Owen Pike denies sexist slur against Lauren Moss

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has called out Manufacturers Council boss Owen Pike for making sexist comments about Tourism Minister Lauren Moss on Facebook — but Mr Pike insists it’s all a misunderstanding

CHIEF Minister Michael Gunner has called out Manufacturers Council boss Owen Pike for making sexist comments about Tourism Minister Lauren Moss on Facebook.

But Mr Pike insists it’s all a misunderstanding.

“DID LAUREN’S MOSS GET HOT?,” Mr Pike wrote below a photograph of Ms Moss doorknocking in her Casuarina electorate.

It fired up the Chief Minister, who posted a response to Mr Pike, who has been a vocal critic of what he says is the Gunner Government’s reluctance to engage with the business community.

“Owen, your conduct is disgraceful. No one should be spoken to in this manner. Women are too often subjected to this sexist behaviour. I don’t just accept that no one in my team should be addressed in this way, no one at all should ever be spoken to like this,” Mr Gunner wrote.

The post was liked by a gaggle of Labor staffers.

But Mr Pike told the NT News his comment had been misinterpreted.

“I was not being sexist; I was referring to her hair,” he said.

“Michael has to harden up and stop being so sensitive; he has completely overreacted.

“This is why the economy is in such a bad state. We have a soft leader who won’t make hard decisions.”