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<\/p>\nA parliamentary committee has been suspended after a clash between the Labor chair Glenn Sterle and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie, during which he called her an ignoramus, a fool and said he would “cut her up” in a debate.<\/p>\n
Senator McKenzie was questioning the Department of Infrastructure and Transport about road funding, when she said the truck industry would be unhappy with the federal government’s approach to the fuel excise and taxes on small business.<\/p>\n
It prompted a heated argument with Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport committee chair and Labor senator Glenn Sterle, who later apologised for “frustrations boiling over”.<\/p>\n
Senator Sterle initially offered to debate Senator McKenzie on the policies “in any forum, in any state, anywhere in Australia \u2026 cause I’ll cut ya up”.<\/p>\n
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Glenn Sterle called Bridget McKenzie a fool, in a 2-minute heated debate. (AAP: Lukas Coch)<\/p>\n
“You’ll cut me up?” Senator McKenzie questioned.<\/p>\n
“Metaphorically, yes. I’ll carve you up, is what I should say,” he responded.<\/p>\n
Mr Sterle later said he was always happy to defend the government but regretted “using a few of my choice words”, stating he took them back.<\/p>\n
The argument between the two senators lasted a couple of minutes, with Senator Sterle at one point standing up and asking whether he could trade spots with the department they were supposed to be questioning.<\/p>\n
“Can I come and sit down there minister? Can we swap? And I can educate the ignoramus from the other side here,” he said, pointing at Senator McKenzie.<\/p>\n