LABOR MP Belinda Neal faces investigation by her own colleagues for misleading parliament during an ugly clash last month in which she told a pregnant Liberal MP that her "evil thoughts" could make her unborn child a demon. But the Rudd Government has used its numbers to block an Opposition bid to require that Ms Neal account to parliament for her behaviour on June 6 when she and her husband - suspended NSW education minister John Della Bosca - clashed with staff at a Gosford bar.
The political couple are under police investigation over the incident at the Iguanas nightclub, in which they are alleged to have abused staff and made threats about the club's liquor licence when asked to move from one area of the club to another.
Kevin Rudd reprimanded Ms Neal last week and ordered her to seek anger-management counselling for a pattern of "unacceptable" behaviour.
Ms Neal's position was undermined further yesterday when one of her staffers, electorate officer Melissa Batten, resigned.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. .End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. The Daily Telegraph reports today that Ms Batten, who was dining with Ms Neal and Mr Della Bosca at Iguanas and whose sworn statement on what happened is understood to differ from those of the rest of the MPs' party, quit working for Ms Neal yesterday morning.
Ms Neal has also been accused of withholding statutory declarations made by three of her dining companions. Ms Batten's lawyer Manny Conditsis said seven declarations were signed but only four had been released.
Yesterday's parliamentary debate centred on Ms Neal's May28 verbal stoush with pregnant Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella. Ms Mirabella told Acting Speaker Anna Burke that Ms Neal had told her that her "evil thoughts" would turn her child into a demon.
Ms Neal denied having made the comment, despite it being clearly audible on the parliamentary broadcast. The following day, Ms Neal apologised - a move taken by the Opposition as an admission and proof that the Labor MP had misled parliament the night before when she told Ms Mirabella she did not make the comments.
On Monday, the Prime Minister told The Australian Ms Neale's behaviour was out of step with all parliamentary standards, and virtually invited the Opposition to refer her to the all-party privileges committee.
Yesterday, Brendan Nelson did, accusing Ms Neal of "one of the most serious transgressions" possible by an MP. "To say it is bad enough; not only did she not withdraw, she claimed she hadn't actually said it," the Opposition Leader said.
Dr Nelson's proposed resolution referring the issue to the privileges committee included a long description of the events surrounding the clash between Ms Neal and Ms Mirabella. But Labor amended the motion to make it shorter and remove the description of events.
Dr Nelson said the Government was attempting to gut the probe, but the Government's Leader in the House, Anthony Albanese, insisted the committee was being asked to establish the facts of the incident and that they should not be prejudged in the wording of its reference. During rowdy scenes, Labor MPs said Ms Mirabella had also made offensive comments, including calling one MP "a pathetic man-hater".
Privileges committee chairman Brett Raguse told The Australian last night Ms Mirabella's behaviour would be examined along with that of Ms Neal. The Government has the majority of members on the committee.
