Female MP sparks outrage after suggesting men should avoid mentoring women in case they're accused of behaving inappropriately
- Federal minister has discouraged men from one on one mentoring women
- Karen Andrews sparked controversy with her views on Q & A on Monday night
- Warned men to be conscious of the current environment after Me Too movement
- Several panellists disagreed with the Industry Science and Technology Minister
A female federal minister has publicly discouraged men from one-on-one mentoring women in the workplace in the wake of the Me Too movement.
Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews warned men to be conscious of the current environment to avoid being caught up in sexual accusations being made against them.
Her comments sparked controversy during a special Women In Leadership edition of Q & A on Monday night after an audience member asked the all-female panel on their views on how to ensure men are comfortable in mentorship roles.
Industry Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews (pictured) sparked controversy on Monday night's episode of Q & A
'I would discourage a male in the current environment from taking on one-on-one mentoring, I would have to say,' Ms Andrews said.
Her response surprised stand-in host Annabel Crabb.
'I think that there is a general concern from a lot of men … how do they protect themselves from an accusation about their behaviour, and their conduct, and I think that that is actually something that men should be very conscious of,' Ms Andrews continued.
She suggested male mentors to do it in an open and public place like a coffee shop, 'where there were other people around, not in an environment that was just two people.'
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Karen Andrews discouraged men from taking on one on one mentoring roles with women
Fellow panelist, former Olympic swimming medallist and now head of the women's AFL Nicole Livingstone disagreed and argued men should be on the journey for equality.
'We probably - sorry, we probably need a man at this table, to be able to talk from their perspective what it means to be welcoming, to be accepting, and to actually help women on their journey,' she said.
Another panellist, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mining Innovation Hub director Sabina Shugg added that mentoring women wasn't a concern for men in her field.
Ms Andrews' comments sparked outrage from both genders on social media afterwards.
'What I do as a professional mentor has nothing to do with MeToo. Harvey Weinstein isn't a benchmark,' one man tweeted.
Some women also disagreed with Ms Andrews views.
An all-female panel (pictured) led by by stand-in host Annabel Crabb (middle) appeared on the ABC program following International Womens Day
'I have been mentored many times by men and do you know why I never accused them of assault? They never assaulted me! Stop this garbage of men are now in danger. Creepy men are now in danger, that’s all,' one woman tweeted.
Another added: 'Men who are above board and are completely comfortable mentoring women... sorry but it's that simple.'
An MP since 2010, Ms Andrews was promoted to the ministry last August when Scott Morrison became Prime Minister.
Earlier on the show, Ms Andrews shocked the audience and viewers at home when she shared a powerful story of how she abruptly walked out of a recent meeting with a stakeholder after he made inappropriate gestures as if he was going to remove his pants.
Ms Andrews said he wouldn't be welcome back in her office, despite receiving a written apology from him a day after the incident.
Also on the panel was Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and Labor frontbencher Linda Burney.
Karen Andrews' comments sparked outrage on social media on Monday night
