By Natassia Chrysanthos and Rob Harris
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has slapped down Sydney broadcaster Alan Jones over his comments about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Jones said Mr Morrison should "shove a sock down her throat" during the tirade on 2GB radio on Thursday morning, following Ms Ardern's warning at a Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu that Australia "will have to answer to the Pacific" on climate change.
Alan Jones has lashed out at New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
He also called Ms Ardern an "utter lightweight" and a "clown".
Mr Morrison said on Thursday night, following the end of a marathon leader's retreat, that the comments were "very disappointing" and "way out of line".
"I have two daughters so you can expect that's how I would feel personally about it," Mr Morrison said.
"I will leave it to others to explain what they've said and how they've said it."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said NZ had an expectation that everyone will do their bit for climate change.Credit: AAP
Mr Morrison said Ms Ardern's comments about Australia's climate change policy were "taken out of context", and he thanked her for her "support during the summit".
"We don't always have to agree, and we don't, but when we disagree we should do it well," he said.
"And I'm for there being lively debate and lively discussion and I've said for some time now, we've got to learn to disagree better and showing respect to each other and we did tonight."
Earlier, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called on Jones to apologise for "his latest misogynistic rant".
Mr Morrison faced increased pressure on Wednesday to sign up to a statement from 18 nations at the forum calling for a global transition away from coal.
His government has been working behind the scenes to convince counterparts to tone down the language of the draft declaration, arguing any reference to a transition away from coal-fired power was a "red line" issue for Australia.
Jones said Ms Ardern was "preaching on global warming" and that she and the "Pacific Island mob" were "absolute jokes".
"It is an absolute joke you've got to listen to these people," he said. "She is a joke, this woman, an absolute and utter lightweight ... I just wonder whether Scott Morrison is going to be fully briefed to shove a sock down her throat."
Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama responded on Twitter, saying it was "easy to tell someone to shove a sock down a throat when you’re sitting in the comfort of a studio".
"The people of the Pacific, forced to abandon their homes due to climate change, don’t have that luxury. Try saying it to a Tuvaluan child pleading for help," Mr Bainimarama said.
Mr Turnbull tweeted his agreement with Mr Bainimarama. "Jones should also apologise to [Ms Ardern] for his latest misogynistic rant," he said. "It may be political to some, but it’s existential in the Pacific."
Jones stopped short of apologising in a statement on Thursday afternoon, but said he noted concerns about his comment.
"What I meant to say was that Scott Morrison should tell Ms Ardern to 'put a sock in it'," he said.
"Of course I would not wish any harm to Jacinda Ardern. This wilful misinterpretation distracts from my point that she was wrong about climate change."
Jones earlier said Ms Ardern "doesn't know the difference between carbon and carbon dioxide". He said she was "in love" with wind and solar power but that Australia "gets 12.1 per cent of our energy from wind and solar, New Zealand 0.93 of a per cent".
However, New Zealand's primary renewable energy sources are hydro and geothermal power. About 80 per cent of New Zealand's electricity comes from renewable energy, compared with about 20 per cent of Australia's.
Ms Ardern has said New Zealand, like the smaller Pacific Island states, backed action to ensure a global increase in temperature was kept to 1.5 degrees.
"Every single little bit matters. So that is why New Zealand has joined that international call," Ms Ardern said. "But ultimately we all have to take responsibility for ourselves … Australia has to answer to the Pacific. That is a matter for them."
The broadcaster previously attracted wide condemnation over his comments about former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, for which he later apologised. He said she should be "shoved in a chaff bag" and that her father had died "of shame".
Jones is the most listened to Sydney broadcaster in his timeslot.
Nine, parent company of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, owns 54.4 per cent of Macquarie Media, which broadcasts 2GB.