Liberal Senator says she has not experienced sexism

Despite claims in a new book, a high-profile conservative politician says she has not experienced misogyny within the party.

A prominent female Liberal senator has tipped cold water over allegations made by a former MP that the Coalition is rife with sexism, bullying, and toxic behaviour, saying that Julia Banks had been “used” by the Labor Party to attack the Coalition.

Victorian Liberal Sarah Henderson told Sky News Australia’s Peta Credlin Tuesday night that the treatment that the former MP claims she experienced at the hand of the Coalition did not stack up.

“It doesn’t accord with my experience at all,” Henderson said.

“It’s no doubt that politics is a tough business, tough discussions need to be had, but even during that very difficult time of the leadership challenge I found everyone treated me with absolute respect and dignity.”

Banks sensationally quit the Liberal party after the 2018 ousting of Malcolm Turnbull as prime minister, and moved from the seat of Chisholm in Victoria to Flinders where she ran unsuccessfully as an independent against Health Minister Greg Hunt.

Banks has recently published a book, Power Play: Breaking through Bias, Barriers and Boys Clubs, in which she alleged that she was sexually harassed by a cabinet minister in the Turnbull government and that she was the victim of bullying, backgrounding, and attempts to silence her by Scott Morrison’s office.

Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson said she has not seen the culture of sexism described in a new book by former federal MP Julia Banks. Picture: David Geraghty

However, Henderson said that Banks’ attacks on the Liberal party were the result of her being encouraged by the Labor Party to damage the Coalition because of her bitterness over the leadership spill.

“I know there was a great deal of disappointment when she not to recontest the election,” Henderson said.

“I think that perhaps the Labor Party has used Julia … she made a decision to turn her back on the people of Chisholm and contest the seat of Flinders.

Henderson added that the controversy over Banks’s book was obscuring the ALP’s problems garnering support with women.

“I think it is because Anthony Albanese is struggling with (both) men and women,” Banks said.

“Albanese has a minus 12 rating for men and a minus 14 disapproval rating for women, that’s hugely below the prime minister,” she added, referring to a poll released this week by the Nine newspapers.

“The Labor Party has a real problem with women when it comes to Anthony Albanese.”

“While they do a lot of politiciking the facts tell a very diff story and there’s still the allegations made by Emma Husar in Western Sydney (which is) only a few seats away from Albanese’s (seat),” she said.

Originally published as Liberal Senator says she has not experienced sexism