Kimberley Kitching: Female politician calls on Albo to ‘tell the truth’

Pauline Hanson is among the female politicians calling for an investigation into claims Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching was bullied by a group of “mean girls” before her death.

Prominent female politicians have slammed the culture within the Labor Party amid “mean girls” claims, with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson calling for an investigation.

The claims follow the death of Senator Kimberley Kitching last week from a suspected heart attack. Ms Kitching’s friends, including former Labor leader Bill Shorten, say the 52-year-old felt she was under significant stress prior to her heart attack, including because of internal disputes within the party.

She was sidelined from the party’s senate tactics committee and rarely given a question to ask in parliament.

Ms Kitching died of a heart attack, with claims

she was sidelined by the Labor Party.

In private, she referred to Labor frontbenchers Penny Wong, Katy Gallagher and Kristina Keneally as “the mean girls,” according to a report from The Australian.

Keneally and Gallagher have fervently denied claims, saying they are “not true” and that it’s not appropriate to comment on the issue when people were grieving.

Ms Hanson is calling for a sweeping investigation into the allegations, describing them as “disgusting.”

“To treat one of your own with that disrespect, that’s disgusting,” she said.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson is calling for an investigation into the late Senator’s bullying claims. Picture: Liam Kidston

She said it seemed that the party had a problem with the treatment of women and their response to allegations of bullying after leader Anthony Albanese refuted Ms Kitching’s claim and said the “mean girl” comment was “extraordinarily disrespectful to describe strong, articulate, principled women” and he found it “astonishing and a throwback.”

When asked why her preselection had been delayed, Mr ­Albanese blamed a legal battle over the federal ­intervention, saying it was “up to others to explain why that occurred.”

Ms Hanson said: “I also say about Albanese, you’re there to criticise the Libs when it comes to misogyny and men but you know what mate, women can be just as big b**** with the bullying,” Ms Hanson said. “There needs to be an investigation.

Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese was outraged over the ‘mean girls’ phrase. Picture: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Liberal Party federal vice-president Teena McQueen, who was close friends with Ms Kitching, also said the Labor Party had a problem with the treatment of women and their response to bullying.

“Everything (appears to be) swept under the carpet. They’re front and centre at women’s marches with Brittany Higgins or Grace Tame but when [Kitching] needed support the most, they (apparently) stood back and did nothing,” she said.

“They take bullying seriously if it’s public and suits them.”

She also hit out at Albanese for deflecting the issue, saying him and the three Senators needed to address the issue.

“I think Albanese in particular should come out and tell the truth,” she said.

Liberal Party vice-president Teena McQueen has called out hypocrisy in the Opposition’s response to bullying of women. Picture: Kym Smith

Ms McQueen said that Kitching said she felt isolated by Keneally, Wong and Gallagher.

“When Kimberly first started discussing this with me I was shocked because I thought she would be in their inner circle but she would tell me (she felt) nothing could be further from the truth,” she said.

She says that the treatment resulted in her feeling she was “fading away to a shadow.”

“It was the stress of the situation and her not knowing if she’d be in parliament because (she felt) it was clear they were not keen on having her in a winnable spot in the Senate,” she said.

Mr Albanese and Ms Wong were given the opportunity to comment.