Anthony Albanese has labelled Liberal MP Andrew Laming a “creep” and blasted the Prime Minister for continuing to support him despite his inappropriate behaviour.
Announcing Labor’s candidate for his Queensland seat, the federal Opposition leader said Dr Laming had brought politics into disrepute by harassing two women and taking a photograph of another without her consent while her underwear was exposed.
“This is a creep,” Mr Albanese said on Friday, standing outside the incumbent MP’s electorate office in Cleveland.
“This guy has not represented this local community. And the LNP have kept him here.”
Mr Albanese said the Prime Minister personally supported Dr Laming’s preselection before the last election, and was allowing him to stay in the Coalition party room despite his actions.
“We know that he’s engaged in behaviour, trolling his own constituents on Facebook, hiding behind bushes and jumping out and taking photos of people,” he said.
“We know that he has trolled the local state member, Kim Richards. We know that he took an inappropriate photo of a woman at work and that had to be deleted from his camera.”
Dr Laming has been given a month of paid leave to seek counselling and empathy training.
He will return to Parliament next month but will not re-contest the next election.
Despite his misbehaviour, the Prime Minister has not expelled him from the party, because doing so would plunge the Coalition into minority government.
The LNP has been accused of “hypocrisy” for refusing to sack Dr Laming.
Jason Costigan was expelled from the Opposition in February 2019 after being accused of harassment by a woman – who later withdrew the complaint and apologised.
Labor has selected Donisha Duff as its candidate for the Liberal-leaning electorate of Bowman.
She is an Indigenous health expert who has lived in the local community of Redlands for more than 30 years.
-with AAP
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