A defiant Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions deceased Senator Kimberley Kitching was bullied, as he rejected calls for an inquiry and backed the alleged bullies as the “solution” to Labor’s shift towards a more female friendly party.

With the issue front and centre in the pre-election campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the double standards exhibited by Mr Albanese in not subjecting his party to the same standards he has demanded of the government, showed he was unfit to be prime minister.