After an opposition MP suggested she should be ‘shamed and stoned’, Anne Aly, the federal minister, has condemned the remarks as ‘racist and misogynistic’ while revealing that she has received 19 death threats in the last week alone.
Context
The comments were made by Angie Bell, the Gold Coast Liberal National MP for Moncrieff, during a session in the House of Representatives. Bell stated that Aly, the small business minister, and the prime minister should be “shamed and stoned in the square” over a decision made by the tax office. Following the backlash, Bell was compelled to withdraw her statement by the speaker of the house.
Aly's Response
In an emotional post on Instagram, Aly addressed the threats she has faced, stating:
““I don’t usually comment about these sorts of things, but I feel like I have to. This past week alone, I’ve had 19 death threats on my social media. And in the past, I’ve had death threats that are couched in that exact same language: stone her.”
Aly emphasized that the comments directed at her were not only unparliamentary but also fundamentally opposed to Australian values. She remarked:
““We are a country that proudly stands against violence against women and against regimes that use brutal methods like stoning against women. This is not just something that we should just turn away from. It is racist. It is misogynistic. And it is something that should never have been said.”
