SA Senator Penny Wong said she apologised to Kimberley Kitching over ‘childless’ comment

SA Labor Senator Penny Wong has revealed she apologised to her late colleague Kimberley Kitching over a remark she made about her having no children, and denied bullying allegations.

Senior South Australian Labor figure Penny Wong has revealed she apologised to her late colleague Kimberley Kitching for making a remark about her having no children.

In a joint statement with senators Katy Gallagher and Kristina Keneally, Senator Wong said she “discussed the matter with Senator Kitching and apologised” more than two years ago.

“Senator Wong understood that apology was accepted,” the statement said on Friday morning.

In a senior Labor senate leadership meeting about climate protests in 2019, Senator Wong told Ms Kitching “if you had children, you might understand”.

Senator Wong fired the barb after Ms Kitching argued a Greens Senate motion that supported school students engaging in civil disobedience at climate protests was “virtue signalling”.

The comment was said to have deeply offended Ms Kitching, who loved children but was unable to have any.

Senator Penny Wong said she apologised to Ms Kitching and that it was “accepted”: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

The exchange was revealed by the ABC at the time, but Senator Wong was not identified as the person who said the words until journalist Samantha Maiden’s book Party Animals was published in 2020.

“The comments that have been reported do not reflect Senator Wong’s views, as those who know her would understand, and she deeply regrets pain these reports have caused,” Senator Wong’s statement said.

Close friends of Ms Kitching say she referred to senators Wong, Kenneally and Gallagher as “mean girls”, as they allegedly iced her out of Labor’s inner circle.

Ms Kitching also alleged she had been “bullied” and excluded from the leadership team.

The trio denied the assertions again on Friday morning.

“Out of respect for (Senator Kitching’s family) … we have not responded to allegations that have been made, despite them not being true,” the joint statement said.

“Given the hurtful statements that continue to be made we feel it necessary to respond.

“The allegations of bullying are untrue. Other assertions which have been made are similarly inaccurate.”

The trio said “politics is a challenging profession” and “contests can be robust and interactions difficult”.

“All of its participants at times act or speak in ways that can impact on others negatively,” the statement said.

“We have and do reflect on this, as individuals and as leaders.”

Senators Wong, Kenneally and Gallagher will all attend Ms Kitching’s funeral in Melbourne on Monday following “engagement” with her family.

“We will do so to recognise and respect her contribution to public life,” they said.

This was after it was revealed Senator Wong had planned to attend a political fundraiser in the Northern Territory on the same day.

‘WONG HAS BEEN BAD’: KITCHING’S TEXT

Late Labor senator Kimberley Kitching reportedly told a workplace trainer she was “being bullied” by her colleagues during an education session just months before she died of a suspected heart attack.

The revelations come as Opposition leader Anthony Albanese admits his party must look “to do better”.

Ms Kitching raised the bullying concerns during an hour-long “safe and respectful workplace training” session on November 5 last year, according to the ABC.

The ABC reports Ms Kitching told several of her Labor colleagues that towards the end of the course, she told the workplace trainer: “What are you going to do about the fact that I am being bullied?”

The late Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching in the Senate in 2020. Ms Kitching died on March 10. Picture: Mick Tsikas

The night before she raised concerns to the training consultant, Ms Kitching sent a text to a close friend saying SA Labor Senator Penny Wong never wanted to see her again.

“Wong has been bad,” Ms Kitching said in the text, according to The Australian.

“She would love to never see me again.”

The Australian also revealed on June 22 last year, Ms Kitching told deputy Labor leader Richard Marles she was being frozen out of the Senate leadership team.

It was reported Mr Marles told Ms Kitching he would try to “sort it out”, but the situation was never resolved.

Mr Albanese on Friday morning again rushed to the defence of Senator Wong, who has become embroiled in allegations she was the leader of a “mean girls” group that ostracised Ms Kitching in the final two years of her life. Senator Wong has denied the assertions.

“I think that the people who’ve been targeted here, Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher, are people I’m very proud to have as part of my ream,” Mr Albanese told FIVEaa.

“That’s not to say that we can’t always look to do better. Politics is a really tough business.”

WONG’S ‘CHILDLESS’ COMMENT WAS ‘CRUEL’

Senior Labor figure Penny Wong has been plunged further into controversy as retiring Liberal MP Nicolle Flint lambasted her for making a “cruel” remark about late senator Kimberley Kitching having no children.

