Labor senator Kimberley Kitching

A trio of Labor senators accused of bullying Kimberley Kitching have denied the allegations.

"All of its participants at times act or speak in ways that can impact on others negatively. Former Labor MP Michael Danby also called for an apology. The trio confirmed they will attend Senator Kitching's funeral. Senator Wong said she had apologised to Senator Kitching at the time and "understood that apology was accepted". The statement accepted politics was a "challenging profession" in which debates could be "robust and difficult". We do so because we want to make a contribution to the nation."

Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher call allegations they 'ostracised' their late colleague 'untrue' and 'hurtful'

But we embrace each other, and we embrace our mission, our collective mission, and we mourn together the loss of someone really substantial,” he said. Senior Labor figures disputed the reports, with Albanese calling for “respect” in the wake of Kitching’s death. She has criticised Albanese for some time, claiming he told her that she was owed an apology, which she said she had not received. The former Labor leader Bill Shorten, a close friend of Kitching, first raised issues publicly around her preselection on the morning after her death. “All of its participants at times act or speak in ways that can impact on others negatively. Senior Labor members Penny Wong, Kristina Keneally and Katy Gallagher have denied allegations they contributed to “bullying” against the late Kimberley Kitching, calling the claims “untrue” and “hurtful”.