State MP lodges complaint about ugly stoush in parliamentary lift

A LIBERAL MP has lodged a complaint with State Parliament claiming she was verbally abused by a Labor MP in a lift.

A LIBERAL MP has lodged a complaint with State Parliament claiming she was verbally abused by a Labor MP in a lift.

Roma Britnell said she felt “threatened” during the incident, which unfolded after Hong Lim was accused of sticking his finger up at opposition MPs during Question Time.

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Mr Lim has denied he raised his finger, saying he was brushing his hair back instead.

Ms Britnell told the Herald Sun Mr Lim had verbally abused her in a parliamentary lift after she confronted him about the incident.

She said Mr Lim accused her of targeting him because of his Asian heritage and because he is old.

Victorian Labor MP Hong Lim is accused of berating an opposition MP. Picture: AAP

“I said no, it’s because of what you have done,” Ms Britnell said.

“He started abusing me, pointing his finger in my face.

“I have never felt so threatened. I was shocked, I was in a confined space.

“When the doors opened I got out, it wasn’t where I wanted to go but I had to get out.”

Ms Britnell later told a media conference that the attack was “out of control”.

“He was yelling at me, he was screaming at me, he was putting his finger in my face, he was pushing himself forward towards me.

“I was locked in the lift, I was really shaken.”

She said she had jumped in the lift on he first floor along with Mr Lim and a young woman she believed was his staff member.

She had intended to go up, but when the lift went down, got out at the ground floor.

Roma Britnell said she felt “threatened” during the incident. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Hayley Southwick, wife of Liberal MP David Southwick, also appeared at the media conference and said she and her daughter witnessed the incident while waiting to enter the lift.

“We could hear as it was coming down a lot of yelling coming from the lift,” Ms Southwick said.

“When the doors opened we saw Roma being physically approached with a finger - just really threatening towards her with really loud yelling.

“My daughter was really disturbed and quite afraid.”

The Opposition has called for Mr Lim to make a full apology.

Mr Lim was accused in Question Time of raising his middle finger in a rude gesture to the opposition benches.

Multiple MPs said they saw the gesture.

But Mr Lim told the Herald Sun it didn’t happen the way the MPs thought.

“I just brushed my hair,” he said.

“Why should I do that to any of them, they have taken offence to me. They wouldn’t do that to any other Anglo MP. They know I’m retiring.”

The ugly scenes in parliament come weeks after warring Labor MPs threatened each other in the parliamentary dining room.

That fracas saw Sports Minister John Eren accuse colleague Adem Somyurek of threatening him with a butter knife — a claim Mr Somyurek denies.

More to come.