A Tasmanian senator has sacked his staffer, former Play School presenter Rhys Muldoon, over a series of vile social media posts attacking conservative women and Jews
Muldoon moved to Tasmania before taking up the taxpayer-funded job in the office of Labor Senator Richard Dowling in July.
He was let go early on Tuesday after News Corp revealed the posts, which included one describing News24 broadcaster Peta Credlin as “a strap on wearing fantasy for Liberals”.
Dowling told News Corp he had been unaware of the material.
“After being alerted to abhorrent tweets from my staffer, I’ve decided to not continue with his casual contract,” he said.
“Everyone in public life has a responsibility to do better when it comes to political discourse.”
“The words used were unacceptable at any time.”
Other posts referred to Liberal Senator Dave Sharma, who is not Jewish, as a “fake Jew”.
He also labelled Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price a “quisling” during the Voice debate.
A quisling is a traitor who collaborates with an occupying foreign power, usually by serving in a puppet regime.
The term comes from Vidkun Quisling, the Norwegian politician who fronted the Nazi-installed administration in Norway and was executed for treason in 1945.
Credlin hit back on her News24 program on Tuesday night, saying she was “sick of this”.
“What is it about weak men and strong women? What is it about conservative women like me and Jacinta, that we’re considered fair game when others get defended?” she said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who invited Muldoon to his wedding, told federal parliament he did not know about the posts.
“The comments are completely unacceptable and Senator Dowling has taken immediate action and that’s appropriate,” he said.
