Australian journalist told to leave parliament for showing ‘too much skin’

‘I actually was marched out of Question Time’, Patricia Karvelas told ABC News

A journalist in Australia was informed that she had to leave the press gallery during a Question Time debate in parliament for wearing a short-sleeved top that showed “too much skin”.

Patricia Karvelas, a journalist for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, revealed on social media how she’d been asked to leave a Question Time debate due to her choice of attire.

Sharing a photo of her outfit on Twitter, she wrote: “I have just been kicked out of #QT because you can allegedly see too much skin.”

She continued describing the incident as “insane”.

Speaking with ABC, Karvelas revealed exactly what happened when she was forced to leave the parliamentary debate.

“I got kicked out of Question Time because of what I am wearing right now, I haven’t changed since,” she said during the interview.

She explained how an attendant had come up to her under the orders of a supervisor to tell her that she needed to cover her shoulders with a jacket.

Karvelas opposed the notion that she needed to cover up at all, and so the attendant then told her that she would have to leave parliament.

The journalist’s original tweet about the incident has garnered more than 3,000 likes, with many people expressing their disbelief over the logic behind her removal.

“Truly absurd. Not your outfit. The rule,” former Australian government minister Craig Emerson tweeted.

“High neckline, and definite sleeves. It’s summer in Australia, that’s a beautiful and professional work shirt,” another person wrote.

“Being removed from Question Time over short sleeves is absurdity.”

A number of women have been sharing photos of their own short-sleeved work tops in solidarity with Karvelas.

“Try this on for size then!” one woman wrote alongside a photo of her wearing a sleeveless vest top.

According to the website for the parliament of Australia, decisions regarding the dress code within the Chamber ultimately fall upon the Speaker.

Following Question Time, Speaker Tony Smith stated that a review of the parliamentary dress code would be conducted and said, with regards to Karvelas, that “she should, in hindsight, not have been asked to leave.”

“Pleased that female journalists will be free to wear professional clothing that reflects what politicians wear. Sensible outcome. #auspol,” she tweeted in response to his statement.