Coalition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie has backed independent senator Lidia Thorpe's use of parliamentary privilege to detail allegations of sexual harassment at Parliament House.
Key points:
- Lidia Thorpe used parliamentary privilege to talk about the treatment she has received at Parliament House
- Bridget McKenzie says that is an appropriate forum for people to raise such allegations
- She rebuked fellow Nationals politician Barnaby Joyce and offered an endorsement of Liberal leader Peter Dutton
Senator Thorpe on Wednesday used parliamentary privilege to accuse Senator David Van of sexually harassing her, which he immediately denied, and she later withdrew.
Later in the week, she detailed her experiences of sexual harassment inside Parliament House but didn't name individuals.
Senator Thorpe has been accused, including by former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, of misusing parliamentary privilege, which protects politicians from legal recourse.
"I don't agree with Barnaby Joyce on this matter," Senator McKenzie told the ABC.
"Parliamentary privilege is a powerful and very careful part of our democracy and senators across the ages have used it in very powerful ways to raise claims and matters of public interest from time to time.
"Senator Thorpe was absolutely within her right to use parliamentary privilege to raise those issues as she did.
"The fact that when we do discuss sexual assault in the way that we have in the recent past, it can be incredibly traumatic for those people who have been through those types of incidents.
"And whether it's our staff, our colleagues or indeed the broader community this time, just like the last time, there have been quite visceral responses, which I believe hers was."
Senator Van yesterday quit the Liberal Party in the wake of multiple allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him over the past week.
He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
Before Senator Van quit, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told him he could not longer sit with the parliamentary party, and suggested he resign from parliament. Mr Dutton said his action was not a reflection on the veracity of the claims.
Senator McKenzie, from the Nationals, offered a ringing endorsement of Mr Dutton's actions.
"As Senator Thorpe made those allegations on the floor of parliament, it was referred to the president, which was absolutely the right thing to do," she said.
"And then following a second allegation being raised, the leader of the Liberal Party threw the senator out of the party. For a leader to be so decisive, I think, was a testament to his strength of feeling around these matters."
Treatment of women at Parliament House
Senator Thorpe's allegation came in the midst of heated debate about the treatment of women at Parliament House.
The Coalition mounted sustained pressure on Finance Minister Katy Gallagher about when she first learned of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins's rape allegation.
Senator McKenzie said it was right of Senator Gallagher to keep any information she received confidential, but said it was fair of the Coalition to ask whether the finance minister had misled the parliament in earlier comments.
The Nationals senate leader said political staffers and colleagues regularly confided in her with allegations of sexual harassment.
"Like Senator Gallagher, as a senior female on my side of politics, I have regularly, not just community members, but staff members, colleagues, coming to me raising issues of sexual harassment and others.
"And my job as a senior woman in this place, if we want to see that cultural change, is to actually make sure they're aware of their options, make sure that they know they're going to be supported no matter what they choose, but to keep it confidential, which I do, to make sure that they have agency about what has occurred to them.
"And I think that is part of that tension. I would I really would hate to see a situation arise where we are mandatorily having to report these things, because it takes that agency away."
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2023-06-18 03:05:15Z
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