Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie has issued an emotional rally cry to the women of the Liberal Party after Prime Minister Scott Morrison refused to meet thousands of protesters who marched on the front lawns of Parliament House.
The March 4 Justice movement saw over 40 protests take place across the country on Monday, with one of those occurring at Parliament House in Canberra where allegations of sexual assault have shocked the nation.
While the Prime Minister offered to meet a group of those who attended the Canberra rally, many are criticising the move saying what’s needed is a transparent public response.
However, Senator Lambie is not just “disappointed” in the Prime Minister; she’s criticised the women in the Liberal party who also failed to show up to the march.
“I ask the women of the Liberal Party to show some strength and get out there because you are part of this,” Senator Lambie told Today.
“Stop hiding behind your men. Get out there.
“We already know you’ve got problems in your own party. That’s been going on for years. I do not want to see you leaving Parliament and saying something then. Have the courage to stand up and do something right and say something now.”
Lambie also called on the Prime Minister to “harden up”.
“He should have shown courage and stood in front of those women, and their husbands and their sons and he should have taken it if he had to. That is life,” she said.
“It takes a lot of courage to stand out in front of those women and he did not show he had the courage.
“I think he will pay the price for this for a long time. This is not going away.”
Shadow Minister for Government Services also believes Mr Morrison “pulled the wrong rein” by not addressing the protesters publicly.
“Sometimes when you’re a leader you have to front up even if you don’t think they will be giving you a bunch of flowers,” Mr Shorten told Today.
“What the people were saying yesterday, and the men supporters, is they’ve had enough, talking about the same problems decade in and decade out.
“I think he should have turned up, sometimes being a leader means you turn up even if you’re not universally loved but women want to feel heard and he missed a golden opportunity to help that process.”
Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Sally McManus also slammed the Liberal party’s silence.
“It was a really bad move,” Ms McManus said.
“I think not coming and talking to your people, who are hurting, and are just saying, ‘We’ve had enough and we just want to be safe’.
“They should have shown, at least the Minister for Women, should have shown.”
