News & Views

Who’s made Australia’s most sexist comments? Check out the shortlist

by Women's Agenda | September 22, 2014

On Wednesday night, more than 350 women will come together to judge the 22nd annual ‘Ernie Awards for Sexist Remarks. Through a technical voting system of ‘booing’ while the short-listed offenders are read out during the gala dinner, the honourable award winners will be determined.

So, who’s up for the list of gongs across six categories covering media, political, judicial, industrial and sport? And who will take home the trophy for boys behaving better — that is ‘The Good Ernie’?

There were 100 nominations across all categories, with 23 for politicians — three times more than in any category.

Those expected to do well include former MP Eddie Obeid for telling Minister Phil Costa, “you need to sack that bitch”, and Christopher Pyne for declaring a rise in HECS won’t hurt women because, “they will not be able to earn the high incomes that say dentists and lawyers earn”.

Meanwhile, there’s Piers Akerman who reckons the ABC’s cartoon character Peppa Pig is a “weird feminist”, Mathias Cormann for saying the Coalition will not get distracted by the “side issues” that are discussions about the advancement of women in the Coalition, and Clive Palmer for frequently calling female journalists “my dear” and attacking Tony Abbott’s chief of staff, Peta Credlin. Libra will also get the booing treatment, for advertising its new feminine products as absorbing “way more than you ever did in maths class”.

Check out the shortlist and check back with Women’s Agenda for all the winners. And feel free to give a “virtual boo” below with your pick of the most sexist comment this year:

Political Silver Ernie:

Eddie Obeid

Mark Latham

John Howard

Christopher Pyne MP

Clive Palmer MP (thrice)