Emma Husar begins legal action against BuzzFeed as Labor starts preselection for her Lindsay seat

Embattled MP Emma Husar is reportedly considering taking her own party to court, as NSW Labor begin finding her replacement.

Embattled MP Emma Husar has launched legal action against the media outlet she claims ruined her political career and is reportedly considering taking her own party to court, as NSW Labor begin finding her replacement.

The Western Sydney MP, who held the marginal Lindsay seat, is also reportedly considering taking her own party to court as she fights to keep her electorate, according to AAP.

Despite Ms Husar’s change of heart, Mr Shorten said his view hasn’t shifted since her announcement she wouldn’t run again.

“I said at the time when Emma wrote saying she wasn’t going to contest the next election, that I thought that was the right decision then, both for her and the party,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“I haven’t changed my mind.”

NSW Labor officials will meet today to settle on a preselection process to replace Ms Husar.

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Emma Husar stood up after Question Time in the House of Representatives and defended her reputation yesterday. Picture: Gary Ramage

Manager of Opposition Business Tony Burke said all MPs showed great respect when Ms Husar told parliament about her situation, adding he would not comment on the preselection process of the NSW branch and if federal MPs would intervene.

“There was no doubt in at least one of those allegations, certainly the most salacious allegation against Emma Husar, it was demonstrably untrue,” Mr Burke told ABC Radio.

“The Labor Party initiated the preselection process after Emma had said she wasn’t going to run again.

“My understanding is that it is being dealt with by our admin committee today … that’s the process there.”

Ms Husar told parliament yesterday she had launched legal action against BuzzFeed and journalist Alice Workman over an August 2 story.

BuzzFeed published the unsubstantiated allegations made against Ms Husar in a confidential Labor internal investigation, which included claims from more than 20 people.

The piece included an allegation on one occasion she flashed another federal MP in his office, which she and the other MP denied.

The investigation found she had mistreated her electorate staff, but it did not find evidence to support the flashing claims or allegations of sexual harassment.

“They went ahead and published their slut-shaming story knowing with full intent that it would go viral,” Ms Husar told parliament.

“I am not a bully. I am not Sharon Stone. I am not a thief. And I did not deliberately misuse my work expenses.”

Husar announced she was quitting politics in August after the allegations. Picture: 9 NEWS

The case will first be mentioned in court on December 21.

BuzzFeed said it is aware the proceedings had been issued.

“We’re considering our position with our lawyers and will respond in due course,” BuzzFeed said in a statement.

Ms Husar announced in August she would not contest the next election, as she faced the internal investigation.

But she has since changed her mind and rejected suggestions she is no longer the Labor candidate for next year’s federal poll.

It follows a bonanza day in Australian politics yesterday, with the last sitting day in parliament turning into a stand-off over a push by Labor and the crossbench to vote on refugee changes.

Labor also withdrew its support from the encryption laws bill and suggested amendments that would have delayed the legislation.

PM Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten cross paths during a division in the House of Representatives Chamber yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith

The government fought back with its own stall tactics in a bid to prevent the refugees bill coming to the lower house where it had the numbers to pass, in what was lining up to be an embarrassing defeat for the Coalition who would have been the first government to lose a legislative vote in the house in nearly a century.

But Scott Morrison told the Today show his scathing attack on Bill Shorten and Labor over their “game playing” was not a desperate bid to avoid the historic defeat.

“I was very determined that I wasn’t going to let the Labor Party undermine our border protection laws and play politics with national security and not pass a bill that will give police the powers to ensure paedophiles and terrorists and organised criminals could get away with using encrypted communications,” the PM said.

Labor ended up voting in the Senate last night to support the government’s encryption laws, in what Mr Shorten said today was a “sensible resolution”.