Sexism row erupts in state parliament after Opposition accuses Liberal MP Tim Whetstone of labelling women ‘the B team’

A Liberal MP has been forced to withdrawn a comment he made after a series of questions from female Labor MPs. Watch it here.

A sexism row has erupted in state parliament, after the opposition accused a government MP of labelling female politicians “the B team”.

Following questions from deputy opposition leader Susan Close and Reynell MP Katrine Hildyard, Tim Whetstone heckled: “they’ve got the B team out today”.

The member for Chaffey then withdrew the comment, which he said referred to the Labor Party.

Katrine Hildyard said Tim Whetstone’s “the B team” remark was disgraceful. Picture: Kelly Barnes/AAP

The exchange came as the government faced a series of questions on Wednesday relating to cuts to women’s services, including $3.7 million from the Victim Support Service and $780,000 from the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Assistance program.

Premier Steven Marshall rose late in question time to defend his government’s policies.

“I am extraordinarily proud of the way that my government has addressed a range of issues which affect women in South Australia since coming to government.

“We have advanced a range of legislation,” he said.

But Ms Hildyard said Mr Whetstone’s remarks, which she labelled “disgraceful”, represented a wider problem.

Tim Whetstone withdrew the comment, which he said was directed at the Labor Party. Picture: Matt Loxton

“They (the remarks) are not surprising given the cuts this government has made to programs that support women and given their appalling lack of women in their parliamentary ranks,” she said.

“In the same week thousands of people marched across Australia … a Marshall Liberal Government MP dismissed female MPs as ‘the B Team’,” she said.

She called on the premier to condemn his former minister for primary industries.

“That sexist attitude has no place in our society, let alone our parliament,” she said.

Earlier this week, up to 8000 people packed Victoria Square for Adelaide’s March4Justice event, calling for an end to gendered violence and sexism in workplaces, as well as in the political and criminal justice system.