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Bullying claims by female Liberal MPs routinely dismissed by colleagues, new research finds
Study states female politicians’ bullying allegations downplayed as ‘cost of doing politics’ or something men face in equal measure
Get our free news app; get our morning email briefingFollow our Australia news live blog for the latest updatesPoliticians routinely dismiss allegations of bullying made by women by painting it as just the “cost of doing politics” or as something that happens to men just as much, new research has found.
University of Adelaide psychologists found female Liberal MPs were undermined, silenced and discredited by the way those in their own party treated their accusations.
Former Liberal MP Julia Banks, who quit after citing “cultural and gender bias, bullying and intimidation” from both her own party and the opposition.
Former foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, who said she had witnessed behaviour in parliament that “wouldn’t be tolerated in any other workplace across Australia”.
Government services minister, Linda Reynolds, who said there was “bullying and intimidation” in the lead-up to the spill that saw Malcolm Turnbull replaced by Scott Morrison as prime minister.
Former Liberal senator Lucy Gichuhi, who said she would name and shame bullies in the party (she later backed down on that threat).
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