Opposition leader Peter Dutton has apologised for using a homophobic slur while attacking Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Dutton was speaking at the Lowy Institute on Thursday when he asked about the Prime Minister’s response to Chinese warships conducting training exercises off the Australian coast.
“It was the weakest, most limp-wrist response you could see from a leader, and frankly, none of his leaders, Liberal or Labor, would have provided the response that the prime minister did,” Dutton said.
The phrase “limp wristed” has historically been a phrase used as an insult to gay men.
An apology came via a spokesperson who said “It was a phrase that shouldn’t have been used, and no offence was intended from Mr Dutton.”
Speaking to ABC Radio on Thursday afternoon Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Dutton using such language was hardly surprising.
She described the Opposition leader as “a bloke who opposed marriage equality, it’s an unsurprising use of language from him”.
“People can draw their own conclusions about the term he used.” Wong said.
Opposition treasury spokesperson Angus Taylor however has defended Dutton’s language saying it was an “absolutely acceptable choice of words” to describe the Prime Minister’s response.
Just Equal spokesperson Rodney Croome has called on the Opposition Leader to apologise himself rather than rely on a spokesperson to clear up his comments.
“I call on Mr Dutton to apologise for using the term and commit to an election campaign free of prejudice against LGBTIQA+ Australians,” Croome told The Guardian.
