The deputy speaker called out Australia’s opposition leader for frequently misgendering her during a parliamentary debate on Thursday.
At least 17 times during his statement, Peter Dutton, a legislator for the Liberal Party of Australia, addressed the Labour party chairwoman Sharon Claydon as “Mr Speaker.”
Ms. Claydon remarked that she is “not Mr. Speaker,” but Mr. Dutton persisted in addressing her in that way.
After the opposition leader addressed to her as “Mr Speaker” 10 times, the deputy speaker issued her first warning, saying, “You continue to call me “Mr Speaker” and I have given it a lengthy reign.”
When referring to me and other members, you must use my exact title, she said.
Mr. Dutton quickly apologized and referenced the proper title. He apologized for not addressing the deputy speaker with the proper title, adding that she had a very good point.
However, Mr. Dutton quickly resumed calling the speaker “Mr. Speaker” four more times.
The opposition leader was then reprimanded by an obviously incensed Ms. Claydon, who said, “I am not Mr. Speaker.” Mr. Dutton later disregarded this warning and referred to the deputy speaker three more times.
He received criticism on Twitter for his inappropriate use of the chair’s name in what some people considered a demonstration of “rampant misogyny.”
Shiannon Corcoran, a Twitter user, commented, “Pity it was the long-suffering Sharon Claydon in the chair at the time.”
“The man is as socially and self-aware as a stone.”
Peter Murphy continued on Twitter, “I truly believe that Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor intentionally engaged in subtle sexist workplace harassment by constantly referring to the Labour government’s deputy speaker Sharon Claydon as “Mr Speaker.”
After a single warning, they should be forbidden from speaking.
