Clive Palmer refuses to apologise for *hurtful* remarks about Tony Abbott*s chief of staff Peta Credlin (ABC)

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Clive Palmer is refusing to apologise for personally attacking the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, in Parliament during a debate about paid parental leave.

Mr Palmer is under pressure to apologise for saying Tony Abbott's $5.5 billion scheme was designed so Ms Credlin would benefit if she fell pregnant.

Ms Credlin has previously spoken about her unsuccessful attempts to conceive through IVF.

Arriving at Parliament House this morning, Mr Palmer said he did not know about Ms Credlin's difficulties in trying to have children, but said he would not be apologising for highlighting her case in the debate.

And he continued his personal criticisms of Mr Abbott's chief adviser, calling her the "top dog" in the Government with too much influence over MPs, and saying she was fair game because of her role in forming government policy.

"I think the idea for the paid parental leave came directly from his chief of staff," Mr Palmer told reporters.

"She's propagating [PPL] and she gave Tony Abbott his ideas, he can't think of anything himself," he said.

"As chief of staff, regardless of whether she's a woman or a man, she exercises undue influence on government policy to the detriment of many elected members of Parliament.

"She's made comments that various members of the Coalition will never become ministers and it's not her position to do so.

"Her husband [Brian Loughnane] is of course federal director of the Liberal Party, and it's naive to imagine that a lot of the so-called ideas from the Liberal Party don't come from there.

"Peta Credlin should defend her position if that's what it is."

Mr Palmer said he was unaware of Ms Credlin's struggle to conceive, but would not be apologising in hindsight.

"I was unaware of her personal difficulties and it wasn't a personal situation," he said.

"I'm not going to apologise because that's my position. I'm elected to Parliament ... being elected to Parliament carries a lot of different privileges in relation to raising certain issues, that's why they have them.

"These issues are much bigger than any one person.

"I went after the idea and the concept and the person who was promoting the concept, be it male or female."

Julie Bishop criticises 'hurtful' comments

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop says Mr Palmer's attack is particularly hurtful given Ms Credlin's personal difficulties in trying to fall pregnant.

"I hope Mr Palmer reflects on what he has done. It's a particularly hurtful thing to focus on the Prime Minister's female chief of staff whom it is well known is seeking IVF treatment," Ms Bishop said.

"I think it reflects more on Mr Palmer more than anything else.

"We don't mind a debate on policy, we welcome a debate on policy, but it's not necessary to attack staff members in the course of doing so.

"The right thing to do would be to apologise, and if he doesn't it's a reflection on him and the standards he holds."

The Government's Chief Whip Phillip Ruddock raised the matter in the Coalition party room by praising MPs on their "measured" responses to what he said were several unfair and "provocative" attacks on family members and staffers of late.

Mr Ruddock, a Liberal party elder, said it was important MPs continued to stay above the fray and not descend to the level of those launching their attacks

Credlin capable of defending herself, Butler says

Labor leader Bill Shorten added his voice to the condemnation. 

"What Mr Palmer said was unwarranted and it was wrong," he said in a statement.

"Our arguments should be about the issues - there is more than enough wrong with Tony Abbott's unfair and unaffordable paid parental leave scheme for politicians to focus on, just ask any Liberal or National Party MP."

The Opposition Leader later told Labor Caucus that he expected more nasty and personal attacks over the coming months.

Labor MP Terri Butler did not condemn Mr Palmer's comments and said Ms Credlin was capable of defending herself.

"She's got a pretty fierce reputation. I think she can speak out on her own behalf," Ms Butler said.

"I don't think this is a question about who says what, it's about the policy of the parental leave arrangements."

Nationals MP and parliamentary secretary Darren Chester said another Labor MP, Clare O'Neill, was waiting to speak to the media but left when she heard journalists' questions about Mr Palmer.

"One Labor member who was waiting to speak ran for cover the moment you asked the Member for Griffith those questions," Mr Chester said.

"The women of the Labor Party who do strongly campaign on issues of this nature should really stand as one in particular in assisting the chief of staff of the Prime Minister's office, who I believe has been very unfairly targeted in a manner that was extraordinarily personal."

However a Labor source rejected Mr Chester's accusation as "just not true".

"Clare was out there with Tim Watts and when he finished, she came inside with him," said the source. "That sort of thing is pathetic and shows the Coalition will say anything to get the attention away from its disaster of a budget."

Nationals MP Andrew Broad says Mr Palmer's attack on Ms Credlin was "gutter politics".

He said Mr Palmer's attack is "pretty hurtful" for any couple, like he and his wife, who have been unsuccessful in having children.

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