A week of gaffes
TYPICAL of an election are the gaffes, which experienced and not so experienced candidates make after long days spent campaigning.
TYPICAL of an election are the gaffes, which experienced and not so experienced candidates make after long days spent campaigning.
This week was no different, with Liberal candidate for Ballarat Mark Banwell forced to issue an apology after comparing Labor’s education policy to the Holocaust.
On local TV, Banwell, who is contesting a safe Labor seat, criticised the school building stimulus package.
“In probably a year’s time, just what a Holocaust this will be,” he said of the $16.2 billion program.
His leader, Tony Abbott, slapped him on the wrist, saying it was an “offensive and inappropriate” comment, but refused to disendorse the former army officer.
In response, Banwell said he was sorry for any offence caused. “In describing it I used a most inappropriate characterisation. I apologise for doing so. It was not my intention to cause offence, but freely acknowledge I have done so,” he said via a statement.
Another Liberal, David Barker, was dumped on Sunday from contesting the very safe Labor seat of Lindsay.
Barker, who aligns himself with the Christian far right, accused his opponent, Ed Husic, of being a “strong Muslim” who would bring Australia “closer to the hands of a Muslim country”.
This week, NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal attacked the NSW Liberal Party for installing Barker in the seat in the first place. “This is a symptom of the NSW Liberal Party being controlled by the extreme right-wing faction, led by David Clarke,” the Jewish MP told The AJN.
“This extremist was directly appointed by the NSW Liberals — [Opposition Leader] Barry O’Farrell should take full responsibility for such an appalling lack of leadership.”
It is not the first time Lindsay, which centres around the Sydney suburb of Penrith, has been the site of race-based comments from the Liberal Party.
Party volunteers distributed a flyer before the 2007 federal election quoting a made-up Islamic group, saying that Kevin Rudd supported forgiveness for the Bali bombers and the construction of a mosque in the area.
Roozendaal had also previously alerted NSW Parliament about brochures with fake ALP logos calling self-described non-practising Muslim, Husic, “a devout Muslim” who is working hard to get a better deal for his co-religionists.
NAOMI LEVIN
PHOTO: NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal. Photo: AJN file
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