Australia's Defense Minister Linda Reynolds and the country's top legal adviser Scott Morrison were demoted in the executive hierarchy on Monday after being accused of rape.
The Australian Prime Minister has announced that he has formed a new team comprising more women.
Two Australian government heavyweights were dismissed from their posts on Monday and demoted in the executive hierarchy after resounding rape accusations that forced Prime Minister Scott Morrison to reshuffle.
Defense Minister Linda Reynolds and Attorney General Christian Porter, who is the government's principal legal adviser, have both been replaced, Scott Morrison said.
He also announced the promotion of several women in his government, saying his new team was the one with "the highest representation of women" in the history of the Australian executive.
Demonstrations across the country
The Tory leader has been under intense pressure for several weeks over several cases that have cast a harsh light on the sexism of Australian political culture and led to protests across the country.
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Scandal in Australia, with the dissemination of videos of sexual acts in Parliament
First there were the accusations of a former government employee.
Brittany Higgins claimed last month that she was raped in 2019 by a colleague in the parliamentary office of Linda Reynolds, who was then Minister of Defense Industry.
Become Minister of Defense, the latter was criticized for the way in which her cabinet would have received the accusations of the young woman at the time.
In early March, Christian Porter was accused of having raped in 1988 a 16-year-old girl with whom he was studying.
The latter died last year.
He vigorously disputed these accusations.
Retained in government but demoted
The two ministers had been on sick leave for several weeks, and the Prime Minister had until then assured that they would resume their functions.
They were kept in government, but demoted: Linda Reynolds takes over the portfolio of government services, and Christian Porter that of Industry, Science and Technology.
It is not known whether this reshuffle will be enough to calm the indignation of a section of society.
Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in mid-March for gender equality, and against violence and sexual harassment.