A staff member of Federal Liberal MP, Sophie Panopoulou-Mirabella, has resigned over his behaviour at Wednesday night's Press Gallery Ball in Canberra. According to witnesses, Tony Scrinis, who had been working in Mirabella's office for three days, approached a number of women and tried, or asked, to touch their breasts. 

Mirabella said the staffer admitted that "some of his behaviour was inappropriate but he doesn't accept the allegations." It is understood one of the women whose breasts were grabbed is a senior adviser to a cabinet minister, who allegedly left the dance floor in tears. 

One of the women had lodged an official complaint about Scrinis' behaviour, it was reported. A spokeswoman in Mirabella's office said that Scrinis had been on a three-month probation period as an electorate officer and adviser to Mirabella. She stressed that he was not a senior adviser on women's issues to Mirabella and that this was his first week in Canberra working for the MP. 

Mirabella is the Opposition spokeswoman for childcare, youth and the status of women.