Queensland’s shadow minister for women shouted “close your legs” at her Labor opponent during a wild outburst in parliament.
Shannon Fentiman, the Minister for Women, Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services, was speaking in Queensland State Parliament on Wednesday when the rude comment was made by Member for Mudgeeraba Ros Bates.
‘Close your legs!’ Ms Bates shouted, prompting Ms Fentiman to stop speaking and look visibly shocked.
Fellow politicians groaned in disgust before Ms Bates was asked to retract her comment.
She quickly stood up and said she had retracted the comment, but has since been heavily criticized.
Shannon Fentiman (pictured) was told to ‘close your legs’ in parliament on Wednesday and appeared visibly shocked by the comment
Queensland Premier Steven Miles branded the comment ‘disgraceful’.
“No woman should be treated like this in the workplace, or anywhere else for that matter,” he wrote on X.
Ms Fentiman shared a clip of the outburst on her X account, explaining that she had been discussing women’s healthcare and maternity care at the time.
In response to the backlash, Ms Bates shared a lengthy statement on her own social media, shockingly demanding an apology from Ms Fentiman.
She claimed the comment was not about the Health Minister, but about “Queensland’s alarming maternity crisis”.
Ros Bates was asked in parliament on Wednesday to withdraw the comment
Queensland Premier Steven Miles branded the comment ‘disgraceful’
“We have seen women giving birth on the side of the road in Queensland because maternity services were closed in regional areas, and this is what we demanded an answer from the Minister of Health today,” she said.
Ms Bates went on to say Ms Fentiman was “aware” she had been a victim of domestic abuse.
“It is deeply offensive that she is mischaracterizing my words for her own political gain and trying to portray me as a misogynist,” she continued.
In response to the backlash, Ms Bates shared a lengthy statement on her own social media, shockingly demanding an apology from Ms Fentiman.
“As Minister of Health and Minister for Women, Shannon Fentiman should be ashamed of herself.
“I demand that the Health Minister apologizes and admits that she deliberately misrepresented Parliament.”
X users were unimpressed by her statement, with one saying it was a ‘pathetic statement’.
“Inappropriate and unprofessional anyway,” said another.
“If this is true, why did you retract this comment?” wrote one.
“It doesn’t cut it,” said one X user.
“The truth does matter and we all heard what you said no matter what nonsense you trot out here,” another commented.
The shadow minister has been heavily criticized online for her outburst