Kimberley Kitching’s husband has told a roll call of Australian politicians at her funeral in Melbourne that his wife deserved to be treated better than she had been by a group of Labor figures he described as a “cantankerous cabal”.
Senator Kitching, who was 52, died on March 10 from a suspected heart attack. There has been turbulence in the party since her death, with her supporters claiming she had been ostracised and bullied by some Labor colleagues who were from different factions. These claims have been denied.
Kitching’s husband takes aim at Labor’s ‘cantankerous cabal’ at funeral
Bullying is like Covid at epidemic proportions in legislatures and work places everywhere - in Europe oppression used to be the domain for Germans barons and Hungarians grofs before WWI during feudalism now we tend to spy many Queensland Inspired Red necks who invade current workplaces and misuse the concepts defined by ANAO such as efficiency to f**** employees in all kinds of positions and ways …
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching told a parliament-employed workplace trainer she was being bullied by Senate Labor colleagues, according to multiple ALP sources.
Key points:
- Senator Kitching confided in a number of people that she was being ostracised by some in the party
- One senator described a "culture of exclusion" within Labor
- It is not known if Senator Kitching took any formal steps toward making an official complaint
Several of Senator Kitching's colleagues have told the ABC that the 52-year-old, who died from a suspected heart attack a week ago, cited the alleged bullying when she was undergoing workplace education on November 5 last year.
The hour-long "safe and respectful workplace training", which was part of the government's response to Brittany Higgins's rape allegation, was conducted by a facilitator over Zoom as part of a Department of Finance program.
Senator Kitching told several colleagues that she had said to the trainer, towards the end of an hour's instruction on sexual harassment, bullying and respect at work: "What are you going to do about the fact that I am being bullied?"
This version of events has been relayed to the ABC by multiple Labor sources in whom Senator Kitching confided — men and women — who claim the Victorian senator was being bullied, ostracised and isolated by the ALP's Senate leadership, which comprises senators Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher.
The Australian newspaper reported that Senator Kitching called the three women "the mean girls", a term Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said was "extraordinarily disrespectful".
"To describe strong, articulate, principled women like Penny Wong, Katy Gallagher and Kristina Keneally — I find it astonishing and a throwback. Decades, decades," Mr Albanese said.
Kimberley Kitching disclosed allegations Senate Labor colleagues bullied her months before her death
Albanese pressured to probe claims Kimberley Kitching was bullied
Senior government ministers and Senate crossbenchers say Anthony Albanese should show some consistency and investigate allegations of bullying within his ranks as the internal anger prompted by the death of Kimberley Kitching continues to reverberate.
Following claims that Senator Kitching had been ostracised and marginalised by senior colleagues, principally the Senate leadership team of Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally, the ABC reported on Thursday the Labor Senator told a Parliament-employed workplace trainer in November last year she was being bullied.
The ABC reported Senator Kitching told several colleagues she told a trainer, towards the end of an hour’s instruction on sexual harassment, bullying and respect at work: “What are you going to do about the fact that I am being bullied?”
Senator Kitching, 52, died of a heart attack last week while enduring threats to her preselection. Her friends and colleagues have backed the bullying claims and contended the stress of possibly losing her seat may have contributed to her death.
Mr Albanese declined suggestions he inquire internally into the matter and grew angry at the description of Senators Wong and Keneally, as well as Senator Katy Gallagher, as “mean girls”.
Coalition strongman Peter Dutton said Prime Minister Scott Morrison had been hauled over the coals in recent years, including by Labor, amid allegations of bullying of women in the Liberal Party.
“They’ve been criticising the PM over similar matters for the last couple of years, up hill and down dale and this is Anthony Albanese’s test,” Mr Dutton said.
“I think it shows a complete lack of leadership. I think Anthony Albanese, frankly, has to do better in relation to these matters.
“There are serious allegations here that have been made, and I think out of respect for Kimberley and her family, they need to be properly investigated, and they need to be properly understood, and they need to be put into context.”
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham noted the measures he had put in place to better protect women in Parliament in the wake of the Brittany Higgins affair and in response to the subsequent review undertaken by Kate Jenkins.
He said it was now up to Labor to deal with its cultural problems.
Mr Dutton hinted at some form of post-election Senate inquiry if Mr Albanese did not act but this had no support.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, who had a close working relationship with Senator Kitching, said Mr Albanese owed it to Senator Kitching.
“I call on Albo to do it himself,” she told The Australian Financial Review.
“If he wants to be prime minister of this country, then he should clean up his own backyard.
“He’s always the first to call out everyone else about bullying and misogyny and now he doesn’t want to face it.”
Senator Wong had declined to comment, saying to weigh in on such an unedifying debate when Senator Kitching was yet to be buried would be disrespectful.
Her office said she would attend Monday’s funeral after initially saying she would not as she had a fundraising function to attend in the Northern Territory.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles rejected the bullying assertions and grew angry at journalists for questioning him over the matter.
“She has not had her funeral yet and you’re asking questions in that context,” he said. “I don’t accept the assertions that have been in the media but I’m not about to get into that debate now.”
Kitching wasn’t just bullied – she was a victim of cancel culture
The late senator was subjected to ostracism and emotional abuse because she stood for the mainstream values no longer dominant in the Labor Party
As someone who’s been a member of the Liberal Party for more than 30 years, who’s worked for federal and state government ministers, and who’s stood for preselection (and failed), I’m not unfamiliar with the culture of political parties and the behaviour of politicians.