Veteran Adelaide radio host Jeremy Cordeaux sacked over Brittany Higgins tirade

A veteran broadcaster who was fired for his slur against alleged Parliament House rape victim Brittany Higgins has doubled down on his comments.

Veteran radio broadcaster Jeremy Cordeaux, who called Brittany Higgins a “silly girl who got drunk” and questioned her story, has been sacked.

The award-winning host was branded a “dinosaur” online over the appalling comments on air on FIVEaa over the weekend about the alleged rape at Parliament House in 2019.

“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.”

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Radio broadcaster Jeremy Cordeaux at his Adelaide home. Picture: Matt Turner

Brittany Higgins at the March4Justice rally in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Cordeaux also said that he couldn’t work out why security guards let the pair into Defence Minister Linda Reynolds office.

“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.

“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.”

Cordeaux has stood by his Brittany Higgins slur, saying after the announcement of his sacking that he “wouldn’t have changed a word”.

Former federal MP Kate Ellis said Cordeaux’s characterisation of Ms Higgins was “nasty”.

“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.”

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Brittany Higgins alleges she was raped by a colleague inside Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ office.

On Monday morning, Ms Ellis’ husband David Penbenthy, the weekday breakfast presenter in Adelaide, read out an apology to Ms Higgins.

“Without reservation whatsoever, 5AA and Nova entertainment sincerely apologises to Brittany Higgins for the comments made by Jeremy Cordeaux on 5AA weekend breakfast show,’’ he said.

“We acknowledge that the comments were completely inappropriate and offensive. Mr Cordeaux’s employment has been terminated and 5AA and Nova Entertainment have taken action to ensure this can never happen again.”

But Mr Cordeaux doubled down on his controversial comments, telling Channel 7 he was surprised and disappointed with his sacking but that he does not retract anything.

“ … You’ve got to have opinions, there’s going to be controversy, and a radio station in the talk business has got to understand that’s the territory,” he said.

“It’s the advice I’d give to my own daughter – do not go out and get drunk regardless of how well you may know the people around you, do not put yourself in harm’s way, be on guard all the time, don’t be a silly little girl.”

When asked if it was the right this to say, Mr Cordeaux said he was “not a specialist in diplomacy”.

“I don’t think you should go around sacking people because they have a strong opinion about something. I wouldn’t have changed a word,” he said.

Brittany Higgins also weighed into the controversy, thanking 5AA for its stance.

“I’m grateful to @NovaEntAU and @1395FIVEaa for standing up for the one in five Australian women who will experience sexual assault in their lifetime,” she posted on Twitter.

“I politely disagree Mr Cordeaux. No, I do not deserve to have my ‘bottom smacked’.

“This rhetoric isn’t helpful especially given the cultural reckoning about consent that is taking place across the country.

“Instead of seeking to modify the behaviour of victims, let’s try to address how we can deter perpetrators of sexual crimes.”

Earlier this month, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds apologised to Ms Higgins for calling her a “lying cow” and made a confidential damages payout that was donated to charity.

She did not lose her job and the Prime Minister is expected to retain her in cabinet in the reshuffle.

She is expected to move to a new portfolio.

Jeremy Cordeaux was fired. Picture: Matt Turner.

Who is Jeremy Cordeaux?

Cordeaux began his career in radio in 1962, at the age of 16, and held many roles, including 2GB’s breakfast presenter in 1974.

He moved to Adelaide in 1976 and hosted The Court of Public Opinion on 5DN for almost 30 years. He retired from 5DN in 2004 but returned to radio with FIVEaa in 2014.

He moved to weekend breakfast at the start of this year after five years as Adelaide’s leading evenings broadcaster.

Cordeaux also had a career in television and was best known for his role as host of Australian dating show Blind Date in 1970.

He also anchored the Adelaide edition of Seven News, alongside Graeme Goodings, and hosted his own show on Adelaide community station on Channel 44.

Cordeaux became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006 for service to the broadcasting industry, and was inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame at the 2015 Australian Commercial Radio Awards.