Minister threatens to name ‘every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office about which rumours in this place abound’, but later withdraws

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Michaelia Cash threatened to name young women in Bill Shorten’s office “about which rumours in this place abound” in retaliation for ongoing questions about her staff and the Australian Workers’ Union raids.

The extraordinary threat in Senate estimates on Wednesday suggests – after Barnaby Joyce’s resignation and changes to the ministerial code of conduct to ban sex between ministers and their staff – that political staffers may be drawn into day-to-day political combat.

After first defending the remarks, Cash withdrew what Penny Wong called “outrageous slurs” under the threat of Labor raising the matter in the Senate.

Cash had returned to estimates, continuing to block questions about whether her former senior media adviser, David De Garis, was involved in a tipoff to the media about the Australian federal police raid of the AWU.

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The leak is being investigated by the AFP, who confirmed in earlier estimates sessions that it has interviewed more than 10 staff in at least two political offices but has not questioned any ministers.

The Labor senator Doug Cameron asked about the movement of staff out of Cash’s office after De Garis resigned and the appointment of a new chief of staff.

Cash confirmed her new chief of staff was not drawn from an agency she oversees and said he or she is “well qualified”.

But when asked if he or she was drawn from another Liberal office, the jobs and innovation minister noted the general rule is not to ask questions that identify ministerial staff. She then unleashed an extraordinary tirade and threat of reprisal against Labor.

“If you want to start discussing staff matters, be very, very careful,” she said.

“I am happy to name every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office about which rumours in this place abound.

“If you want to go down this path today I. Will. Do it.

“Do you want [me] to start naming them? For Mr Shorten to come out and deny any of the rumours that have been circulating in this building for many many years. [It’s a] dangerous path to go down, and you know it.”

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Cameron suggested that Cash “take a chill pill” and the employment estimates committee was suspended several times.

Liberal senators including the committee chair, Lucy Gichuhi, attempted to move the hearing on to different outcomes in the employment portfolio, while Cameron argued to continue his line of questioning after what he called a “crazy performance” by Cash.

The Labor leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, called on Cash to withdraw the “outrageous slurs”, which she said were sexist and impugned the character of Shorten and his staff.

She cited the prime minister’s “moralising speech” about making parliament a better workplace for women and noted Cash, a former minister for women, was representing the minister for women in Senate estimates.

Cash said she did “not agree” with Wong’s summation and accused Cameron of “maligning her staff”. After Wong threatened to raise the matter in the Senate, Cash said: “If anyone has been offended – I withdraw.”

Cameron resumed questions about whether the former Australian Building and Construction Commission chief, Nigel Hadgkiss, was indemnified for legal costs after resigning for breaching the Fair Work Act.

The shadow minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, told the lower house Cash had launched a “disgraceful attack on the young women working in this building”.

Plibersek said she was offended on behalf of “smart young women working for me” and noted that Cash’s apology was conditional – “one of those mealy-mouthed, weasel apologies ‘if anyone was offended’”.

She called on Malcolm Turnbull to “make her offer a proper apology to all of the young women she has offended”.

On Wednesday Buzzfeed reported that a journalist claims to have received a tip-off from then-justice minister Michael Keenan’s office about the AWU raid, although a spokesperson for Keenan denied his office’s involvement.

On Tuesday the deputy commissioner, Leanne Close, said the AFP hoped to conclude its investigation “fairly soon” but it had uncovered new witnesses to interview and “different crimes” in relation to the AWU raid leak matter.

Despite carrying a maximum two-year jail term, the AFP said the leak is not its greatest priority. Two AFP teams of about 16 people are conducting the AWU raid leak investigation.

Guardian Australia has approached Shorten’s office for comment.