Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles has declared Kimberley Kitching did not make a formal complaint to him about how her colleagues treated her.
Allies of Senator Kitching have claimed she was bullied by senior Labor senators Penny Wong, Katy Gallagher and Kristina Keneally before her shock death earlier this month.
It was further alleged Senator Kitching had gone to Mr Marles about the behaviour.
All three senators have emphatically denied they bullied senator Kitching, and Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and Mr Marles have rallied around the three women.
Mr Albanese has ruled out launching an inquiry into the treatment of Senator Kitching.
Mr Marles on Friday backed his leader’s decision.
“I’ve had many conversations with Kimberley over the years and in her time as a senator,” Mr Marles told Nine’s Today.
“They are obviously private conversations. Normally I wouldn’t really speak about them at all, but given what has been out there, I have made it clear that Kimberley did not make a complaint to me.
“She didn’t ask me to take action. She was unhappy about the Senate tactics committee obviously, but she didn’t make a complaint to me and she didn’t seek action.”
It has been reported she was taken off the committee over suspicions she tipped off of then-defence minister Linda Reynolds about Labor’s plans to question her handling of former staffer Brittany Higgins’ rapxjmtzywe allegation.
On Thursday, Mr Albanese said senator Kitching had been kicked off the tactics committee as part of “normal processes”.
“Yes, Kimberley was suspended from the tactics committee. Those changes are made all of the time,” Mr Albanese said.
Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen said he had been “on and off” tactics committee and the front bench, a process he described as “part and parcel of a robust life in politics”.
Both Mr Bowen and Mr Albanese doubled down on their support for senators Wong, Gallagher and Keneally on Thursday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused Mr Albanese of hypocrisy for refusing calls to launch an inquiry into the alleged bullying.
“I think Australians honestly can see the double standard here,” Mr Morrison said on Thursday.
“He’s happy to throw stones when it comes to these issues, but clearly not happy to hold himself to the same standard he wishes to impose on others, and that’s called hypocrisy.”
Senator Kitching’s close friend and former Labor leader Bill Shorten said he didn’t want people to lose sight of how special she was amid the political debate.
“I want her remembered for being the fierce person she was,” Mr Shorten told the Nine Network.
“I gave the eulogy, I pretty much have said all I’m going to say on her, and now I’m just going to grieve and try and come to terms with the gap.
“I would just say that when we talk about the contribution that politicians make, I get that people get cynical and outraged at politicians (but) she was special, and that’s how I intend to remember going forward.”
