John Alexander apologises for racist, rape jokes

PM says it is a measure of John Alexander’s dignity that the Bennelong by-election candidate has apologised over jokes he made 20 years ago.

Bennelong by-election Liberal candidate John Alexander has held a press conference to apologise after footage emerged of him making racist and rape jokes in the 1990s.

Malcolm Turnbull earlier said that it was a “measure of the man” that the former tennis champion had issued an unreserved apology, while Bill Shorten said the apology was two decades overdue, as he campaigned in Bennelong with Labor candidate Kristina Keneally.

Mr Alexander’s controversial comments emerged in a since-deleted video which was posted on YouTube in 2011, in which he can be heard making several racist jokes to fellow patrons at a Brisbane pub in the 1990s, including one which begins: “A black guy in Chicago has witnessed a rape ...”

This afternoon Mr Alexander said he had used “absolutely unacceptable language”.

“For this, I apologise unreservedly,” he said.

Mr Alexander held Bennelong with a 9.7 per cent margin until he resigned over dual citizenship doubts, prompting the December 16 by-election.

The Turnbull government’s one-seat majority depends on him retaining his seat.

Mr Alexander said he understood the video of his joke had been uploaded for a contestant in the Gladiators TV series which he refereed in 1995.

“We were having a wrap party at the end of filming and it was at that event (that the jokes were made),” Mr Alexander said.

Asked whether he had previously told the seemingly rehearsed jokes, Mr Alexander said the jokes were crude.

“When I saw them this morning, I was horrified at my language and I apologise for the language and for the jokes,” he said.

Mr Alexander said it was for others to speculate on the timing of the video resurfacing.

“I can only apologise for my behaviour, for my bad judgment, and for the inappropriateness of those jokes,” he said.

“There will be some people who will find it difficult to accept my apologies and forgive, and I have to accept that.

“There will be others who will accept the apology and allow me to get on with the work that I’ve been doing here in this electorate for the last seven years.

“I think that there is no doubt that it is damaging. I have worked very, very hard, and those people who have gotten to know me over the last seven years and who trust me, and believe that I have worked in their best interest, has been a loyalty hard won. I hope that they will find it in their hearts to forgive me and accept my apology.”

‘Measure of the man’

Mr Turnbull said he agreed with Mr Alexander that there was no place for joking about violence against women.

“Not all disrespect of women ends up in violence against women but that’s where all violence against women begins, so all of us need to reflect on that. John has done so on some ill-judged remarks 20 years ago,” he said.

“It is a measure of the man and of the dignity of the man that he has acknowledged that those remarks were unacceptable and he’s unreservedly apologised for them.”

‘Apology 22 years late’

Bill Shorten said the apology was more than two decades late.

“The comments are crass, stupid and wrong,” he said.

“The apology has probably been waiting for 22 years, and I suspect we’ve only heard an apology because this video has now been reported.

“But the comments are crass, they’re wrong, their stupid and the apology, I think is 22 years late, and I think it’s only come out because we’ve got a by-election.”

Asked whether Labor had dug up the footage, Mr Shorten said, “No”

John Alexander has apologised.