‘That’s the nature of the game’: Liberal MP denies bullying culture as member quits
The Liberal leadership spill fallout has continued into this week, with another federal MP biting the dust.
Member for Chisholm Julia Banks won’t recontest the next election, blaming “bullies” for her decision to quit parliament.
The backbencher says last week’s leadership spill was the “final straw”, and she felt compelled to call out bullying by some of her colleagues.
A list of Liberal party members, who are being accused of bullying Ms Banks, is doing the rounds.
Ben Fordham says he’s spoken to two Liberal figures on that list, with one of them revealing they haven’t spoken to Ms Banks for months.
Liberal MP Craig Kelly tells Ben Fordham politics is a “tough game” and Ms Banks has done the wrong thing by resigning.
“We receive all sorts of hostile emails and the most abusive emails that you could ever imagine from constituents.
“That’s the nature of the game.”
Mr Kelly says he isn’t aware of anyone who intimidated and bullied Liberal members into signing the petition that was needed to spark a leadership spill last week.
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