Tanya Plibersek has defended her Labor colleague Katy Gallagher against claims she weaponised allegations of sexual assault, saying the stoush was missing the point.
The finance minister has maintained she did not mislead parliament in 2021 about her knowledge of the allegations made by Brittany Higgins, and was responding to a claim she knew about the incident for weeks to use it for political gain.
Ms Plibersek said the claims against Senator Gallagher were "untrue".
"There is no one with more integrity in the parliament than Senator Katy Gallagher, she is an excellent person," she told Seven's Sunrise.
The environment minister said the "central point" was being missed - about how a sexual assault allegation in the workplace had been mishandled.
Ms Higgins alleges she was raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in Parliament House in 2019, a claim which Mr Lehrmann has always denied.
The trial of Mr Lehrmann was aborted over juror misconduct and prosecutors did not seek a retrial, citing concern for Ms Higgins' mental health.
The ACT is now holding an inquiry into the investigation and prosecution.
"What really worries me ... is if you are a young woman looking at the way this has unravelled ... you would really think twice about making a complaint," Ms Plibersek said.
"I really do want to send a message to those people who have been sexually assaulted or who are thinking about making a complaint, there will always be people who will stand up for you for your right to get justice."
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the suggestion Senator Gallagher misled parliament was "absurd".
"Katy Gallagher has more stores of personal integrity than all of her Liberal and National pursuers combined," he said.
Mr Chalmers said she draws on "deeper reserves of personal integrity" than anyone he had ever worked with.
"The idea that these allegations about something that happened in a Liberal minister's office, in a Liberal government, is somehow the fault of the then Labor opposition is equally laughable," he said.
Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie said the allegations should be left to the courts to determine.
"Quite frankly I think it's getting very nasty, it's getting very disappointing," she told Sky News.
Senator Lambie said the psychological impacts being felt by those involved needed to be taken into account.
"It was great to see the Me Too movement get out there, I believe this is now damaging that," she said.
"But it's also damaging anybody else that wants to come forward and start talking to a politician in the future.
"I'm very concerned ... that we're going to shut that down because people will be too scared or too afraid to come and see us."
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said there were a "whole range of questions" now surrounding Senator Gallagher.
