Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shrugged off claims he “bullied and humiliated” another MP during a shouted exchange in Parliament.
Mr Albanese brushed off Coalition calls to publicly apologise to the MP Michelle Landry, insisting the Nationals MP was “actually laughing” during the heated exchange in question time on Thursday.
“Show the footage. Show the footage,” Mr Albanese told Sky News host Peter Stefanovic on Friday.
“You’ll see me having an exchange with [Opposition Leader] Peter Dutton, not with the member for Capricornia (Ms Landry), about the fact he was interjecting, yelling at me, confusing… he didn’t know his Yeppoon from his Yeppen – they’re two different places.
“It was an exchange between myself and Peter Dutton and the footage shows during that time Michelle Landry actually laughing at my response, that was good-humoured, a bit of a joke about Queenslander, a reference of course Peter Dutton didn’t know.”
The fracas developed after Queensland MP Ms Landry asked Mr Albanese on Thursday if he had broken a “personal guarantee” on funding for a road project in her electorate near Rockhampton.
Mr Albanese began speaking about work on the Yeppen flood plain, south of the city. Mr Dutton appeared to interject, calling out “Yeppoon”, a coastal town.
“Yeppoon is a different place,” Mr Albanese said, speaking more loudly.
“You might want to ask the Member for Capricornia, because Yeppoon is on the coast, north of Rockhampton, and the [Yeppen] Floodplain is to the south.”
He also yelled “Queenslander!” across the chamber, referring to the rugby league call made famous by Maroons’ forward Billy Moore.
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Watch the exchange during question time
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In video footage from the chamber, Ms Landry is seen laughing. However, she later fronted journalists to say she left the chamber distressed – in tears, according to some Coalition MPs.
At a press conference surrounding by other women LNP members, Ms Landry condemned what she described as bullying behaviour by Mr Albanese.
“I really do not appreciate being spoken to, and screamed at, by the Prime Minister as I was today,” she said.
“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.”
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley – who joined Ms Landry at the press conference – described the exchange as an “incredibly, distressing experience” for the MP. Others in the chamber “felt it”, she said.
Ms Landry said had Mr Albanese called her later on Thursday. He said his comments were directed at Mr Dutton and that he did not intend her to be upset.
“Well, he had a yell at Peter Dutton but he was looking at me, and he was screaming at me, and pointing at me,” she said.
In a statement on social media on Friday, Ms Landry acknowledged her initial laughter. but said the exchange “quickly descended into bullying behaviour … directing his anger and vitriol at me”.
On Friday, Mr Albanese confirmed his phone call to Ms Landry.
“I’m always concerned if someone is upset. I called her, that’s the courteous thing to do. I wish her well,” he said.
Then he was asked if he had apologised.
“No, she has my respect. I never said anything against her. Peter Dutton wants to interject while I’m answering a question, he can expect a response,” he said.
Speaker Milton Dick has since reviewed footage of the outburst. He said he did not see Mr Albanese show any disrespect towards Ms Landry.
“During the answer, the Prime Minister was also directly responding to interjections from the Leader of the Opposition,” Mr Dick said.
“In reviewing the footage, I did not see the Prime Minister show any disrespect to the member for Capricornia.”
