Labor MP Scott Bacon accused of calling Treasurer Peter Gutwein ‘Fuhrer Gutwein’ in Question Time

UPDATED: A single word uttered in Parliament resulted in a heated debate before two senior Liberal MPs backed down and apologised.

Scott Bacon, left, and Michael Ferguson discuss an allegedly offensive term used during Question Time.

UPDATE: A MISHEARD alleged slur in Parliament led to a heated debate, a series of people taking offence and an eventual embarrassing backdown by Government MPs.

Labor MP Scott Bacon on Tuesday repeatedly and strenuously denied calling Treasurer Peter Gutwein “fuhrer” during question time — instead, he said, he called him “guru”.

Government business leader Michael Ferguson had accused Mr Bacon of using the offensive slur. A clearly perplexed Mr Bacon ran through possible insults — clown and troglodyte — before requesting Mr Ferguson tell him what he was alleged to have said.

The pair sat together in the chamber to discuss the incident.

Labor MP David O’Byrne demanded the Government withdraw its demand for Mr Bacon to apologise in the early afternoon, passionately defending his colleague on the floor.

But Speaker Sue Hickey ruled that Mr Bacon had indeed used the term “fuhrer”.

Only after meeting with Mr Bacon, Mr O’Byrne and government representatives did Ms Hickey clear the Clark MHA’s name.

“For this I wish to apologise,” Ms Hickey said.

Mr Ferguson said Mr Bacon “does deserve to be cleared” and “he should be believed”.

But, he said, he hoped he understood why government staffers heard “fuhrer” over “guru”.

“I unreservedly withdraw my point of order,” Mr Ferguson said.

“I regret and I feel for Mr Bacon in the sense that he’s been connected with the use of that word in the media through the afternoon.”

Mr Bacon had called Mr Gutwein “Guru Gutwein” during debate about the budget.

EARLIER: LABOR has demanded Michael Ferguson apologise for accusing Opposition MP Scott Bacon of using a German slur against the Treasurer.

Mr Bacon referred to Peter Gutwein as “Guru Gutwein” across the chamber during Question Time – a jibe the Government heard and maintains was “fuhrer”.

Government business leader Michael Ferguson demanded Mr Bacon apologise after Question Time but the clearly perplexed Clark MP acknowledged calling Mr Gutwein a “clown” and withdrew the word “troglodyte”.

The government thought Scott Bacon called the Treasurer “Fuhrer Gutwein”. He says he absolutely did not. #politas

— Emily Baker (@emlybkr) May 28, 2019

Later, Mr Bacon was told by Mr Ferguson that government staff had heard the word “fuhrer”.

Labor’s David O’Byrne said Mr Ferguson owed Mr Bacon an apology.

EARLIER: THE Government has ordered Labor MP Scott Bacon apologise for an insult he insists he did not hurl across the chamber.

Mr Bacon admitted to calling Treasurer Peter Gutwein a “clown” and a “troglodyte” during Question Time, but appeared to draw a blank when asked to apologise for another insult.

It is understood Mr Bacon was accused of calling the Treasurer “Fuhrer Gutwein” — a claim he strongly denied.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein addresses the Tasmanian parliament this morning.

Mr Bacon and leader of Government Business Michael Ferguson discussed the alleged insult for several minutes. Mr Bacon did not apologise, though did withdraw “troglodyte”.

It came as the Premier defended the Tasmanian budget as “having a heart” under intense questioning about its impact on the state’s most disadvantaged people.

Mr Gutwein has touted the 2019-20 budget as one that focuses on infrastructure, with billions of dollars to be invested in bridges, roads and school upgrades over the next four years.

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But the Government has been criticised for failing to invest in people who need it most.

Questions about the budget have dominated a fiery session of Question Time in Parliament this morning.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White quoted analysis released by the Tasmanian Council of Social Service, which she said showed life had worsened for many Tasmanians since the Hodgman Government came to power in 2014.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White.

Premier Will Hodgman said investment in infrastructure would lead to safer roads, benefiting people, as well as allowing people to spend “less time in their cars and more time at home”.

“This budget does have a heart,” Mr Hodgman said.

“Infrastructure is not a dirty word.”

Premier Will Hodgman addresses Parliament.