Jeremy Cordeaux labels Brittany Higgins ‘silly girl who got drunk’

An Adelaide radio legend has been called a “dinosaur” who needs to lose his job after weighing in on the Canberra alleged rape scandal. Hear the audio.

Jeremy Cordeaux has been branded a “dinosaur” online and slammed by women’s advocates who have called for him to lose his job, after the veteran radio presenter made shocking remarks about Brittany Higgins’ rape allegation on FIVEaa on Saturday morning.

“I just ask myself why the prime minister doesn’t call it out for what it is. A silly little girl who got drunk,” Cordeaux said at 6.26am during his weekend breakfast show.

“If this girl has been raped, why hasn’t the guy who raped her been arrested? Apparently everyone knows his name.”

Cordeaux, who has been no stranger to controversy himself after hitting headlines in recent years due to multiple drink-driving charges, went on to question Miss Higgins’s alcohol consumption on the night the former Liberal staffer alleges she was raped by a colleague in a ministerial office two years ago.

“Security, you know, should never have let these two into the minister’s office at two o’clock in the morning. Never,” Cordeaux said.

“The Defence Minister. Can you imagine security taking someone who was obviously drunk, so drunk I think that the young lady, during the week on television, said she couldn’t get her shoes on.

Radio veteran Jeremy Cordeaux. Picture: Matt Turner.

“My advice to the Prime Minister – as he was sort of monstered by A Current Affair – my advice would be to stop worrying about offending somebody.”

His comments were labelled “victim blaming 101” by Adelaide City councillor and Zahra Foundation Australia founder Arman Abrahimzadeh.

SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros said Cordeaux’s attitude was “a reflection of just how far we have to go”.

“Brittany Higgins isn’t … a ‘silly little girl’,” she said.

“She’s a grown woman who, in the face of her own worst nightmare, showed more courage than most of us would show in our lifetimes.

“Alcohol doesn’t cause rape, MEN cause rape!

“And attitudes like those expressed by Mr Cordeaux cause rape.”

Ms Bonaras’s comments were echoed by former federal MP Kate Ellis.

She described Cordeaux’s characterisation of Ms Higgins as “nasty”.

Brittany Higgins at the Women's March 4 Justice Rally in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

“This sort of garbage is one of the reasons so few survivors of sexual assault ever speak up and it is the kind of victim blaming that belongs in centuries past,” Ms Ellis said.

“I don’t want to hear these ignorant, incorrect and mean comments anywhere in our community, let alone broadcast on our radio stations.

“Frankly I don’t see how he can keep his job.”

When contacted by the Sunday Mail, FIVEaa’s parent company Nova Entertainment issued a statement saying: “NOVA Entertainment acknowledges and is respectful of feedback received from the public in response to comments made on the FIVEaa Weekend Breakfast show.

“The issues discussed with respect to Brittany Higgins are of a delicate and serious nature …

“Appropriate steps will be taken to ensure FIVEaa programming is at all times respectful of our listeners, and reflects community expectations and standards.”

Requests for comment from Cordeaux went unanswered.