Cat calling in federal parliament

Tasmanian Senator David Bushby left the South Australian senator fuming when he interrupted her appearance at a committee hearing with a “Meow”.

So, David Bushby miaous at Penny Wong as she is speaking in parliament and somehow it is her fault and she is the one who should harden up??? You know, we ought not be talking about this at all. It is federal parliament and federal politics and they are elected members and I certainly did not elect anyone to miaou or jeer at another senator when they are trying to speak. You do not have to listen for long to hear men jeering at women as they speak, especially Julia Gillard.She rarely gets a clear run in parliament and it is horrible to live in a country where a woman prime minister is not allowed to be properly heard.  You do not have to listen to parliament for long to know that there are some pretty low level tactics going on aimed at diminishing and disturbing the government and it is unnecessary , unworthy and uncalled for. These are federal politicians and any work place ought to be safe. It is harassment. It is an attempt to make someone who is doing their job look like a fool and then even more foolish because they then have to defend something  which they did not start. It is an appalling way to behave in a workplace and if males miaued at females in any other workplace when they were trying to speak , then they would be in trouble. The constant heckling and jeering of women , or any other parliamentary member, is bullying and to try and gag the right of others to say that they are being bullied and publicly undermined is even worse. I know it is about destabilising the parliament so that we go to an early election, but we have some standards , don't we? I 'd hate to think we have completely lost our senses. 

Identifying a bully

Am I being bullied?

• Are you being intimidated, threatened or isolated at work?
• Is your work performance always being picked on unfairly or unreasonably?
• Are you being humiliated in front of other workers?
• Are you being threatened with dismissal?
• Are these incidents continuous and persistent?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, you may be the victim of workplace bullying, but you can do something about it.