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| Peter Dutton apologises for calling journalist a 'mad witch' in text message | Peter Dutton apologises for calling journalist a 'mad witch' in text message |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The immigration minister, Peter Dutton, has apologised for calling the political editor of the Sunday Telegraph, Samantha Maiden, “a mad fucking witch” in a text message that he accidentally sent to the journalist herself. | |
| Dutton intended to send the text to the ousted former minister Jamie Briggs, News Corp reported. | |
| Briggs last week resigned from the ministry over allegedly inappropriate conduct with a female diplomatic staffer while on official business in Hong Kong. | |
| On Sunday, Maiden reported that Briggs had circulated a photo of himself with the public servant, after declaring he would not reveal her identity in order to protect her privacy. | |
| Dutton admitted sending the offensive message and played down its impacts. | Dutton admitted sending the offensive message and played down its impacts. |
| Related: Jamie Briggs resigns as minister over incident in Hong Kong bar with female public servant | Related: Jamie Briggs resigns as minister over incident in Hong Kong bar with female public servant |
| “I apologised to [Maiden] straight away, which she took in good faith,’’ he told News Corp. “Sam and I have exchanged some robust language over the years, so we had a laugh after this. I’m expecting a tough time in her next column.” | |
| Briggs stood down due to his failure to uphold ministerial standards, with the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, labelling his indiscretion a “serious matter”. | Briggs stood down due to his failure to uphold ministerial standards, with the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, labelling his indiscretion a “serious matter”. |
| “As Mr Briggs has noted in his public statement, ministers are expected to uphold high standards of behaviour as set out in the ministerial standards,” Turnbull said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “On this occasion his conduct fell short of that standard. After being invited to reflect on his position, he offered his resignation which I have accepted.” | “As Mr Briggs has noted in his public statement, ministers are expected to uphold high standards of behaviour as set out in the ministerial standards,” Turnbull said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “On this occasion his conduct fell short of that standard. After being invited to reflect on his position, he offered his resignation which I have accepted.” |
| Turnbull’s office did not immediately reply to Guardian Australia’s inquiries about whether the prime minister deemed Dutton’s text message blunder a serious enough issue to seek his resignation. | Turnbull’s office did not immediately reply to Guardian Australia’s inquiries about whether the prime minister deemed Dutton’s text message blunder a serious enough issue to seek his resignation. |
| The immigration minister was a loyal supporter of the former prime minister, Tony Abbott, and offered to resign from the ministry after Turnbull took the reins. Turnbull was urged by Scott Morrison, now the treasurer, to keep Dutton in the immigration portfolio. | |
| Sunday’s text message error was the latest gaffe by the immigration minister. | Sunday’s text message error was the latest gaffe by the immigration minister. |
| Related: Good luck to Jamie Briggs, new minister for cities. He's likely to need it | Liam Hogan | Related: Good luck to Jamie Briggs, new minister for cities. He's likely to need it | Liam Hogan |
| In September, Dutton shared an awkward open mic moment with Abbott about rising sea levels in the Pacific. The comments were condemned by the leaders of island nations. | |
| Just days earlier, Guardian Australia had revealed that Dutton’s office had twice been asked to review a press release for border force’s operation fortitude in Melbourne. The release appeared to threaten random visa checks, and the operation was cancelled following huge community outcry. | Just days earlier, Guardian Australia had revealed that Dutton’s office had twice been asked to review a press release for border force’s operation fortitude in Melbourne. The release appeared to threaten random visa checks, and the operation was cancelled following huge community outcry. |
| In 2010, he defended telling then health minister, Nicola Roxon, to get on her broomstick, at a time when senior female figures in the then Labor government – including prime minister Julia Gillard – faced frequent “witch” comparisons. | In 2010, he defended telling then health minister, Nicola Roxon, to get on her broomstick, at a time when senior female figures in the then Labor government – including prime minister Julia Gillard – faced frequent “witch” comparisons. |
| telling nicola to get on her broomstick is hardly "grossly unparliamentary" as joolia claimed | telling nicola to get on her broomstick is hardly "grossly unparliamentary" as joolia claimed |
| Dutton had demanded that the former speaker, Peter Slipper, resign over sexist comments made in private text messages. | Dutton had demanded that the former speaker, Peter Slipper, resign over sexist comments made in private text messages. |
| “People are very concerned about the conduct of the speaker and these outrageous and shocking texts that appeared in the newspapers over the last 48 hours,” Dutton told reporters in October 2012. “I think it’s now up to Julia Gillard to show some leadership and say what she’s going to do with Mr Slipper.” | “People are very concerned about the conduct of the speaker and these outrageous and shocking texts that appeared in the newspapers over the last 48 hours,” Dutton told reporters in October 2012. “I think it’s now up to Julia Gillard to show some leadership and say what she’s going to do with Mr Slipper.” |
| Dutton has not indicated whether he will stand down as immigration minister over the Maiden text message incident. |