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Australian Finance Minister Penny Wong - Source: Supplied -
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The Australian federal minister at the centre of political row has accepted the apology of a Liberal senator who "meowed" at her.
Tasmanian senator David Bushby made the feline cry at Finance Minister Penny Wong during a heated row between the minister and coalition senators in Canberra yesterday - see video below.
Senator Wong said she had accepted the apology from Bushby, but declined to reveal what was said in their private discussion.
"He's had the decency to speak to me about it and I think the matter's closed," she told ABC Radio today.
Wong said she was surprised the incident caused so much furore, but refused to back away from challenging sexist language in politics.
"Sometimes you need to name what's happening," she said, singling out comments leader of the opposition Tony Abbott has made in the past.
"Whether it's making an honest woman of the prime minister ... or when it comes to Julia (Gillard) no doesn't really mean no."
Wong described parliament as an odd workplace.
"There are things that happen here that probably don't happen in other workplaces in Australia.
"But I think there are also times where things do happen here which aren't really acceptable in other workplaces."
When that happened it should be named, Wong said.
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