Nationals MP Michelle Landry has been widely criticised for comments she made about a staffer who was sacked after he was accused of performing a lewd sex act.
Ten News reported on Monday a group of Coalition staffers filmed and shared images and videos of themselves performing sex acts in Parliament.
An unidentified whistleblower claimed one man had masturbated on the desk of a female MP and that sex workers had been brought into Parliament House.
Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry described the man who was sacked as “a really good worker” and said he "loved” working at Parliament House.
“I feel bad for him about this but it’s unacceptable behaviour,” she added.
Her comments drew fury among some social media users and MPs.
When asked about Ms Landry’s comments, Labor MP Kristina Keneally appeared shocked.
“She said what?” Ms Keneally asked reporters, who then read Ms Landry’s full quotes to her.
"How about feeling bad for the cleaners who had to come in and clean after that disgusting mess? How about feeling bad for the female MP on whose desk was disrespected?" Ms Keneally added.
“I’m left without words that this is the response from Michelle Landry.”
Responding to Ms Landry’s comments, one Twitter user said: “Well knock me down. This woman finds this behaviour unfortunate. All about his needs with no condemnation or apology to women.”
“It beggars belief that she could say she feels sorry for him,” another person added.
Journalist Amy Remeikis tweeted: “Politician feels bad someone is suffering from the consequences of their own actions. Right.”
Ms Landry’s comments came right before the Prime Minister’s press conference, where he conceded he was “shocked and disgusted” by the allegations in Ten’s report.
Not mincing words, the PM said women “have put up with this rubbish and this crap for their entire lives, as their mothers did, as their grandmothers did."
"It has been a month of such reports. We must get this house in order,” he added.
Mr Morrison also conceded that some of his previous comments had not been well-received by Australians.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison Source: AAP Image/Lukas Coch
In February, the PM was widely criticised for claiming he sought his wife’s advice in response to Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations.
"Jenny and I spoke last night and she said to me, you have to think about this as a father. What would you want to happen if it were our girls?" he told reporters.
Last week, Mr Morrison was shunned after claiming it was a triumph that protesters marching for women's rights outside Parliament House weren't "met with bullets".
"Not far from here, such marches, even now are being met with bullets, but not here in this country," Mr Morrison told Parliament.
"This is a triumph of democracy when we see these things take place."
Mr Morrison said he accepted the criticism for his comments and acknowledged "many Australians, especially women, believe that I have not heard them, and that greatly distresses me."
"I have been doing a lot of listening over this past month,” he added.
Earlier this morning, Liberal MP Karen Andrews said it’s time to give “serious consideration” to quotas for women in Liberal Party preselection.
“I’ve had a gutful. I have had an absolute gutful and my conscience will no longer allow me to stay quiet,” Ms Andrews said.
"I don't feel bad at all for [the male staffer who was fired] - the behaviour was appalling."
