Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie says she doubts Defence Minister Linda Reynolds has the strength to hold her position against top male military figures and should step down from the role for the sake of her wellbeing.
“I have said in the past I am terribly concerned about her strength up against those men, especially the ones with the big military medals they’re wearing out there,” Ms Lambie told Sky News.
“I’ve said that right from the start, I’m not sure whether she actually had the strength to take them on and I still don’t believe that.
“Those men can be extremely overpowering if you don’t know how to handle them, that’s the environment in there, that’s the way it is”.
Asked who would be a suitable replacement for Ms Reynolds, Ms Lambie pointed to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
“I think that if I had my pick I’d have to put Peter Dutton in there to be honest, just from his background in policing, he’s a big guy, I don’t think you’d see Minister Dutton putting up with any of that sort of crap, certainly not from those men,” she said.
“That’s probably the only one you could put in there.”