Bullying claims by female Liberal MPs routinely dismissed by colleagues, new research finds

Researchers looked at the responses to complaints of bullying and interrogation from four female Liberal MPs, including Julia Banks and Julie Bishop. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Politicians routinely dismiss allegations of bullying made by women by painting it as just the “cost of doing politics” or as something that happens to men just as much, new research has found.

University of Adelaide psychologists found female Liberal MPs were undermined, silenced and discredited by the way those in their own party treated their accusations.