Media release: Change to Gold Ernie Award for Sexism 2021 citation
The winner of the Gold Ernie, Tasmanian Senator Eric Abetz has requested (through his office) that the Ernies presenters amend the citation to add the word "allegedly" to the remarks which were read out in the Tasmanian Parliament by then Coalition Speaker Sue Hickey. We agreed to this.
Consequently, the new citation for the Gold Ernies winner is:
Senator Eric Abetz, when asked by Tasmanian Speaker Sue Hickey if Christian Porter was the unidentified minister who was accused of rape, he allegedly replied:
"Yes … but not to worry, the woman is dead and the law will protect him ... as for that Higgins girl, anybody so disgustingly drunk who would sleep with anybody could have slept with one of our spies and put the security of the nation at risk'."
