Labor senator Kimberley Kitching

2022 - 3 - 23

Post cover — Image courtesy of "Marie Claire"

Kimberley Kitching's Passing Has Exposed Allegations Of Bullying ... (Marie Claire)

Two weeks ago, former Labor senator Kimberley Kitching passed away suddenly, much to the shock of the ALP, her family and her friends.

Since the senator's funeral and following Keneally, Wong and Gallagher's joint statement, all eyes have been on what Labour party leader Anthony Albanese had to say on the matter. What we need to do is to make sure we're conscious of it." "The allegations of bullying are untrue. "All of its participants at times act or speak in ways that can impact on others negatively. As per the ABC, Kitching opened up about the alleged bullying while she was undergoing workplace education on November 5, 2021. “Her friends and ferociously loyal staff are angry about how she was treated, of course they are, and I have no quarrel with them about that. "I'm not a coroner, I can't tell you why this woman of 52 was taken from us. Senator Kitching's tragic death has been a shock to us all. On March 10, 2022, Kitching suffered a sudden, suspected heart attack on the side of a suburban Melbourne road. “It feels like yesterday looking down on a grey Derby Day that I saw her walking in,” he told guests. “But I hope it’s sufficient to say she deserved so very much better. Releasing a statement, Wong admitted that she "deeply regrets" what she said, and claimed that she had apologised to Kitching when the first reports of her remark surfaced.

Loyal Labor lieutenant? Why Kimberley Kitching had trust issues (The Sydney Morning Herald)

Kimberley Kitching lost the trust of many on her own side. Video footage of her leaking information, that later turned out to be wrong, begins to tell us ...

In private meetings later, to prove she was not making it up, Reynolds went so far as to produce for Wong, Gallagher and Keneally, video footage from the Senate chamber showing Kitching approaching her months before in early February before prayers. The matter had not been discussed in tactics, something Reynolds later accepted, so Kitching’s leak was actually not true. But the breadth and depth of hers fed the distrust. The shock was deeply unsettling for him, for his family and her family as well. They accuse them of using Kitching’s death to cut down deputy leader Richard Marles and preserve Shorten’s powerbroker status. As well as being smart and ambitious, Kitching was a tough player who revelled in political intrigue, making enemies as easily as she made friends. Kitching lost the trust of many on her own side. And they do have friends across the aisle. The Morrison factor was definitely there, and it was big enough to unsettle even more Liberals about their prospects with him at the helm. After that, sadness morphed darkly into anger, revenge and murky power plays for control of the bedevilled Victorian branch. “She didn’t ask anyone to feel sorry for her.” Instead, the focus has been the sordid campaign following the untimely death of Kimberley Kitching.

Kimberly Kitching's death ignited a political brawl. Here's how the ... (7NEWS.com.au)

Labor senators Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher were accused of ostracising and bullying Senator Kitching, who had reportedly labelled them “ ...

“Politics can be robust. “There are many questions that have been put here. Our priority at this time has been senator Kitching’s husband, Andrew, her family and her loved ones. Mr Albanese said there was always “argy bargy” from time to time within Labor, and the appointment and removal of MPs from various committees was a normal part of politics. Senator Kitching’s replacement will be named on Tuesday, with The Age reporting that Labor was considering a “consensus” candidate in order to soothe division in the party. “People are grieving and hurting. “I have certainly been on the receiving end of Kristina Keneally’s treatment and I’ve been on the receiving end of quite a number of other senior women within the Labor Party who behave in such a way,” she told Nine last Friday. “If he won’t stand up to the bullies in his own party, how can Australians trust him to stand up to the bullies in our region and those who seek to coerce Australia?” he told Sunrise on Wednesday. “Out of respect for (the family) and for Senator Kitching, we have not responded to allegations that have been made, despite them not being true,” the statement said. Senator Gallagher told the ABC “many” of the assertions in the article were incorrect from her point of view but refused to discuss the specifics. “We will do so to recognise and respect her contribution to public life,” they said in a statement a few days before the service. “To know Kimberley was to be touched not just by her serene intellect but her incredible warmth and vivacity,” former Labor leader, and friend of Senator Kitching, Bill Shorten said in a statement shortly after her death.

Albanese holds firm on decision not to call inquiry into Kimberley ... (ABC News)

Key points: The late Senator Kimberley Kitching had reportedly been bullied by some of her Labor Senate colleagues; Labor leader Anthony Albanese says proper ...

What we need to do is to make sure we're conscious of it." "We have had various changes to committees. "Were there some tensions within the Labor Party? Clearly, clearly, there were between individuals," Mr Albanese said.

Olive branch to end Labor's factional war over Kimberley Kitching ... (The Age)

Labor figures want Senator Kitching's successor to be chosen as quickly as possible to stop the infighting that has plagued the party since her death on ...

While it was never certain that Senator Kitching would be dumped, the predicament of Senator Carr, a towering figure in Labor politics who formed the modern Left faction, has been clearer. Labor sources said Ms White would probably succeed in a ballot against Senator Carr, assuming he decides to contest a vote. Senator Carr fended off a challenge from well-known industrial lawyer Josh Bornstein, who was felled by media coverage of controversial tweets, and who is unlikely to win preselection. She has secured the key support of the United Workers Union, which previously supported Mr Bornstein and holds about eight of the 40 votes in the Victorian Left’s candidate selection forum. It’s about getting rid of Kim,” one said. Both sections of the Right believe Senator Kitching’s replacement needs to be a woman.

Recording at centre of bullying claims (NEWS.com.au)

A video clip of a moment in Parliament used by Liberal frontbencher Linda Reynolds to claim she had been warned of a Labor plan to “come after her” by the ...

“But what I said was insensitive. “I didn’t and still don’t understand what on earth she was talking about,” Kitching wrote in her letter. I apologised, as I should, when I became aware that she - how she felt about it.” “I am not in the habit of confiding with Senator Wong either. Senator Kitching described the meeting as “an ambush” and asked before attending if she should “bring a lawyer” because she believed that it was a disciplinary meeting given that she was being asked to attend a meeting with the Deputy Labor leader and the Deputy Senate leader. “Moreover, it is not possible to divulge a secret plan which did not actually exist. Two weeks before.” It was on this basis that Senator Kitching was called to a meeting with Senator Kristina Keneally to accuse her of disloyalty and to remove her from the Labor tactics committee. In her own text message, Senator Reynolds expressed anger that Senator Kitching was aggressively questioning her in Senate estimates given her previous warnings that Senator Wong was going to “come after her”. Senator Reynolds also told Liberal colleagues that the information Senator Kitching had provided to her in the “tip off” also involved information that Labor Senator Tim Ayres had obtained through a Senate inquiry. Subsequently, Senator Reynolds verbally told Labor Senate leader Penny Wong and Labor Senator Katy Gallagher in June, 2021, that Senator Kitching tipped her off that Senator Wong was going to “come after her”. Months later, in June 2021, Ms Reynolds told Labor Senate leader Penny Wong and Labor Senator Katy Gallagher that Senator Kitching tipped her off that Senator Wong was going to “come after her”, over allegations linked to her office.