‘Sickening, dangerous’: Nicolle Flint takes aim in valedictory speech

Liberal MP Nicolle Flint retires from parliament with a scathing valedictory speech about her experience in politics.

Liberal MP Nicolle Flint signs off from parliament with a powerful speech about the abuse she’s endured. Picture: AAP

Liberal MP Nicolle Flint says she has been subject to “repetitive, sickening, sexist, and misogynistic abuse and dangerous behaviour” since entering politics in a final address to parliament before retiring.

Ms Flint, who announced early last year she would quit politics, has been vocal about the abuse she’s endured as a female politician.

And in her valedictorian speech to parliament today, she called for more legal protections to stop it from happening to others.

“Women will continue to be attacked, abused, belittled, gossiped about, and lied about until we have blanket protection that says it’s an offence to offend, insult, humiliate and intimidate women,” Ms Flint said.

“I hope everyone here today and especially those in the next parliament can give this some consideration.”

She said a clause in the Sex Discrimination Act providing “all-encompassing protection from sexism and misogyny” should be discussed.

“This is a hard place to be a woman, whether you’re a staff member, MP or senator,” she said,

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal Party member for Boothby Nicolle Flint in Adelaide. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

“We are half of the population. I hope everyone here today and especially those in the next parliament can give this some consideration.”

Ms Flint criticised Anthony Albanese for failing to act on any misogynistic behaviour that was brought to his attention.

She said she had written several letters to the opposition leader but he had done nothing to respond to her concerns about behaviour of men on his side of politics.

“Men on the left, some of whom are public figures of influence, have done the following: they’ve stalked me, suggested I should be strangled, criticised the clothes I wear and the way I look, called me a whiny little bitch repeatedly, repeatedly called me weak, a slut … and much, much worse over email online, on YouTube, on Facebook and on Twitter,” Ms Flint said.

“They’ve commented that I should be raped … that I’m doing sexual favours for all my male colleagues, that I should be killed, that I should kill myself and many, many more things that I will not repeat.

“To the Left … you need to finally show some leadership and put a stop to this sort of behaviour … If they don’t, well they’re not really leaders, are they?”

In an emotional address, Ms Flint said social media companies had enabled “toxic sewage” to spill into her life and those of “innocent hardworking Australians every day”.