Many witnesses report incidents at the Parliamentary Press Gallery’s mid-winter ball on Wednesday night ranging from Anthony Scrinis fondling women’s breasts,

or asking to, to him questioning guests about their sexuality and extra-marital relationships.

Mr Scrinis, who appeared to be in either exceptionally high spirits or under the influence of alcohol on Wednesday night, was employed as Mrs Mirabella’s media adviser.

Last night, Mrs Mirabella, who is the Opposition’s spokewoman on women’s issues, said she had accepted Mr Scrinis’ resignation.

“He was inebriated and has admitted some of his behaviour was unacceptable,” she said.

“He does not accept all of the allegations made.”

Witnesses say at one point during the evening Mr Scrinis burst in on a private conversation between the Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull and ball guests.

He then went on to boast

in a loud voice about “hot babes’’ in the Liberal Party, and made exaggerated gestures.

Mr Turnbull was lead away from the scene by a Canberra newspaper correspondent, and Mr Scrinis was moved on by other guests.

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His loud and erratic behaviour was noted and acknowledged by some of the entertainers onstage during the night.

One Canberra journalist, who did not want to be named, said Mr Scrinis had inquired whether he participated in deviant sexual activity.

Senior press gallery journalist Karen Middleton, a member of the organising committee for the event, said last night she had received a formal complaint from two guests at the ball who said “they’d had their breasts grabbed’’ by Mr Scrinis.

Ms Middleton undertook inquiries and established that Mr Scrinis worked in Mrs Mira­bella’s office.

She then contacted Mr Turnbull’s office.

Mr Scrinis had been working at Mrs Mirabella’s office in Wangaratta for only a few weeks and was still in his probationary period when he attended the ball while working in Canberra this week.

One of the women allegedly groped by the Liberal staffer is employed in the office of a senior Rudd Government figure.

The Border Mail attempted to contact Mr Scrinis last night but he did not return calls.

Wednesday night’s imbroglio is doubly embarrassing because Mr Scrinis had been working on a new women’s initiative to encourage greater participation and debate within the Liberal Party.

Mr Turnbull was due to launch the new women’s initiative at a function tonight. on Friday night.

Before his employment by Mrs Mirabella, Mr Scrinis stood unsuccessfully for the Port Phillip Council, promising that he would undergo random drug and

alcohol testing if he was elected.

Mr Scrinis challenged the result when his candidacy proved unsuccessful.

Mrs Mirabella said she did not recall seeing Mr Scrinis during the night.

“I don’t keep a tab on my staff’s social activities,’’ she said.

“At a function like that there are those who may have too much to drink.”

Mrs Mirabella said she had not been approached with allegations against Mr Scrinis but had heard the claims made about him during Question Time yesterday.

“No one has given me a full list of the claims but I have accepted his resignation as is his right during his probationary period,’’ she said.

Asked whether she was disappointed at the behaviour of her staff member, she replied: “In a professional environment people need to behave professionally and be responsible for their actions”.

Mrs Mirabella hit back at

media claims Mr Scrinis was her senior adviser in her portfolio as shadow minister for the status of women.

“My two women’s advisers are women and have eight children between them,” she said.

“They have been with me since I took on the portfolio and the claims are a great insult to two wonderful women who are

passionate about their jobs.”

— THE AGE