After pushing a parliamentary aide yesterday and hurting him outside the House of Representatives, seven federal Coalition Politicians were obliged to apologize.
The behavior of backbenchers Zoe McKenzie and Sam Birrell, former deputy speaker Llew O’Brien, shadow energy minister Ted O’Brien, shadow immigration minister Dan Tehan, and shadow defence minister Andrew Hastie, according to speaker Milton Dick, left him “disgusted.”
Dick had ordered the doors closed so that a vote could take place when the MPs forced their way out of the room, slamming the staff woman into a door frame and breaking her arm.
At the beginning of parliament on Wednesday, Dick declared, “I’m extremely horrified by this behavior and I will not tolerate it.”
“It is disrespectful and a very serious problem for a staff member of this establishment to be treated in this manner when they are merely performing their duties.
The members physically forced their way past the attendant to exit the chamber, which caused them to be struck in the doorframe and sustain arm injuries. This is the most serious aspect of the incident.
The seven Lawmakers all expressed regret for their behavior, with some of them apologizing specifically to the attendant.
I departed yesterday against your instructions, and I sincerely apologize to the House and to you, O’Brien stated.
I also apologize to the staff members who may have taken part in this. Crowd control is not one of the excellent jobs that our staff members in this chamber perform. I apologize once more for that.
