David Leyonhjelm says comments are legitimate as Sarah Hanson-Young seeks legal advice over ‘sexist’ remarks
DAVID Leyonhjelm has refused to apologise for his controversial comments about Sarah Hanson-Young, describing his “stop shagging men” remark as “a valid point”.
National
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SENATOR David Leyonhjelm says he’s justified in making his controversial comments about Sarah Hanson-Young, describing his “stop shagging men” remark as “legitimate”.
Speaking to the ABC’s 7.30 tonight, Senator Leyonhelm refused to apologise for his comments, saying he was “on solid ground”.
“The point I was trying to make is valid, I’m on very solid ground, very legitimate,” he said.
“I am opposed to misandry, just as I am to misogyny and I am also entitled to call out double standards,” Senator Leyonhelm told 7.30.
“So arguing on the one hand that all men are evil, the enemy, they’re rapists and sexual predators. And on the other hand having normal relationships with men, obviously is contradictory and I can call it out.”
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is seeking legal advice over Senator Leyonhjelm’s “reprehensible” “sexist slurs” about her via the media at the weekend.
Sky News apologised yesterday for broadcasting “appalling” comments made during Senator Leyonhjelm’s guest appearance with Outsiders’ hosts Rowan Dean and Ross Cameron.
The trio had commented on a fiery verbal exchange between the two senators in Parliament last week during a debate about protecting women in the form of pepper sprays and tasers.
Senator Leyonhjelm told Hanson-Young to “stop shagging men” and then told her to “f*** off” when she confronted him.
Leyonhjelm made further remarks about Hanson-Young on the program, which was then broadcast in a strap across the bottom of the screen that said: “Leyonhjelm: Sarah Hanson-Young is known for liking men the rumours about her in Parliament are well known”.
Sky News has also suspended a producer over the matter who was reportedly filling in for the regular producer.
Senator Leyonhjelm initially claimed he made his comments in response to a remark from Sarah Hanson-Young during their debate along the lines of “all men are rapists”.
He later admitted he could not remember what she had said and could not remember her words.
Senator Hanson-Young tonight told 7.30 she had never made such a statement.
When challenged by 7.30 guest host Virginia Trioli, Senator Leyonhjelm asked: “Do I have to remember every word for it to be true?”
“In order to justify a strong comment, yes, I reckon you do,” Trioli said.
“No, I don’t think that I do,” Senator Leyonhjelm replied.
Hanson-Young told 7.30 she was “offended and appalled” by Senator Leyonhjlem’s “attack on me”.
She said she had put up with derogatory comments for years in Parliament.
“Various men’s names are yelled at me across the chamber inferring and suggesting that they are men that I have — I am having apparent relationships with,” she told the ABC when asked to elaborate.
“I am often told to change the way that I look or the way that I speak. I am often criticised for not smiling at people enough when I am in fact having I very serious political argument. But, the ones that really, I am talking about, are those that relate to relationships that I am apparently meant to be having.”
In a statement earlier today, Senator Hanson-Young said she had sought legal advice.
“I am seeking legal advice in relation to the commentary between Senator David Leyonhjelm and the hosts of both the Sky News Outsiders program and 3AW Weekend Breakfast broadcast on Sunday, July 1,” Senator Hanson-Young said today.
“Comments made by Senator Leyonhjelm about me and broadcast on these two shows are reprehensible, hurtful, and no woman, whether in public or in the privacy of her own home deserves them.”
She called on Leyonhjelm to “do the decent thing” and resign.
“I believe he has proven himself incapable of showing respect and is unfit to represent not only women, but all decent Australians, in our nation’s Parliament,” Hanson-Young said.
She said it was “greatly disappointing” and “sends a damaging message to our community” that Senator Leyonhjelm was given multiple platforms to make harmful remarks after their exchange in the senate last week.
“As a woman, a sister, and a mother, I have a responsibility to stand up against this treatment. I will not be intimidated or bullied by offensive and sexist slurs on my professional reputation,” she said.
Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott dubbed Leyonhjelm’s comments “tacky” and called on him to apologise this morning.
Hanson-Young thanked those who had reached out to offer her their support overnight.
“Thank you for all the words of support and care, they mean a lot to me.
“It is a sad reflection on society that even in 2018, attacks like these occur to women after they have spoken out about sexism, sexual harassment and abuse in their workplace and daily lives.”
Leyonhjelm claimed Hanson-Young had prompted his outburst in Parliament on Thursday when she interjected during a debate about whether pepper spray should be legalised following a string of violent attacks on women.
Labor, the Coalition and the Greens voted against the motion, with the Greens accusing the senator who put it forward, Fraser Anning, of trivialising women’s safety.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale also called on Sentor Leyonhjelm to resign and on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition leader Bill Shorten to condemn his remarks.
“It is a sad truth that women in this country and across the world have to live every day with disrespectful, threatening and offensive behaviour,” Senator Di Natale said.
“We have a responsibility to ensure more diversity in our Parliament, not less, and that starts with calling out Senator Leyonhjelm’s behaviour for what it is: sexist and deeply inappropriate.”
He said the Greens would move to censure Senator Leyonhjelm in the Senate when Parliament resumed.
Originally published as David Leyonhjelm says comments are legitimate as Sarah Hanson-Young seeks legal advice over ‘sexist’ remarks