Victoria’s Minister for Women alleges she was groped by footy players when she was working as a waitress

Victoria’s Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins has made explosive allegations that she was groped by Essendon AFL players when she worked as a waitress.

Victoria will move to restrict nondisclosure agreements after Premier Jacinta Allan said they are too often used to silence victims of workplace sexual harassment and protect perpetrators. 

The government has launched a four-week consultation to determine how the new laws should operate, including options that limit or ban NDAs unless requested by the complainant. 

Now Minister Hutchins has told parliament she was groped by Essendon players while working as a young waitress in the 1990s. She said that she did not recognise the players, but they were in team uniforms.

Her revelation came as several female MPs shared their own experiences of harassment and assault during debate on the landmark laws to restrict workplace nondisclosure agreements. 

‘I dreaded Thursday nights because there were actually AFL players that were at my restaurant that had been to training that would come in … and they would run their hands up my legs while I was carrying the trays,’ she said.

Victoria’s Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins revealed she was groped by Essendon players while MPs discussed limiting nondisclosure agreements silencing victims

The Minister said she did not believe current Essendon players were involved in the same alleged behaviour

Female MPs shared stories of harassment during parliamentary debate on proposed restrictions to workplace nondisclosure agreements

‘It was about two weeks into my job that I dropped the tray of food when this happened to which my boss at the time suggested that I might need to pay for what I dropped, despite the fact that I had complained about the situation before.’

She then spoke to News Corp and stressed that she didn’t believe that kind of alleged behaviour continued in 2025. 

‘I think the club has done a lot to improve since back then in the 90s, and they’ve come a long way,’ she said.

‘So I don’t think those behaviours happen in public anymore, from AFL players.’

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Essendon Football Club for a response on the explosive allegations. 

Opposition finance spokesperson Bridget Vallence broke down as she also told parliament she had been sexually harassed in her workplace. 

‘It’s awful and deeply upsetting,’ she said.

‘To be treated as an object, rather than as a fellow human, is sick and demeaning.

‘It hurts – and it keeps hurting long after it has stopped.

‘Women should not feel as if they ‘need to put up with it’, ‘laugh it off’, or be told ‘these things just happen’.

‘They should never be put in that position in the first place.’

It comes as Essendon battles to come to terms with how to manage 2025 captain Zach Merrett.

Merrett was a no-show at the first day of Essendon’s pre-season as the Bombers remain adamant their captain will be welcomed back with open arms.

Current skipper Merrett is almost certain to give up the captaincy, or have it taken from him, after his failed attempt to join fierce rivals Hawthorn despite having two more years on his contract. 

The Hawks didn’t come up with a trade offer to satisfy Essendon for their six-time best and fairest winner.