Victorian MP Fiona Patten has called for a code of conduct for politicians after receiving a stream of abuse online, saying “it would not be tolerated in any other workplace”.
Victorian politicians inciting violence, death threats and sexually suggestive comments toward other politicians online needs to be addressed, according to a state MP.
Reason Party Leader Fiona Patten has endured thousands of abusive emails, tweets and messages in the past 24 hours while the debate on the state’s controversial state of emergency legislation was being held in parliament.
In some cases people have made death threats and sexually suggestive comments online, in some cases prompted by online posts by other Victorian MPs opposed to the extension.
Following the barrage of abuse Ms Patten has approached the head of the standing orders committee and government Minister Jacinta Allan about introducing a code of conduct governing MPs behaviour.
“I am pretty robust,” Ms Patten said.
“But what we have here are politicians inciting bad behaviour from the public through social media.
“It would not be tolerated in any other workplace. We don’t let footballers act like that online to other footballers.” …
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