"That is unacceptable": Defiant Georgie Gardener grills politicians on Today show
<p>When Anthony Albanese and Christopher Pyne were getting ready to start their day this morning, they probably weren’t expecting to be grilled by <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9now.com.au/today" target="_blank">Today</a></em> show host Georgie Gardner, who questioned the pair on the parliament's toxic culture.</p>
<p>The host started off with a poll, which over 13,000 Facebook users had participated in. The results showed that a whopping 94 per cent of voters said they did not trust politicians – with only 780 people saying they did.</p>
<p>Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop made headlines this week <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/enough-is-enough-julie-bishop-lifts-lid-on-toxic-parliament" target="_blank">as her speech</a> at the <em>Australian Women’s Weekly Women of the Future</em> awards highlighted the bullying culture and gender inequality amongst political parties. Bishop said that Australia’s political parties needed to “recognise they have a problem in attracting and maintaining women, diversity in general".</p>
<p>Bishop also spoke about the recent resignation of Liberal MP Julia Banks due to the constant bullying she was faced with.</p>
<p>“When a feisty, amazing woman like Julia Banks says this environment is not for me, don’t say ‘toughen up princess’, say ‘enough is enough’,” she said.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb">
<p dir="ltr">We put it to you, asking if you trusted our Politicians. 94% of you said "No." <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/cpyne?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CPyne</a> respond. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9Today?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9Today</a> <a href="https://t.co/Pq5WKFEmg0">pic.twitter.com/Pq5WKFEmg0</a></p>
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTodayShow/status/1037813874907525120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">6 September 2018</a></blockquote>
<p>On the <em>Today</em> show, Georgie addressed the issue at hand and asked the ministers how they planned to change that environment.</p>
<p>“Politics is a robust business and they need to start getting more modern and up with the times. People expect a different workplace and the antagonism between government and people have been a feature of politics for a very long time — for 118 years,” Pyne said.</p>
<p>“The last couple of weeks and last five years, as Anthony points out, to 10 years as I said before, has taken things to a new level. We need to recognise that.”</p>
<p>Georgie then proceeded to question whether politicians were the problem and if it was because they refused to believe the victims of bullying.</p>
<p>“The problem is you are not recognising it and Julia Banks, her allegations were dismissed as scuttlebutt, innuendo and rumour,” she said.</p>
<p>“That is unacceptable.”</p>
<p>It was when Christopher suggested that those in parliament “need to grow up,” did Georgie fire back.</p>
<p>“More than grow up, I would suggest, I would suggest start respecting women. I mean, can you imagine what woman would want to enter politics these days?” she said.</p>
<p>Scott Morrison headed to Albury on the NSW-Victorian Border – the place the Liberal party was founded by Robert Menzies – and made his first official speech as Prime Minister.</p>
<p>“This is an important ritual, for us to come here today, where Robert Menzies came, all those years ago … Robert Menzies brought them here to unite them about what they believed in, because you can’t just be about what you’re opposed to,” Morrison said.</p>
<p>But it was the PM’s reference to a government from almost a 100 years ago that riled Georgie up.</p>
<p>“Just on that speech from our new Prime Minister — who we didn’t vote for — yesterday,” Georgie said.</p>
<p>“Christopher, it talked about a new generation of Liberal leadership. But it didn’t outline any new course of action but was harking back to the golden era of the Menzies government.</p>
<p>“That is gone. That is done. We want to hear of a progressive government. Forward thinking. Give our kids hope.”</p>
<p>Do you agree with Georgie Gardner's views on our current state of politics? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below. </p>