THERE are few things that shock me anymore, but the death of Kimberley Kitching did. In my first term of parliament only a few MPs and senators have stood out to me on account of their intelligence and their ability to stand firm on important issues. Kimberley was one.
It was Kimberley who presented the Magnitsky legislation, which was outstanding and absolutely necessary. The law allows for governmental sanctions against foreign individuals who have committed human rights abuses or have a record of significant corruption overseas.
Kimberley spoke five languages, which in itself was astounding. She was a bright light for Labor, extinguished too soon. The fact she was suffering with thyroid disease is important, and while the exact cause of the disease is unknown, it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The onset of the disease may be triggered by physical or emotional stress.
Politics is not for the faint-hearted and Kimberley was not. But the alleged bullying by her female leaders was appalling and stressful. She made a formal complaint about her treatment by the Labor senators she termed the “mean girls” – Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong, and Katy Gallagher – to the deputy leader of the party, Richard Marles and to the workplace consultants brought in to address workplace safety. We don’t know if anything was actioned from these disclosures, but we should know.
Labor, who have been virtuously outspoken about bullying, now deny the allegations and refuse to speak about them, dismissing it as “offensive” and “disrespectful” to Kimberley. Anthony Albanese and his team have obfuscated and denied any and all questions about this.
Really? This is called gaslighting.
As Joe Hildebrand articulated, respecting her legacy would involve a genuine and thorough investigation into the allegations Kimberley Kitching raised. Labor vigorously targeted the Prime Minister over allegations they treated as fact, but now the pressure is on Labor to prove whether they are genuine about this issue. In the meantime, their hypocrisy will show, while we all mourn the death of a courageous and wonderful senator.
Vale Kimberley Kitching. Taken too soon.
