Anthony Albanese rejects inquiry into Kimberley Kitching bullying claims
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has vehemently denied claims his colleague Kimberley Kitching was scared of him and won’t allow an inquiry into claims she was bullied by her own party.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Anthony Albanese has rejected calls for an inquiry into the treatment of Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching in the lead-up to her death, instead backing the women accused of bullying her.
Ms Kitching’s friend and union boss Diana Asmar, who held her hand as she died, wrote she had “no doubt that the workplace bullying Kimberley endured by her Labor colleagues, inflicted on her over many years, significantly worsened her health” adding “she was under severe stress caused by workplace bullying at the hands of Labor’s senior leadership”.
The Health Workers Union boss also accused Senators Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher “the three mean girls” of locking her out of discussions on any opposition business.
She also accused Labor’s Deputy Leader Richard Marles of failing to act on Senator Kitching’s pleas to end the bullying.
Speaking on the Central Coast, Mr Albanese rejected a call for an independent inquiry into the allegations, saying “the Labor Party has processes in place …. that people can participate in”.
The Opposition Leader said that while “politics can be a robust business” it was “better for the participation of valued colleagues in leadership positions, including Penny, Katy, and Kristina” who he said “are all making an outstanding contribution”.
Asked if Mr Marles ever raised the treatment of Senator Kitching with him, Mr Albanese declined to answer, saying instead: “You go through who said what to whom. I have indicated very clearly that if people want to talk to me about issues, they walk through the door and I have regular meetings with people, including representatives of the groups, representatives of states as well as individuals.”
The blunt refusal by Mr Albanese to engage with the allegations against Senators Wong, Gallagher and Keneally, as well as Mr Marles’s response to them, and refusing to establish an internal inquiry to consider them, has angered Ms Kitching’s friends.
“They’re hoping this is going to go away – well it isn’t,” a friend of Senator Kitching said.
In Saturday’s paper, Ms Asmar said Senator Kitching had been the subject of “horrendous workplace bullying at the hands of people that may go on to lead our nation”.
In the piece, which details several instances of alleged bullying against her, Ms Asmar said Senator Kitching’s complaints to Mr Marles “fell on deaf ears’’.
Senator Kitching died of a suspected heart attack a day after Right faction bosses had refused to back her preselection at the top of Labor’s senate ticket in Victoria.
She had been suffering from a thyroid condition in recent months but her friends, including Ms Asmar, say they believe her treatment in Canberra and the uncertainty over her political future contributed to the stress she was under.
The three Senators dubbed the “mean girls” by Senator Kitching have said they plan to attend her funeral on Monday in Melbourne, along with Mr Albanese.
Former Labor MP Michael Danby backed calls for an internal inquiry, saying Mr Albanese and his deputy Mr Marles should “square their shoulders and follow Labor’s own procedures on bullying … either that or admit that wrong was done and apologise to the family”.
Mr Danby said it was impossible to trace Senator Kitching’s stress over her treatment and political future to her death but “all her friends and everyone in politics knew that in recent months she had been under terrible strain”.
Mr Danby’s intervention came as a leading Uyghur advocate in Australia revealed Senator Kitching had told her of her isolation in April 2021.
Vicky Xu tweeted that at a hearing on Uyghur forced labour in China: “Senator Kitching complained to me about being isolated from her colleagues in the party who refused to work with her on China/human rights issues”.
Under the ALP’s national policy for bullying and harassment prevention, referred to by Mr Albanese, Labor members are encouraged to take part in “active bystander intervention” to “prevent or stop bullying or harassment from occurring”.
The steps involved include noticing the situation, paying attention to what is going on nearby, deciding whether someone might need help, accepting responsibility to take action and making a plan to step in.
It also states that a member “who alleges bullying or harassment by a member of the ALP, and any person who alleges that bullying or harassment took place at an ALP gathering or event, is entitled to a respectful response from the ALP”. The Party should also ensure “a complainant has been adequately supported”.
Mr Marles was unavailable.
Albanese blames media for politicising Kitching death
By Jessica McSweeney
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has denied claims Kimberley Kitching was scared of him, blaming the media for dragging on allegations of bullying.
In a press conference on the Central Coast on Saturday Mr Albanese said Ms Kitching’s dumping from Labor’s tactics committee was not proof of bullying by Labor colleagues.
Mr Albanese blamed the media for “politicising” her death.
“I’ve got to say I think this is an unfortunate discussion to have two days before a funeral of someone but the media continue to ask those questions and that is unfortunate, but I understand that people are also pushing these issues,” he said.
“Take for example the matter of the tactics committee – I was the leader of the government in the house of representatives and the manager of opposition business for a decade, I wasn’t put on the tactics committee.”
Kimberley Kitching was hauled into Kristina Keneally’s office and accused of disloyalty before being dumped from the committee, prompting the late senator to write a letter detailing alleged bullying and mistreatment, The Australian reported.
“It’s the nature of the business, there are people who want to be in the shadow cabinet who aren’t, there are people who want to be in the outer ministry who aren’t, there are people who want to be assistant shadow ministers who aren’t that is not discrimination against any individual – they are circumstances which is the nature of politics.”
Mr Albanese said Penny Wong had already apologised for her comments towards Ms Kitching and said he and Ms Kitching had travelled together, denying assertions she was scared to talk to him.
“Kimberley and I travelled together, go have a look at the photos, we enjoyed each other’s company on that trip,” he said.
“Kimberley Kitching was a fierce and committed and passionate political advocate and every time I saw Kimberley participating be in the senate or Labor Party she was someone that was not backward about coming forward, and that is one of the reasons it’s a great tragedy she has departed too soon.”
Mr Albanese said he is “always available” if anyone has issue within the Labor Party.
“I’ve indicated very clearly if people wanted to talk to me about issues, they walk through the door and I have regular meetings with people including representatives of the groups, representatives of the state as well as individuals at all times I’m available to be directly spoken to,” he said.
Mr Albanese maintained the current processes were enough and an inquiry into the allegations wasn’t needed.
“We have a process established which is there, the statements that have been made have been answered by the people who have been directed to, people have raised issues with me and I’ve directed it.”
More Coverage
Labor Party bullies wrecked Kimberley
‘I was angry and I stand by all of it’
“[Politics} can sometimes, because people are passionate about ideas can be difficult,” he said.
“The one statement that has been made of anyone saying something to Kimberley that was inappropriate, Penny Wong, has acknowledged that was inappropriate, apologised to Senator Kitching a the time and has reiterated that.”
Hundreds of cops gather, brace for October 7 protests, vigils
Police officers from across Sydney have gathered in their hundreds for briefings ahead of vigils and protests marking the grim anniversary of Hamas attacks on Israel.
‘Only choice is a tent’: Mass evictions at coastal complex
An “affordable” residential complex has given their dozens of residents 30 days to find a new home, after the property owners revealed they were ending the business’s leases.