
Monday night's Q&A was titled 'Sex, Lies and a Better Politics', tackling the topic of respect for women and equality after last weeks Four Corners investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and a toxic culture for women in Canberra.
But it was overshadowed by former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.
In conversation with writer Jane Caro and former Labor MP Emma Husar about sexual relationships in Canberra, Joyce, a Nationals MP who had a relationship with his former press secretary Vikki Campion, continually interrupted.
Watch: Barnaby Joyce on Q&A. Post continues below video.
At one point, he cut off his female counterparts 12 times in two minutes.
The episode spoke to issues highlighted in a Four Corners episode, including an affair between Cabinet Minister Alan Tudge and a staffer, alleged inappropriate behaviour and misogyny by Attorney-General Christian Porter and more generally, a toxic work environment for women.
The episode also aired messages from a WhatsApp group featuring senior Liberal women, including current Cabinet ministers. In the group, the women despaired about the sexism of some of their male colleagues.
On the other side of the aisle, former Labor member Husar was forced to resign from her federal western Sydney seat after sexual assault allegations and bullying and harassment claims from staff in 2018.
"I don't have to answer your question."
Caro said Canberra was a "boys' club", and the only way to change this was to ensure more diversity.
She cited former Liberal staffer Rachelle Miller, one of the ABC's main witnesses in the Four Corners investigation, who may lose her new job after speaking publicly about her affair with Tudge and sexism in Canberra.
Jane Caro. Image: ABC.
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