Labor MP Sally Sitou disputes claims she hijacked International Women’s Day event with ‘campaign-stop’ speech

A Sydney mayor has accused a Labor MP of treating a women’s day event like a “campaign-stop”, with the MP hitting back at claims she politicised her speech.

Federal Labor MP Sally Sitou has hit back after being accused of treating an International Women’s Day event as a “campaign-stop”, in a scathing letter by a local mayor.

The letter, written by Liberal Strathfield Mayor John-Paul Baladi in the aftermath of the March 6 ceremony, claimed the Reid MP politicised her speech at the morning tea at Strathfield Town Hall.

“As per convention, Ms Sitou was welcomed to say a few acknowledgments at the opening of our community event. This is out of respect for the office which she holds,” Clr Baladi wrote.

“Ms Sitou gave an address which … significantly focused on her political party’s achievements and ambitions. The language and tone used was highly self-promotional and political. Following her remarks, and as our keynote speaker began, Ms Sitou departed the event, treating it as a campaign-stop.”

“Party-political speeches of this kind have no place at our community events.”

Member for Reid Sally Sitou. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

In the letter, Clr Baladi claims Ms Sitou spoke for 20 minutes, although in video seen by The Daily Telegraph the member for Reid spoke for just over 10 minutes.

The video shows Ms Sitou speaking candidly about her maternal grandmother, a single mother of eight, who moved from China to Laos and then Laos to Australia.

Ms Sitou said of her grandmother “she didn’t get to choose a career (and) she didn’t get to choose where to live”, and highlighted how two generations later her granddaughter had become a member of Australian parliament.

The letter from Strathfield Mayor John-Paul Baladi about MP Sally Sitou. Picture: Supplied

The video shows Ms Sitou then pivoting to work done for women under the Albanese Government, including the more than half a billion dollars committed to women’s health.

“I’m proud I’m part of the first female majority federal parliament,” Ms Sitou said, before saying that minister for women and finance Katy Gallagher was “supporting women and lifting them up”.

Ms Sitou also highlighted Labor putting menopause treatments and therapies on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, meaning they’re subsidised.

“For me, International Women’s Day is a celebration of the hard fought for wins our community has made towards greater equality,” Ms Sitou told The Telegraph.

“It’s disappointing that on International Women’s Day, the Mayor of Strathfield has chosen to attack me for speaking from the heart about the women who inspire me and celebrate the gains women have made together.”

“It is my hope that the Mayor of Strathfield is willing to work constructively with me and other female representatives in our area. Because the women in our community deserve better.”

Clr Baladi doubled down on his claims when contacted by The Telegraph, saying “our Federal MP abused her position by using our community event as a campaign stop — giving her political speech and leaving, which was totally disrespectful to our keynote speakers”.

“This was inappropriate and I would say the same if anyone, of any party did the same. Sally usually is brief, but on this sole occasion overstepped the mark, and we had plenty of complaints as a result,” he said.

“I hope we can promote a more community-focused tone in the future.”

Ms Sitou holds Reid with a 5.19 per cent margin, after flipping the seat to Labor in the 2022 election.

The Liberals have put up Grange Chung, a former Royal Australian Navy member and commercial pilot, to contest the seat.

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