Penny Wong does not fuck around.
Earlier today, she forced Michaelia Cash – i.e. the former Minister for Women, and current Minister for Jobs and Education – to withdraw “sexist” and “outrageous slurs” made during a heated Senate Estimates hearing. And she wasn’t even in the room at the time.
Cash had threatened to name a number of women working for Bill Shorten about whom rumours apparently circulate, in some bizarre attempt to avoid questions on her own new Chief of Staff. (The last one left during that whole “tipping off media about a union raid” fiasco.)
“If you want to start discussing staff matters, be very, very careful,” she warned, “because I’m happy to sit here and name every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office over which rumours in this place abound. If you want to go down that path today, I will do it.”
“That’s nonsense,” replied Labor senator Doug Cameron, later adding that she should do as the young folk say and take a “chill pill”.
“Well, do you want to start naming them?” Cash continued. “Do you *want* to start naming them? For Mr Shorten to come out and deny any of the rumours that have been speculating this building now for many, many [years].”
The former Minister for Women, everyone!
Shortly after, Wong – who was not in the hearing – arrived with the single purpose of making Cash withdraw her comments, describing them as “sexist”, “disgraceful” and “outrageous slurs”.
“It’s just come to my attention that some outrageous slurs were made from the table by the Minister,” she said, in a quietly furious voice.
“We had the Prime Minister a week ago giving us a fairly moralising speech, saying we need to make this a better workplace for women, and the Minister representing the Minister for Women comes in here making what can only be described as ‘outrageous slurs’ about the character of female staff working for the Leader of the Opposition. It can’t be allowed to stand, I think it’s disgraceful and sexist, and it’s impugning of the character of various staff. I would ask the Minister to withdraw.”
Cash refused at first, but all it took was another quiet rebuke from Wong (“if you have a personal reaction to [Cameron], deal with it”) for her to acquiesce.
“If anyone has been offended by my remarks, I withdraw,” she said.
Penny Wong just marched into Employment estimates and extracted an apology from Michaelia Cash. Got it, then left. Stone cold.
— Ben Eltham (@beneltham) February 28, 2018
Cash’s comments and non-apology have also earned her the condemnation of Labor’s Tanya Plibersek, who described them as “disgraceful and sexist”.
“Her comments undermine the professionalism of the many competent, intelligent, hardworking young women who work on all sides of politics,” she tweeted, demanding an apology.
.@SenatorCash used a Senate hearing to attack young women working in politics. Her comments undermine the professionalism of the many competent, intelligent, hardworking young women who work on all sides of politics. The comments are disgraceful + sexist – she should apologise.
— Tanya Plibersek (@tanya_plibersek) February 28, 2018
She also brought up the comments during Question Time. “The Minister representing women just smeared young women,” she said, again calling for a further apology.
Labor MPs and political commentators are appalled at Cash’s comments, with some even calling for her resignation.
What an appalling performance from Michaelia Cash this morning
— Tim Watts MP (@TimWattsMP) February 27, 2018
Senator Cash should just resign #CashOut #auspol
— Lisa Chesters MP (@LMChesters) February 28, 2018
This is a new low. Putting rumours on the public record. It puts a cloud over every woman that works in @billshortenmp’s office. How can they possibly defend themselves.
And we wonder why women are reluctant to pursue a career in politics. https://t.co/jCIzUjNYrZ
— Laura Jayes (@ljayes) February 28, 2018
I am absolutely flabbergasted – and this from the former Minister for Women! https://t.co/Ta2oZQ9xtv
— Ged Kearney (@gedkearney) February 28, 2018
https://twitter.com/vanOnselenP/status/968645200636555264
But the always important thing is: how will this affect The Australian’s delightfully nerdy 404 message?
Here you go:
Meanwhile, a tweak over at https://t.co/4f8J6TsTbe pic.twitter.com/nso2CzUdyj
— James Jeffrey (@James_Jeffrey) February 28, 2018
