Scott Morrison ‘won’t cancel’ controversial pick Katherine Deves

Scott Morrison has backed an embattled Liberal candidate despite intense pressure for her to stand aside over her views on transgender people.

Scott Morrison has again refused to distance himself from embattled Liberal candidate Katherine Deves, insisting he will not “cancel” her.

A string of reports over the past week have brought to the fore several inflammatory comments Ms Deves made on social media, including one where she likened her lobbying to stop transgender athletes from competing in women’s sport to standing up against the Holocaust.

Speaking to Mix 102.3 Adelaide, the Prime Minister said the furore around Ms Deves’ views proved Australia needed to learn how to “disagree better”.

“I'm not going to cancel Katherine,” Mr Morrison said.

Mr Morrison says he won’t cancel Liberal candidate Katherine Deves. Picture: Jason Edwards

But host Ali Clarke pressed further and didn’t accept his reasoning.

“Hang on, with respect, you are setting the tone here and you have picked this person to run … transgender women, transgender people are some of our most marginalised people.”

“So don't you as the prime minister have the responsibility to set the tone for the discussion that will be respectful and meaningful and protective of some of our most marginalised?”

Mr Morrison said both he and Ms Deves had acknowledged some of her “thousands of comments” had crossed a line.

Katherine Deves has refused to stand aside as the Liberal candidate for Warringah. Picture: Supplied

“She knows that she needs to be more sensitive on those issues,” he said, before adding, “I think in a country like this, we've got to learn to disagree better.”

Asked about his stance at a press conference in Brisbane, Labor leader Anthony Albanese said sporting bodies already are “in control of the issue”.

“This is an issue about the chaos within the New South Wales branch of the Liberal party,” he said.

At a press conference later in the day, Mr Morrison was again given the opportunity to rebuke Ms Deves, which he declined.

“I think Australians are getting pretty fed up with having to walk on eggshells every day because they may or may not say something one day that’s going to upset someone.”