Ally Langdon unloads on Labor deputy leader, Richard Marles over Kimberley Kitching bullying claims

After a Labor MP appeared to duck questions over bullying claims, the Today host Ally Langdon blew up.

The deputy Labor leader has continued the party’s tight-lipped response in regards to allegations of ‘mean girls’ behaviour in the wake of Senator Kimberley Kitching’s death.

In the days after it was announced, the senior Labor member had died of a suspected attack, it’s been alleged Ms Kitching was ostracised and bullied by fellow senators, Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher.

Appearing on the Today show on Friday morning, Richard Marles was grilled by host Ally Langdon. After Mr Marles refused to answer whether Labor would be launching an official inquiry into the allegations, or if she had “raised allegations of bullying” with Mr Marles, Ms Langdon asked if he “personally” felt like he had “let down” Ms Kitching.

“You can ask me that question in a range of ways … I'm not going to walk down that path,” he said.

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Ally Langdon grilled Richard Marles over how and whether the Labor Party would respond to allegations Kimberley Kitching was bullied before her death. Picture: Channel 9/Today

After he declined to respond, Ms Langdon continued with her questioning.

“When is the time, Richard – when will these allegations be dealt with if it’s not now? Can you give me a date?” she asked.

In response, Mr Marles said the focus of the Labor Party was currently on ‘honouring’ their late colleague.

“Right now we want to honour Kimberley Kitching, who she was, what she achieved, the warm and wonderful person that she was and that’s what I’m focused on,” he replied.

“That’s what we are all focused on within the Labor community at the moment. I think that’s fair enough.”

Ms Kitching died of a suspected heart attack at the age of 52. Picture: David Smith

On Friday morning, former Labor MP Emma Husar said Labor Leader Anthony Albanese was behaving like a “gaslighting narcissist” over the bullying claims.

Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Husar said she was also a victim of bullying within the party and had developed a heart condition due to the stress.

“A woman lost her life and there were circumstances that point to the Labor Party, but what Albo is doing here (by turning the phrase around) is absolute gaslighting,” Ms Husar said.

“This is the phrase Kimberley Kitching used to describe her (alleged) bullies. If this was on a different sort of work site where would the ALP, which says it is the party of workers, be then?”

When asked whether there was “a problem with bullying within [the Labor Party],” Mr Marles said that “not for a moment do I believe we are perfect, I don’t” and that “issues or culture are limited to one side of politics”.

“We seek to have an excellent culture and that means we need to be constantly examining ourselves, open to that examination and we need to be reviewing our processes,” he said.

Emma Husar said Anthony Albanese has acted like a ‘gaslighting narcissist’ in response to allegations Ms Kitching was bullied before her death. Picture: Supplied.

On Thursday, news.com.au’s Political Editor, Samantha Maiden exclusively reported that the Victorian Senator had made a formal complaint to a PwC consultant brought in to deliver training on “safe and respectful workplaces”.

Before her death, Ms Kitching confirmed she had made the disclosure to news.com.au, which was also confirmed by her colleagues.

“I am being bullied,’’ she said. She said the female employee from PwC then asked her if she would find the training “triggering”.

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten added to speculation when he told ABC radio he believed the stress of Labor’s preselection process may have been a contributing factor in her death.

“I am not a coroner. I can’t tell you why this woman of 52 was taken from us,” he said, in tears. “But I have no doubt that the stress of politics in the machinations in the back rooms had its toll.”

Originally published as Ally Langdon unloads on Labor deputy leader, Richard Marles over Kimberley Kitching bullying claims