A comment by Western Australia Liberal MP has taken the media by storm. When MP Don Randall said that the mining industry was being ‘pussy whipped’ by Julia Gillard he would not have expected his comment to be the beginning of such a controversy. Or perhaps he did.
Defending his statement at the Friends of Mining lunch in Parliament House on Wednesday he said that it was a tongue in cheek type comment. He was not denying it considering it was made in the presence of various politicians such as National leader Warren Truss, Opposition Leader Julie Bishop, front benchers Brownwyn Bishop, Ian Macfarlane, Kevin Andrews, and numerous backbenchers.
Don Randall said that it was a term that was often used and that he used it as well. A number of people present found the comment offensive and misogynistic. The senior most female member of Parliament present, Julie Bishop said that she was not offended by the comment. She said that in the context he said it, it was not offensive instead it said that the Government was known for its retribution and the miners appeared too scared to take them on again.
The comment was made after the Chief Executive of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies, Simon Bennison and the chief executive of Cazaly Resources finished speaking. Mr Randall then rose to berate the industry for being too nice to Martin Ferguson, the Federal Resources Minister and for lacking to fight the government over the planned mining tax.