Liberal frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull has supported Labor leader Bill Shorten's decision to publicly front up to "very, very painful" rape allegations from almost 30 years ago.
Mr Turnbull said Mr Shorten did the right thing in raising the damaging allegations, which have been investigated by police and won't be pursued further.
"I think Bill Shorten made the right decision," the communications minister told the Nine Network on Friday.
"It would be very, very painful to feel you are the subject of an unjust accusation."
When Mr Turnbull was a young lawyer he defended the late Kerry Packer, who in 1984 was caught up in the Costigan royal commission into organised crime in NSW.
The media mogul, dubbed "Goanna" in reports, was wrongly accused of being involved in drug trafficking and tax evasion.
"Kerry Packer did the same thing," Mr Turnbull said, referring to Mr Packer's decision to front the allegations head-on.
"You've got to nail these things."
Deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek said her leader decided to draw a line under the events.
"It is good that he can," Ms Plibersek said.
"It has been really stressful."
Mr Shorten went public yesterdayfor the first time about "untrue and abhorrent" allegations he sexually assaulted a teenage girl almost 30 years ago.
Victoria Police have decided not to lay criminal charges after advice from prosecutors that there was was no reasonable prospect of conviction.
The allegations apparently relate to events at a Young Labor camp near Geelong in 1986, when Mr Shorten was 19.
The complainant, now a nurse, was 16 at the time and Mr Shorten said he knew her briefly.
She first made the allegation on the Facebook page of former prime minister Kevin Rudd after Mr Shorten became opposition leader in 2013.
That was when Mr Shorten first became aware of the allegation for which there was "absolutely no basis".
"I will not go into the details except to say that the allegation was untrue and abhorrent," he told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.
Mr Shorten said the matter had been thoroughly and vigorously investigated by police and he fully co-operated to clear his name.
"The easy option would be to say nothing but that is not who I am," he said.
Mr Shorten said the matter had been deeply distressing and he was thankful for the love and support of his wife Chloe and the backing of staff and colleagues.
"It is over. I have no intention of making any further comment," he said.
Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said he was glad no charges had been laid against Mr Shorten, acknowledging the distress the allegations must have caused the Labor leader and his family.
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