Liberal leader Peter Dutton was asked what his definition of a woman was while on the campaign trial on Thursday.
The question came on the back of a landmark UK court decision which ruled that in law the term woman would only include people who born biologically female. The decision will have wide ranging effects for transgender people potentially excluding them from single sex spaces and removing protections of anti-discrimination laws.
The Opposition leader said he didn’t think the topic was one that was at the front of Australian voter’s minds.
“That’s a matter that’s obviously been before the British courts, I haven’t seen the detail of the case and it’s not something that is front of minds at this election.” Dutton said.
His response has enraged presenters at Sky News. The broadcaster has been pushing for the Liberal leader to take a stance against transgender people for some time.
“Dodge, weave and deflect.” said The Late Debate host Liz Storer. “What a pathetic of illustration of cowardice that was from Peter Dutton, I’ve got to say I am so disappointed.”
Colleague Caleb Bond said the Liberal leader has so scared of being linked to US President Donald Trump he’d become too fearful of the media and moderate Liberal members.
“He’s so afraid of that little sound bite being picked up by someone and taken off somewhere else, and he’s afraid of the moderates in his own party.” Bond said.
“The bottom line is this is not the behaviour of a leader.” Storer said when discussing Dutton’s reluctance to make transgender rights a campaign issue. “Nobody wants to vote for a fence sitter.”
The third week of the election campaign has seen several different measures show that the opposition is slowly sinking in the polls, when elections usually see a tightening of the numbers.
Dutton was also forced to make an apology for statements he made earlier this week in relation to unconfirmed reports about the Russian government seeking to base jets in Indonesia. Dutton claimed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto had made statement’s confirming the request when he had not.
With the campaigns paused over the Easter period, political analysists have speculated that a greater focus on culture wars might be on the agenda when politicians return for the final two weeks of the campaign.
