Chris Kenny: How can this be allowed to occur on our university? A professor effectively hounded, intimidated in the workplace?
Senator Henderson: Well, Chris, good afternoon. I have to say it’s absolutely appalling and to be targeted in the way that Professor Prawer was, is a disgrace. I do commend the University of Melbourne for calling the police, because the police arrived and immediately ensured that those protesters, and we don’t know whether they were students and staff, that’s still being ascertained, that they were removed. But this is absolutely disgusting and it’s in stark contrast to the gross mismanagement of anti-Semitic incidents on university campuses over many months when, of course, vice-chancellors did basically nothing, whether it was the protest encampments, whether it was the occupation of buildings, or other shocking incidents. So it is appalling. But it does build the case that we’ve been pushing for, Chris, which is a judicial inquiry into antisemitism at campuses. It must happen and the Prime Minister, rather than speak from both sides of his mouth, has got to get on board and back this judicial inquiry.
Chris Kenny: Well, there were a couple of arrests at the University of Western Sydney yesterday at an anti-Israel protest. Have a look.
Footage: “Leave my students alone. Leave my students alone. Leave my students alone.”
Senator Henderson: So two students charged over that one, Sarah, but as you say, you want that judicial inquiry into what’s going on at universities when it comes to this antisemitism. I want to bring the debate back to Parliament and we’ve heard a lot from Labor over many years about a women problem on the Coalition side of politics about a cultural problem in parliament. And then today we get the serving chief of staff of the acting prime minister saying she’s being bullied out of her office. He’s a little more from Jo Tarnawsky.
Footage: “Ultimately, it was my daughter who convinced me to come forward. When I was in a completely broken state a few weeks ago, she said, “mum, maybe if told people the truth, maybe someone would help you.”
Sarah Henderson, what’s going on here? What needs to happen?
Senator Henderson: Well, Chris, obviously everyone deserves to be in a workplace which is safe and free from bullying and harassment. But I think the bottom line is that these are matters for Mr Marles and we won’t be commenting on individual staff matters. There are appropriate mechanisms now in place in the Parliament to deal with this but as I say, these are matters for Mr Marles.
Chris Kenny: But isn’t there a real issue of hypocrisy here from Labor, when they’ve been attacking the Coalition for so long and promising to do better themselves? Here’s Anthony Albanese from a few years back.
Footage: “I think we can all be kinder to each other, frankly, both within the Parliament, within our own parties and across the aisle. And I’ll lead a government that will champion the rights of women.”
Chris Kenny: Well there’s Anthony Albanese that the evidence is that not everything is sweet and kind and gentle under a Labor administration?
Senator Henderson: Well, Chris, as I say we now have much improved mechanisms in place to support staff under these circumstances. But as I say, these are matters for Mr Marles and we don’t think it’s appropriate to be commenting any further.
Chris Kenny: Well, I admire your restraint and it’s only fair but Labor was never sensible and never showed the same sort of restraint when there have been issues on the Coalition side. Thanks so much for joining us, Sarah.