November 3, 2026 — 9:10pm

Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk has shared a vulgar message left on her office answering machine in a demonstration of the regular vitriol West Australian MPs and their electorate office staff face.

Speaking at a Business News breakfast on Tuesday morning, McGurk vented her frustration at the current state of political debate in Australia, revealing the frequent aggression MPs and political staff received.

Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk. Hamish Hastie

The message shared by McGurk was from an American man seemingly upset at the member for Fremantle’s past commentary about US politics.

He opens with the greeting, “Hello, you horrible f----ing witch”, before telling her to “shut up about American politics”, and describes Australia as a “prison colony” and “inbred”.

McGurk said it was important people understood the sort of vitriol and aggression that many elected representatives and their staff received.

“I think women get it in particular, but it really…