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Scott Morrison launches extraordinary attack on media during press conference on Canberra sex scandals

Daniel McCullochAAP
VideoPrime Minister Scott Morrison has sacked a Coalition staffer accused of performing lewd sex acts in a female MP’s office in Parliament House

Scott Morrison has launched an extraordinary attack against the media after being questioned about the treatment of women.

The Prime Minister called a press conference on Tuesday to express his disgust at the “rubbish and crap” women in politics have to put up with.

However, his empathy turned to unbridled rage when Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell asked whether he had lost control of his ministerial staff.

Mr Morrison responded by airing details of an internal sexual harassment complaint he claims occurred at News Corp.

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“Right now, you would be aware in your own organisation, there is a person who has had a complaint made against them for harassment of a woman in a women’s toilet,” he said.

“And that matter is being pursued by your own HR department.

“So let’s not, all of us who sit in glass houses here, start getting into that.”

Clennell later revealed a senior media adviser confirmed the prime minister was not referring to Sky News.

The Prime Minister was pressed on how he did not know about the alleged rape of Brittany Higgins inside a ministerial office for more than two years, yet somehow knew of a private complaint in a media company.

“That was brought to my attention late last night, and the issue of Brittany Higgins was only brought to my attention on February 15,” he said.

“The suggestion was made by a member of the press gallery that things like this don’t happen in the media, and I think that would be unfair.”

Mr Morrison was also asked whether he raised the alleged incident in the media against the wishes of the complainant, but provided no direct response.

Senior cabinet ministers who knew about the alleged rape of Ms Higgins have repeatedly claimed they did not escalate her complaint due to privacy concerns.

Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher was scathing of the Prime Minister’s performance.

“Real leadership is what was needed this morning - but we got the same old PM - angry, defensive, spiteful and calculated,” she said.

“We are all let down by this PM.”

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