South Australian MP Sam Duluk was intoxicated when he turned up uninvited to a crossbench Christmas party at parliament house in Adelaide where it's alleged he slapped a female MP on the bottom, a court has been told.
The former Liberal MP has gone on trial in Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with one count of assault over the incident in December 2019.
The court has been told SA-BEST MP Connie Bonaros was walking down a corridor to her office when Duluk slapped her on the bottom.
In her evidence, Ms Bonaros also detailed a number of other incidents at the party involving Duluk including one where he lifted her up in the air as a photo was being taken and one where she was sitting down and he "hoisted" her chair up.
At that point she made the comment: "People can see up my dress, put me down."
At one stage he also poured ice down the front of her dress and put his arm around her shoulder, she said.
Mr Bonaros said she also observed Duluk drinking from bottles of gin or vodka during the party and said when he first made an entrance he commented about there being "lefties and commies" there.
Prosecutor Anika Francis said the allegation that Duluk slapped Ms Bonaros on the bottom involved behaviour that was not welcome.
She said five witnesses would be called during the trial.
Duluk was banished from the Liberal party room over his alleged behaviour and suspended his wider Liberal Party membership.
But a parliamentary inquiry launched into his conduct was put on hold while the police investigations were underway.
He has continued to sit in parliament's House of Assembly as an independent and has pleaded not guilty to the assault charge.
