Coalition MP Michelle Landry accuses Anthony Albanese of bullying in question time

Michelle Landry, who left question time in tears, says she felt ‘humiliated’ by Anthony Albanese | WATCH

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese rips into the opposition during question time in the House of Representatives. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Anthony Albanese has been accused of bullying Coalition MP Michelle Landry, who says she felt “humiliated” by the Prime Minister during question time.

Ms Landry is demanding a public apology from Mr Albanese after she became distressed and was escorted from the House of Representatives in tears.

In a press conference flanked by her female colleagues, who called out “enough is enough”, Ms Landry said Mr Albanese’s response to her question about funding for the Rockhampton Ring Road and the applause he received from colleagues was “fairly bullying behaviour”.

Michelle Landry fronts a press conference after Question Time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“I’ve been a federal MP down here for nine years, I’ve been involved heavily in federal politics for 12,” she said.

“I really do not appreciate being spoken to and screamed at by the Prime Minister as I was today. I asked a question, which I’ve talked to a lot of you about, the ring road in Rockhampton, and I feel that I’ve been humiliated by him and by the Labor Party.

“This is not the first time I’ve endured stuff from the Labor Party, from the Prime Minister’s office, who have spread smear campaigns about me in Rockhampton and also the stuff from some of the female MPs in the Labor Party.”

Ms Landry declared “we’ve all had enough” and she wanted to make a stand.

“If I don’t stand up against this bullying in the parliament, well they just won’t have the respect from me,” she said.

“They’re a bunch of hypocrites if they can say that everything’s so wonderful on the left, well it’s not. They treat us appallingly. Our female MPs and senators are treated like absolute garbage all the time by the left and we have had enough.

“Just imagine if Scott Morrison had done that to one of the Labor MPs, it’s just appalling and they think they can get away with it, they think they’re so self-righteous and it is just not good enough behaviour.”

Landry with the Deputy Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley and Coalition women during the press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

In parliament, Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley asked Speaker of the House Milton Dick to review footage of Mr Albanese’s response to Ms Landry, who asked if his government intended to delay $800m in Commonwealth funding to construct the Rockhampton Ring Rd – in her central Queensland electorate of Capricornia – by two years.

Mr Albanese delivered a fiery response vowing to fund the project and ridiculed the Coalition after an interjection from Peter Dutton who confused the Yeppen Floodplain with Yeppoon.

The Prime Minister was applauded by his colleagues when he concluded his answer.

Afterwards, Ms Landry was seen in distress and being comforted by her colleagues. She was then escorted from the chamber in tears.

Ms Landry confirmed Mr Albanese had called her after the incident when she was “fairly upset” but could not recall if he’d offered a direct apology.

How on earth is this answer bullying, as the PM is now being accused of. He was asked a question, was interjected with a factually inaccurate comment and he dealt with it as he should have. Give me a break… 🙄🤯🤦‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/kknRF7Ox6h#auspol

— Dr Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) October 27, 2022

The Capricornia MP in her office.

“I think he said ‘I didn’t mean to upset you’,” she said.

“The Prime Minister did say to me he has to put up with people yelling at him all through question time but that’s still no excuse for his behaviour.

“It was fairly bullying behaviour, the whole episode. If you think of it, he’s been there screaming at me and then all his MPs cheer and clap and point at me, I just think that’s disgraceful behaviour. Some of those women could have said to their colleagues this is just not acceptable behaviour but they all pile in together. If it had just been him screaming and all the rest of it, okay, but then the whole lot of them clap and cheer because I’ve been humiliated. I just think it’s bad form.”

Government sources said Mr Albanese was not trying to have a go at her.

At the end of question time, deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley asked the Speaker: “Following the Prime Minister’s response to the Member for Capricornia’s question during question time, the Member for Capricornia has left the chamber in tears and in a state of high distress.

“I ask you to review the video of the Prime Minister, his response to the Member for Capricornia and review the appropriateness of the tone of that response. I simply ask the Speaker to review the video.”

After reviewing the footage, Mr Dick said he “did not see the Prime Minister show any disrespect to the Member for Capricornia”.

The Speaker said that when answering the question Mr Albanese was also directly responding to interjections from Mr Dutton and Ms Landry appeared engaged in his response.