In shocking comments that resurfaced on Thursday, Senator Wong told Ms Kitching “if you had children, you might understand” during a senior Labor meeting about climate emergency protests in 2019.

Ms Flint, who suffers from endometriosis, said the offensive barb was “devastating”.

“Like Kimberley, I’m a woman who desperately wanted to have children but haven’t been able to do so,” Ms Flint said.

“And I can tell you, there is no more cruel thing you can say to women like us.”

Nicolle Flint said Senator Wong’s comments were “devastating”.

During the 2019 meeting, Ms Kitching argued a Greens Senate motion that supported school students engaging in civil disobedience at climate protests was “virtue signalling”.

Her comment prompted Senator Wong’s remark, which was said to have deeply offended Ms Kitching, who loved children but was unable to have any.

Senator Wong did not respond to The Advertiser’s request for comment.

The South Australian senator remains under fire over Ms Kitching’s allegations she was part of a “mean girls” group that iced her out of Labor’s inner circle in a pattern of hostile behaviour revealed by The Australian.

Senator Wong cancelled her appearance at a Labor fundraiser event in the Northern Territory on Monday to attend Ms Kitching’s Melbourne funeral.

In March 2021, Ms Kitching penned a heartfelt apology to Ms Flint for the sexist attacks she had endured from left-wing Labor supporters during her time in politics.

The 949-word letter was an opinion piece to be published in a newspaper, but for her own personal reasons, Ms Kitching decided to never make it public.

It outlined serious concerns she had held for the Labor Party, including how it “did nothing” to shut down the years of online abuse and attacks from activists GetUp Ms Flint suffered.

“My party needs to be much more vigilant in shutting down and repudiating gender-based political violence,” she wrote.

“Nicolle Flint deserves nothing less than an apology – plain and simple. I’m sorry, Nicolle.”

Ms Kitching went on to write: “Labor needs to say in response to Nicolle’s confronting words is nothing more or less than ‘we’re sorry. We can’t deny the truth of what you say because we saw it and did nothing … We’ve called out the speck in the Liberal eye on those issues without acknowledging the log in our own”.

Ms Flint said she had not met Ms Kitching properly when the letter was written.

“I think (that) really shows what a kind, caring, compassionate and principled woman she was,” Ms Flint said.

“She wrote it because it was the right thing to do.”

QUESTIONS FOR THE LEADER

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has refused to answer questions on whether he will discipline SA Labor senator Penny Wong over claims she ostracised her colleague Senator Kimberley Kitching.

Mr Albanese arrived in Adelaide on Thursday and joined state Labor Leader Peter Malinauskas on the SA campaign trail at a pre-polling booth in Modbury.

Asked if he would reprimand Ms Wong over shocking allegations of ostracising and bullying the late Senator Kitching, Mr Albanese declined to answer and instead said he was “here to help the South Australian campaign and I’m here to help elect Peter Malinauskas as premier of South Australia”.

Ms Wong become embroiled in claims she was the leader of a “mean girls” group that iced Ms Kitching out of the party’s inner circle.

The allegations emerged as former Labor MP Michael Danby revealed Ms Kitching suffered treatment that was “nothing short of bullying” in the months before she suddenly died of a heart attack last week.

Mr Albanese was also asked if he would investigate the allegations.

“I think people should … give (Ms Kitching) the respect she deserves,” he said.

Following their appearance at the pre-polling booth, the federal and state Labor leaders joined veteran SA senator Don Farrell for dinner at the Village Tavern at Golden Grove.

Labor Senator Penny Wong, under fire, will attend Kimberley Kitching’s funeral.

CANCELLED ATTENDANCE

Under-fire South Australian Labor Senator Penny Wong cancelled her appearance at a political fundraiser in the Northern Territory to attend her late colleague Kimberley Kitching’s funeral.

Senator Wong, who is facing accusations she was part of a “mean girls” group that ostracised Ms Kitching, previously said she was uncertain whether she would attend the funeral.

Senator Wong was scheduled to headline an event titled “an evening with Senator Penny Wong” at 5.30pm next Monday.

On Thursday afternoon, her office confirmed she would attend Ms Kitching’s funeral service, due to start in Melbourne at 2.30pm, also on Monday.