Greens NT candidate George Hanna sorry for ‘racist’ Jacinta Price meme

A TERRITORY Greens candidate running in the federal election has apologised for sharing a “racist” Facebook meme that pokes fun at CLP candidate Jacinta Price for being a “coconut”

Greens candidate for Lingiari, George Hanna

A TERRITORY Greens candidate running in the federal election has apologised for sharing a “racist” Facebook meme that pokes fun at CLP candidate Jacinta Price for being a “coconut”.

George Hanna, who is standing for the seat of Lingiari, said he “posted the meme in the jest of the moment”.

A Territory Greens candidate running in the federal election has apologised for sharing a “racist” Facebook meme that pokes fun at CLP candidate Jacinta Price for being a “coconut”

His post from January shows a photo of Ms Price — who is also running for Lingiari — drinking from a coconut with the caption: “It’s not every day you see a coconut drinking from a coconut.”

Fellow NT Greens party member Justin Tutty said he was disappointed to hear about the post.

“I think it is racist,” he said.

“Calling someone a coconut, it implies you have to act a certain way to be black and that’s unpleasant. I don’t like it.”

In another Facebook post from January, Mr Hanna also referred to the CLP candidate as a “little gremlin” who had come crawling out of the sewerage systems.

Mr Hanna told the NT News: “I posted that before I put my hand up to run for the Greens.

“I’m not denying it.

“But I think quite a few Aboriginal people feel she’s not a friend to us. She’s too outspoken, too negative.”

Ms Price said she personally thought the name-calling was “despicable”.

“As far as I am concerned this is bullying and racial vilification,” she said.

The CLP’s Federal election candidate for Lingiari, Jacinta Price, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison during his visit to Alice Springs. Picture Gary Ramage

“Some of the worst bullying I have been subject to online comes from people just like this Greens candidate.

“The Greens should seriously be considering disendorsing this candidate based on his racially vilifying behaviour and at the very least he needs to apologise to me.”

A Greens spokesman said: “NT Greens reject the use of that word, but stand by George as the best candidate in the field for Lingiari.”

Mr Hanna said he would offer an apology to Mr Price if she was upset about it.

“I wouldn’t lose sleep about this if I was her,” he said.