A Liberal senator has sensationally accused a fellow female colleague of being a bully while defending Prime Minister Scott Morrison's character.
When asked directly if Mr Morrison was a bully, Senator Hollie Hughes, who was elected to the Senate in 2019, shot back: "No."
"I have worked with both Scott Morrison and Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and I know which one I would put in one camp and which in the other," she told the ABC.
"I support Scott Morrison."
Senator FierravantI-Wells — who has lost preselection for her New South Wales Senate seat — launched a searing attack on Mr Morrison this week, accusing him of being a "bully" who "lacks a moral compass".
"In my public life, I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list … Morrison is not fit to be Prime Minister," she told the Senate on Tuesday night.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and crossbench Senator Jacqui Lambie backed Senator Fierravanti-Wells, with Senator Lambie labelling Mr Morrison "an absolute bully".
However, Financial Services Minister Jane Hume said it was "an easy accusation for someone who has it in for the government".
"I can understand why those accusations might be thrown around by political opponents," she said.
"I can also understand why Connie Fierravanti-Wells might be upset. She lost a preselection on the weekend in front of hundreds of people.
"Hundreds of people are telling you you're not the one they want this time around. It's actually very confronting."
However, Senator Fierravanti-Wells says she does not believe the preselection process was fair and has gone as far as suggesting there are corrupt forces at play within the NSW Liberal Party.
NSW preselections in chaos
A bitter factional brawl has thrown the party's preselections into chaos and, ultimately, triggered a federal takeover of the NSW branch — on the eve of an election — to select candidates in several key seats that the Liberals need to win.
On Friday, a challenge to that takeover is expected be heard in the state's Court of Appeal.
Senator Hughes — who is also from NSW — said Senator Fierravanti-Wells had an axe to grind and the veteran senator only won preselection in 2016 after Mr Morrison and then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull intervened in the process.
"She was very happy to take their intervention, their support, when I stood aside for the betterment of the party to ensure that the minister of the day was on the position and in a winnable position on the ticket," she told the ABC.
"She was very happy for that to occur, now would she have made that speech had she won a preselection on Saturday? Absolutely not."
Senator Fierravanti-Wells absolutely rejects that.
"Media reports in recent days that Scott Morrison intervened to 'save' me are incorrect," Senator Fierravanti-Wells said.
