Greens leader Shane Rattenbury hopes a review of the allegations levelled at Johnathan Davis will provide greater clarity on what parties should do if they face similar issues in the future.
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Mr Davis quit the Legislative Assembly and his party more than a week ago after the Greens launched an internal investigation into allegations the 31 year old had sex with a minor and an inappropriate, but not illegal, relationship with a 17 year old.
An independent review will consider the handling of the allegations, with further detail on the terms of reference expected to be released when the Legislative Assembly sits next week.
The Canberra Times revealed Mr Davis had been indefinitely suspended by his party, and later that he allegedly made sexual advances towards a junior Assembly staffer.
Mr Davis, through a lawyer, has declined to comment on any of the allegations put to him.
Mr Rattenbury said discussion on the terms of reference for the independent review was continuing between Labor, the Greens and the Liberals.
"I think it's important that we focus on how if these matters should arise again in the future, that there is a strong system in place, a clear system for people to report," Mr Rattenbury said on Wednesday.
"Now, obviously, there are a range of views on how the Greens dealt with this. I remain confident that we took a really serious approach; we took the complaint seriously, we acted quickly. We used our best endeavours to work our way through this process."
Mr Rattenbury acknowledged commentary on the Greens' handling of the allegations and said the party was still reflecting on its decisions.
The Greens have been criticised by Labor and the Liberals for not alerting Chief Minister Andrew Barr earlier, and for the time it took the party to refer allegations to police.
"My primary reflection on it at the moment is we acted swiftly, we acted with integrity, we took it seriously. We dealt with it as best as we could. We sought advice from external parties," Mr Rattenbury said.
"I think they're the appropriate steps that most people in the community would expect us to take."
Laura Nuttall, a former staffer in Mr Davis' office who unsuccessfully ran for the party at the 2020 election, has nominated for the Brindabella seat vacated by Mr Davis in a countback process.
Ms Nuttall, 24, is expected to secure the seat in the countback process next week.
Mr Rattenbury said Ms Nuttall would make an excellent member of the Assembly.
"She is full of energy, she's born and bred in Tuggeranong. She's really committed to the area and I think the local electors will really take to her," he said.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
