Friends back Porter’s accuser

Long-time friends of the woman who accused Attorney-General Christian Porter of raping her in 1988 at a school debating event stand by their belief in the truth of her account based on her demeanour when describing her claims in 2019.

Jo Dyer, who was a debater with the woman in the late 1980s, knew a cohort of seven national school champion debaters from that time, which included Mr Porter and the dead woman.

She said five others in that cohort all believed the woman when she told her story decades later.

In a statement from their lawyers, the late woman’s family expressed their grief and asked for privacy.

‘‘They are supportive of any inquiry which would potentially shed light on the circumstances surrounding the deceased’s passing,’’ the statement reads.

Now the director of the Adelaide Writers’ Week, Ms Dyer said while Mr Porter vehemently denied the claims and argued against a trial by media, no other appropriate forum had yet been established to investigate the claims. That process would ‘‘provide a forum for all of the claims, memories, recollections to be examined in a confidential and impartial way’’, she said.

One point Ms Dyer said she and others would challenge was Mr Porter’s interactions with the woman, which he said were ‘‘for the briefest periods at debating competitions when we were teenagers’’.

She said that description undercut the strength of bonds formed in short periods of time amid the intense competition of debating. Members of the team competed in the late 1980s in Sydney, where the woman alleged the rape occurred.

‘‘Those debating worlds are hothouses,’’ Ms Dyer said. ‘‘[Mr Porter and the woman] were in a national team together. They were preparing to debate together.’’

Writer Nick Ryan, who also knew the woman from her debating days, said on Perth radio that ‘‘an independent inquiry, the likes of which have been conducted before and can easily be conducted again, is all we’re asking for’’. ‘‘We will stand up for that and continue to support our deceased friend,’’ he said.

Mr Porter said repeatedly and vehemently on Wednesday that there was no truth to the accusations against him, saying they ‘‘just did not happen’’ and arguing an independent investigation would require him to prove a negative.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and former prime minister John Howard backed Mr Porter yesterday, with Mr Morrison arguing ‘‘the rule of law’’ required the police to investigate rather than establishing an inquiry. ‘‘Australians – whether it’s Christian Porter or yourself or myself or any other Australian citizen – are entitled to the presumption of innocence,’’ Mr Frydenberg said on Nine’s Today show.

A separate inquiry ‘‘would say that our rule of law and our police are not competent to deal with these issues,’’ Mr Morrison said.

NSW Police closed their investigation this week because there was insufficient evidence to proceed as the woman is dead. South Australian police are investigating her death for the coroner.

Mr Morrison backed his cabinet minister, to return to work at the end of his medical leave. ‘‘I’m pleased that [Mr Porter] is taking some time to get support to deal with what has obviously been a very traumatic series of events.’’

Mr Morrison said. ‘‘He is looking forward to coming back and resuming his duties.’’

Labor leader Anthony Albanese yesterday issued his strongest calls for an independent inquiry, joining the Greens and members of the crossbench.

NSW Police issued a statement on Thursday that described an email from the woman on June 23 thanking investigators for their efforts but saying she no longer wanted to pursue her claims because of “medical and personal reasons”. Police responded a day later and on the 25th were told that she had taken her own life.

Police responded a day later and on June 25 were told that she had taken her own life.

Screenwriter and producer Rick Kalowski, whose friendship with the dead woman dated to university in 1990, said her decision to tell police to stop investigating was not an indication she had recanted.

‘‘She said to me ... that the only situation in which she could not continue with her formal complaint process was if she felt that she simply couldn’t continue with life at all, in other words, if she decided she would take her own life,’’ Mr Kalowski said.

Mr Kalowski, who also knew Mr Porter from debating, met with the woman immediately after she reported to police in Sydney in February 2020 and drove her to the airport. ‘‘She was lucid, calm, rational, attentive, forensic,’’ Mr Kalowski said ‘‘In no way was she delusional or away with the fairies.

‘‘We are not out for blood or to destroy anyone, we are simply out to seek justice for [our friend].’’