‘Outrageous!’: Serious accusations fly as MPs break out in extraordinary slanging match

Labor frontbencher Jacinta Allan accused Liberal MP Tim Smith of inciting violence against her family in an extraordinary slanging match that broke out in an estimates hearing today.

An angry and emotional Ms Allan accused Mr Smith of “inciting vicious attacks against me and my family” on social media during questioning about the government’s handling of taxi licences.

“You can see why she’s be upset … but to lash out at Tim Smith is a mistake.”
-Neil Mitchell

“There has been references to my husband and children,” she said, adding that someone commented that “I’m surprised I haven’t been killed by now”.

Mr Smith reacted furiously, denied the claims and asked for evidence.

At this point, Ms Allan redirected her accusation at the Liberal Party more broadly.

Click PLAY to hear the commotion break out

Afterwards, Mr Smith labelled the comments “outrageous”.

“I challenge her to make those allegations without parliamentary privilege,” he told Neil Mitchell.

However, he said he did not intend to sue if she did.

Click PLAY to hear the full interview

Ms Allan was unable to speak with Neil Mitchell because she was still inside the PAEC hearing.

She has requested a right of reply on Thursday’s program.

EXCERPT OF NEIL MITCHELL’S COMMENTS

The emotion sounded genuine to me.

I would suggest, reading between the lines, that she and/or her family have received threats — direct or indirect — on social media.

You can see why she’s be upset … but to lash out at Tim Smith is a mistake.

I think she is better than that.

I hope she goes away, has a think about it, and says ‘Look, in the heat of the moment I blamed Tim Smith or the Libs for something that some idiots are doing,.

That’s unless she has evidence that somebody somewhere has been actually stirring people up.