Professor Max Abbott resigns from all roles at AUT after sexual harassment claims

Professor Max Abbott was Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences at AUT University, but has now resigned.

Dr Max Abbott today resigned from all roles at AUT following claims of sexual harassment.

In a statement issued tonight, Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack said he had accepted Dr Abbott's resignation from employment and all positions at AUT.

"Earlier this week Dr Max Abbott was suspended pending investigation of allegations made in last weekend's Sunday Star Times.," he said.

On June 2, Abbott resigned as AUT's Dean of the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences Professor, saying recent media publicity and reactions of some to it made his role untenable.

At the time, McCormack said Abbott would continue as a professor at the university.

His resignation comes after Dr Marisa Paterson, director of the Centre for Gambling Research at Canberra's Australian National University (ANU), laid a complaint against Abbott last August.

The complaint detailed allegations of "prolonged and persistent stalking, sexual harassment, physical harassment and bullying" by Abbott over a two-year period.

Dr Marisa Paterson. Photo / Supplied

McCormack said on June 2 it was essential that all staff and students have full confidence in its approaches to preventing and dealing with harassment.

"We want to be certain we are a place where all of our people feel welcome, safe and able to succeed - and able to raise concerns if that's not the case."

McCormack said he understood media coverage of the sexual harassment allegations had raised concerns, but he said claims that AUT had not investigated the allegation were untrue.

"The substantive remedies sought by ANU on behalf of the staff member were met and communicated to them."

He said he had been seeking specific information from ANU about its concerns and allegations that it had not investigated the complaint since December, but had not had a response.