Woman Liberal MP’s treatment ‘appalling’: minister

Tess Ikonomou | September 12, 2023

Cabinet minister Julie Collins has labelled allegations of sexual harassment levelled by former Liberal minister Karen Andrews “appalling”.

Ms Andrews, a former coalition government minister who is retiring at the next election, has revealed some of the inappropriate behaviour she was subjected to during Question Time in parliament. 

“I’d just be sitting there minding my own business and I would have the back of my neck breathed on,” she told the ABC’s Kitchen Cabinet program due to air on Tuesday night.

“And if I asked a question, it would be ‘that was a great question, thrusting and probing’.”

She said some people asked her if she could “take a joke”.

“Sometimes I do call it out, but sometimes I just go: ‘I can’t be in every fight’.”

Ms Andrews said politics was the first time being a woman meant she had to “fight for things”.

“That is depressing, so I don’t know, to be honest, that it’s going to change in my lifetime and that is really sad,” she said.

Ms Collins said such behaviour should not occur in parliament.

“That is appalling. I was not aware of it, and I am very sorry that that has happened,” she told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

“It shouldn’t happen to anybody in any Australian workplace, and the Australian parliament should be setting the standard. 

“We need better from everybody that works in that building, and that’s why we’re so determined to improve the conditions for the people that work in the Parliament House.”

The Senate is debating laws stemming from the Set the Standard report, which called for a parliamentary workplace support service. 

Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham said he had not previously heard about Ms Andrews’ allegations.

Senator Birmingham, who as minister rolled out the initial reforms stemming from the Australian Human Rights Commission report, said people should use the new services.

“I urge anybody in this circumstance to use that service that has been established to provide for an independent, impartial, credible and confidential process,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“This workplace, like any other workplace, should be one of respect and safety.”

Asked whether the Liberal Party’s internal processes need a rethink, he said MPs should feel free to raise any issues with the leadership team.