Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has expressed regret after he used a homophobic slur while attacking the Prime Minister’s response to China at a foreign policy event.
Mr Dutton on Thursday was asked for his thoughts on Chinese naval ships having conducted live-fire drills in waters off the Australian coast last month.
Speaking at The Lowy Institute in Sydney, he said the live drills were a “show of force” before turning his attention to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“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,” Mr Dutton said.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said Mr Albanese had a ‘limp-wrist response’ to China. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short
The term ‘limp-wristed’ is defined in the Cambridge dictionary as “an extremely offensive word used to describe a man whose behaviour is thought to be typical of a gay person”.
A spokesperson for Mr Dutton later expressed regret over the use of the term.
“It was a phrase that shouldn’t have been used, and no offence was intended from Mr Dutton,” the spokesperson said, according to The Australian.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s response was also branded as weak. Picture: NewsWire/ Scott Powick,
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was unsurprised by Mr Dutton’s comments, telling the ABC: “This is a bloke who opposed marriage equality, it’s an unsurprising use of language from him.”
Opposition spokesman Angus Taylor instead called it an “absolutely acceptable choice of words when it comes to the approach (Mr Albanese) is taking”, SBS reported.
“He’s weak, he’s wet lettuce,” Mr Taylor said.
Independent MP Allegra Spender slammed the comments as “completely inappropriate and offensive to many in the LGBTQ+ community” in a post to X.
“By all means criticise the govt response, but don’t do so in a way that plays into offensive stereotypes about gay men,” Ms Spender wrote.
