MPs from both sides of politics have used an entire Parliamentary sitting day to express how deeply inappropriate it would be to use an alleged sexual assault as a way to score political points and distract from other issues.
In the first of three weeks of special sessions set aside to discuss the issue, MPs agreed that the more said about not politicising the case the better.
“The last things Australians want is for an issue such as this to be exploited,” an Opposition spokesperson said. “And that’s why we’ll be using the remaining sitting days, as well as all available media interviews, to reassure Australians that this issue is not being exploited”.
Labor MPs agreed, passing a motion that will see extra time given to discussing how the case is not being politicised. “We want to use every available resource to ensure that Australians know we’re not politicising this,” a Labor spokesperson said. “There’s a cost of living crisis right now, so Australians certainly want to be assured by us – on television, on radio, in newspapers and in Question Time – that we’re getting on with the job of not exploiting a sexual assault case”.
