusing him of sexism and inappropriate behavior.

The article reported that in 1988, “the woman alleged she had been anally raped by the man when she was aged 16.” Given that the woman has since passed away after struggling with her mental health, the alleged crime cannot be prosecuted in a criminal trial.

Porter identified himself as the Cabinet Minister in question. He was a teenager at the time of the alleged rape and denies all allegations of historical rape. He stated “I can say categorically that what has been put in various forms in allegations, simply did not happen.” Porter acknowledged that he knew the woman in 1988.

The defamation suit comes as tens of thousands of Australians participate in nationwide marches protesting gendered sexual violence. The protests are in response to three allegations made against Australian politicians. First, an allegation made by Brittany Higgins, a former Liberal political staffer, that she was raped at Parliament House in 2019 by a male colleague. Second, the historical rape allegation against Porter. Third, the historical rape allegation made against a Labor Member of Parliament.

“There is a horrible societal acceptance of sexual violence experienced by women in Australia,” Higgins said at a protest outside Parliament House. “My story was on the front page for the sole reason that it was a painful reminder to women that if it can happen in Parliament House, it can truly happen anywhere.”

In light of the allegations, the country’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that a review will be undertaken “at arm’s length of government” into Parliament House’s culture.

Despite calls for his resignation, Porter is taking leave but has not resigned following the allegations. He stated that if he were to resign, “and that were to set a new standard, there would be no need for an Attorney-General because there would be no rule of law left to protect in this country.”