One of the NSW Liberals’ most senior women says the party should not work closely with Mark Latham, contradicting the opposition leader’s stance that the party would “work with everybody”.
A day after Mark Speakman said that “you’ve got to hold your nose” and work with the rogue upper house MP, Kellie Sloane told ABC Radio she was not comfortable with Latham’s actions in parliament.
Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane.Credit: James Alcock
“I ran a big business before I came into politics, I employed a lot of people, and if any of them had behaved in the workplace the way he had I, quite frankly, would have sacked them,” she said.
“I don’t think we should be working closely with Mark Latham at all.”
Sloane, seen as a star performer in the party, said that aside from allegations of abuse made by Latham’s former partner, there are “other reasons why lots of people are uncomfortable about working with Mark Latham”.
Loading
Her comments appear to contradict statements made by Liberal leader Speakman on Tuesday, who said he would work with anyone elected to parliament “whether we like it or not”.
Latham and upper house Liberal MP Damien Tudehope have jointly written an amendment to the government’s workers’ compensation bill that would introduce an additional test for sexual harassment claims. Under the amendment, a person who makes a sexual advance towards a colleague would need to have known, or should have known, that the advance was unwelcome.
Speakman and Tudehope have taken public stances against Latham’s alleged conduct, but both said working with him on workers’ compensation reforms or other issues is necessary while he remains an elected member of parliament.