A Liberal Senator Has Apologised After Allegedly Growling At Jacqui Lambie In The Senate
“I reflected on my behaviour in question time and I acknowledge that interjections are always disorderly."
Victorian Liberal Senator David Van has been forced to apologise after being accused of growling — yes, GROWLING — at Jacqui Lambie in the Senate on Tuesday.
On the same day that the damning Jenkins Review into parliamentary workplace harassment — which detailed that one in three staffers have faced sexual harassment at work — Van was accused of the ludicrous and extremely unprofessional behaviour, which he has denied, but apologised for.
Lambie was in the middle of a speech, desperately calling upon the Morrison Government to do more to improve Tasmania’s appalling social housing, when she was interrupted by a growling noise — according to some of those in attendance.
in the Senate, Sarah Hanson-Young accuses someone on the Coalition benches of making "growling and dog noises" as Jacqui Lambie spoke
Penny Wong says she heard it from "that end" too but Senate President Slade Brockman said he didn't pic.twitter.com/qbnMZ3yw1y
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) November 30, 2021
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young was the first to call out the alleged behaviour, speaking up directly after Lambie’s speech.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate given what happened today to have growling and dog noises coming from this side of the chamber while a female member in this place is on her feet,” Hanson-Young said. “It happened. I don’t know who is responsible for it but it is inappropriate.”
Labor Senator Penny Wong seconded the claim, asserting that she also heard the growl, but could not identify who exactly made the noise.
Van later fessed up to the noise, denying claims he growled or made dog noises, but taking responsibility for the interruption. “I reflected on my behaviour in question time and I acknowledge that interjections are always disorderly,” he said.
Hanson-Young later added that — following the damning findings of the Jenkins report — all members of Parliament must do better to change the problematic culture that has since come to light.
“If we are going to change culture from the top, that means all of us,” she said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison later condemned the behaviour, telling reporters that he expects a higher standard of behaviour from his team. “I expect that of my team and I was very, very disappointed about that,” he told reporters.
The behaviour comes after the Jenkins review found that as many as 63 percent of female parliamentarians have experienced sexual harassment first-hand while working in public office.