Parliament security has used white boards to block cameras taking pictures of Michaelia Cash after she threatened to expose ‘rumours’ about women in Bill Shorten’s office.
Bizarre footage taken at Parliament House on Thursday shows security staff dragging a large white board across a walkway to block view from the minister as she arrives at another Senate Estimates hearing.
Cameramen can be heard questioning the minister’s intentions as she passed, shouting ‘why do you need so much protection?’, ‘why are you hiding for Minister, can’t you come and talk?’
Parliament security has used white boards to block cameras taking pictures of Michaelia Cash after she threatened to expose ‘rumours’ about women in Bill Shorten’s office
Senator Cash has remained tight-lipped since she threatened to make public ‘rumours’ involving female staffers in Bill Shorten’s office during an ‘unacceptable’ outburst at a parliamentary hearing.
Senator Cash backed down from the threat on Wednesday after the opposition pressured her to withdraw the ‘disgraceful’ outburst made during a parliamentary inquiry.
The extraordinary threat was made after Labor frontbencher Doug Cameron asked Senator Cash if her newly appointed chief-of-staff, who is yet to start work, was formerly employed in another ‘Liberal office’.
‘If you want to start discussing staff matters be very, very careful because I’m happy to sit here and name every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office over which rumours in this place abound,’ Senator Cash told the Senate hearing under parliamentary privilege on Wednesday.
Bizarre footage taken at Parliament House on Thursday shows security staff dragging a large white board across a walkway to block view from the Senator Cash (centre back)
Senator Cash has made threats to name women in Bill Shorten’s office ‘over which rumours in this place abound’
‘Do you want to start naming them? Do you want [me] to start naming them for Mr Shorten to deny any of the rumours that have been circulating in this building now for many, many years?’
Senator Cash angrily brushed off more questions about arrangements in her office, citing conventions about discussing staff.
This was a ‘dangerous path’, she said, although she was willing to go down it.
Senator Cameron accused Senator Cash of attacking young female staff in a completely unacceptable ‘outburst’.
‘I just want to pursue questions which are legitimate questions of the Senate without you having another meltdown and attacking young women in the Leader of the Opposition’s office,’ he said.
Senator Cameron had earlier told Senator Cash to settle down.
‘Take what the young people call a ‘chill pill’ and you might be OK,’ he said.
Senator Cash said she was happy to name every female, ‘Do you want [me] to start naming them for Mr Shorten to deny any of the rumours’
Labor has been pursuing Senator Cash over raids at Australian Workers Union offices in October last year after details were leaked to the media
Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to ask the WA senator for a proper apology, rather than her ‘mealy-mouthed weasel’ retraction.
‘Senator Cash’s comments where ghastly, they were sexist, they were a 1950s style throwback,’ Ms Plibersek told parliament.
Labor’s Senate leader Penny Wong earlier told the Senate hearing the minister had made ‘outrageous slurs’ against female staff working in the opposition leader’s office.
‘It can’t be allowed to stand,’ Senator Wong said.
‘I think it is disgraceful and sexist and it is impugning of the character of various staff. I would ask the minister to withdraw.’
Senator Cash disagreed with Senator Wong, arguing she was responding to Senator Cameron maligning her staff.
‘The point I was making was rumours circulate in this building – it does not mean they are true,’ Senator Cash said.
‘If anyone has been offended by my remarks, I withdraw,’ Senator Cash said after being asked to withdraw a second time.
Junior minister Michael Sukkar later told Sky News that Labor was not ‘blameless’ when it came to ‘quite serious allegations’.
Labor has demanded a formal apology from cabinet minister Michaelia Cash after she withdrew an extraordinary threat to make public ‘rumours’ involving female staffers in Bill Shorten’s office.
‘The Labor Party have been very, very keen to make hay with the whole Barnaby Joyce issue and I think they would be wise, and I think it would be decent of them, to take a step back,’ Mr Sukkar said.
‘I haven’t seen the particular interchange in estimates, but that frustration … is probably justified.’
Labor has been pursuing Senator Cash over raids at Australian Workers Union offices in October last year.
Details of the police raids were leaked to media by one of her advisers, who later quit.
Mr Shorten’s office has been contacted for comment.