NSW Liberal MP Eleni Petinos has strongly denied a claim by Mark Latham that he pinched her on the bottom, calling the suggestion an “absolute fantasy” and condemning the former One Nation MP’s behaviour as “grossly inappropriate.”
“That is not in the realms of possibility,” Petinos said in a statement to The Daily Telegraph.
“Mark’s attitude towards his colleagues is disgraceful – instead of showing respect he chooses to objectify and degrade.”
The alleged bum-pinching remark was made in a private message from Latham to his former partner Nathalie Matthews, in which he said Petinos “looks pregnant” and added, “I pinched her bum lightly and she smiled!!”
The messages, reportedly seen by The Daily Telegraph, reveal a pattern of derogatory comments about female MPs, including secret photos taken in parliament and sexually charged jokes.
Petinos said: “We don’t walk around to be objectified every day.”
Despite the controversy, the Coalition is supporting Latham’s push to change the legal definition of workplace sexual harassment, prompting NSW Premier Chris Minns to urge the Liberals to cut ties with him.
Source: Daily Telegraph.
