Snapchat Clip Sparks MP Brittany Lauga Video Scandal

Brittany Lauga, the assistant minister for health in the Queensland Government, has alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted on a night out in Yeppoon. Ms Lauga, 37, sat down with police for a formal interview on Monday for more than four hours. A police investigation is now underway. No charges have been laid.

I. Brittany Lauga: MP alleges drugging and sexual assault

Brittany Lauga, a Queensland Labor MP, has alleged that she was drugged and sexually assaulted on a night out in Yeppoon. Ms Lauga, 37, sat down with police for a formal interview on Monday for more than four hours. A police investigation is now underway. No charges have been laid.

Ms Lauga has said that she is “living a nightmare” after the incident. She has described the video of the incident as “awful” and said that she has been “in a lot of pain” since it happened.

The incident has sparked outrage and calls for justice. Ms Lauga has shown great courage in coming forward and speaking out about her experience. Her case highlights the importance of consent and the need to end sexual violence.

Date	Event
April 16, 2023	Brittany Lauga alleges that she was drugged and sexually assaulted.
April 17, 2023	Police launch an investigation into the incident.
April 18, 2023	Ms Lauga speaks out about her experience in the media.

II. Video of incident emerges

In the hours after contacting police and being taken to hospital for medical tests, Ms Lauga says she learned from friends there was a video circulating of the incident on Snapchat. It was filmed by bystanders across the street.It’s for that reason that she says she felt compelled to explain to her electorate of Keppel, which includes Yeppoon, what is going on and why she has taken mental health leave.In the grainy video, shot by bystanders and shared online, a man appears to touch the female MP’s genitalia. The video has been described to but not viewed by news.com.au.She is standing outside of the pub on a public street.It is not clear in the video whether the act is consensual or non-consensual and police are investigating.

Date	Event
April 16, 2023	Brittany Lauga alleges that she was drugged and sexually assaulted.
April 17, 2023	Police launch an investigation into the incident.
April 18, 2023	Ms Lauga speaks out about her experience in the media.

III. Police investigation underway

Police are now investigating the incident. No charges have been laid at this time. The investigation is ongoing.

Date	Event
April 16, 2023	Brittany Lauga alleges that she was drugged and sexually assaulted.
April 17, 2023	Police launch an investigation into the incident.
April 18, 2023	Ms Lauga speaks out about her experience in the media.

The Queensland Criminal Code (Consent and Mistake of Fact) Bill which was introduced in 2020 made changes to sexual assault laws in Queensland. Those changes include that silence alone does not amount to consent, consent initially given can be withdrawn by words or conduct, a jury can consider anything the defendant said or did to ascertain consent when considering the excuse of mistake, and the voluntary intoxication of the defendant is irrelevant to whether it was reasonable that a defendant believed they had consent.

• Silence alone does not amount to consent.
• Consent initially given can be withdrawn by words or conduct.
• A jury can consider anything the defendant said or did to ascertain consent when considering the excuse of mistake.
• The voluntary intoxication of the defendant is irrelevant to whether it was reasonable that a defendant believed they had consent.

The investigation is ongoing. We will provide updates as they become available.

IV. Final Thought

The incident has sparked outrage and calls for justice. Ms Lauga has shown great courage in coming forward and speaking out about her experience. Her case highlights the importance of consent and the need to end sexual violence. We hope that the police investigation will be thorough and that those responsible will be held accountable.