A racism row has erupted after Liberal MP Angie Bell told federal parliament that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Small Business Minister Anne Aly should be ‘shamed and stoned in the square’.
The comments were made during a fiery debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday over the Australian Taxation Office’s planned ban on credit card payments for tax bills.
In a social media post after the comment, Aly revealed she had received 19 death threats in the past week and accused Bell of using language that echoed threats she had personally faced.
Bell made the remark while attacking the Albanese government’s handling of the controversial ATO policy, which would have prevented taxpayers from paying tax bills with credit cards from November.
The measure has since been delayed until June 2027.
‘Shame on this Labor government,’ Bell told parliament.
‘They need to be backing in small business, and they need to stop this credit card ban and allow small and family businesses to have the cash flow that they need to make money.
‘This minister and this prime minister should be absolutely shamed and stoned in the square.’
Anne Aly (pictured) condemned the comments made by Bell during the a fiery debate
The Speaker ordered Bell to withdraw the comment, which she did immediately.
But the remark sparked fierce criticism because it was directed at Dr Aly, Australia’s first female Muslim federal MP, with Labor figures arguing the phrase carried particular significance given the use of stoning as a punishment against women in some extremist regimes.
In a video posted to social media, Dr Aly said Bell’s words mirrored language used in death threats she had previously received.
‘I don’t usually comment about these things, but I feel like I have to,’ she said.
‘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”.’
Dr Aly said the issue went beyond parliamentary standards.
‘It’s not just something that a parliamentarian shouldn’t say in terms of advocating violence against another parliamentarian,’ she said.
Angie Bell (pictured) said it was a ‘poor choice of words’ and withdrew her remarks
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‘It is something that stands against our Australian values.
‘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 should never have been said.’
Bell later conceded she had made a mistake and blamed the comment on the intensity of the debate.
‘I immediately withdrew the comment,’ she told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
‘It was a poor choice of words in the heat of the moment, when I was trying to reflect the dire situation that small businesses face under the Albanese Labor Government.
‘My concerns about this government’s treatment of small and family businesses remain and I will continue to stand up for the hardworking Australians who run the businesses that provide jobs and keep our economy moving.’
