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Naomi Wolf pursues Angus Taylor for 'formal' Hansard correction in Christmas tree row Naomi Wolf pursues Angus Taylor for 'formal' Hansard correction in Christmas tree row
(about 3 hours later)
US author says she recorded a call with Australian minister’s office in which she was told it was ‘a matter of dispute’ whether she was at Oxford in 1991US author says she recorded a call with Australian minister’s office in which she was told it was ‘a matter of dispute’ whether she was at Oxford in 1991
Naomi Wolf has reignited her row with Australia’s energy minister, Angus Taylor, publishing what she said was a transcript of a phone call with his office. Naomi Wolf has reignited her row with Australia’s energy minister, Angus Taylor, publishing a recording of a heated phone call with his office.
On Thursday morning the US author said she had recorded a call to Taylor’s parliamentary office requesting a “formal correction” to the Hansard record of his maiden speech, asking that Taylor “tell Parliament please that I was not campaigning against Xmas in any way?” On Thursday morning the US author said she called Taylor’s parliamentary office requesting a “formal correction” to the Hansard record of his maiden speech, asking that Taylor “tell Parliament please that I was not campaigning against Xmas in any way?”
Taylor referred to Wolf in his maiden speech to parliament in 2013 while recounting an anecdote about “political correctness” and a dispute about a Christmas tree at Oxford University in 1991, when he was a Rhodes scholar. She tweeted several excerpts before publishing the 29-minute recording in full.
“He used my name twice in ways that are completely inappropriate, totally unjustified, inaccurate,” Wolf told the staffer at one point.
“I don’t need to advocate to him about that. He has done a wrong thing and he needs to take responsibility for that.”
In 2013 Taylor referred to Wolf in his maiden speech to parliament while recounting an anecdote about “political correctness” and a dispute about a Christmas tree at Oxford University in 1991, when he was a Rhodes scholar.
When Wolf was alerted to the speech on Monday she pointed out that she was not at Oxford in 1991 and accused the minister of “antisemitic dogwhistling”.When Wolf was alerted to the speech on Monday she pointed out that she was not at Oxford in 1991 and accused the minister of “antisemitic dogwhistling”.
On Thursday Wolf said Taylor’s staffer had told her that all media who had reported on the story had been given the advice that she was not campaigning against Christmas. In the call with Taylor’s staffer, Wolf repeatedly requested that his office issue a public correction to say she was not at Oxford at the same time as him, and that she was not part of a group of people campaigning against Christmas.
“Can I have evidence?” Wolf said. The spokesman responded: “I’m sorry, obviously we can’t prove that has been provided.” The staffer said Taylor “does not suggest in any way … that you were campaigning in any way against, shall we say, quote unquote Christmas,” and said that advice had been given to media.
In a series of tweets, Wolf claimed that the staffer had also told her it was a “matter of dispute” whether she was at Oxford University at the same time as Taylor. However he insisted it was still a “matter of dispute” whether Wolf was at Oxford in 1991.
Wolf said she told the office it couldn’t be a matter of dispute “re whether I was living ‘down the corridor’ at Oxford in 1991”. The staffer did not realise who he was talking to for at least 10 minutes despite her introduction and repeated clarifications she was in fact Naomi Wolf, asking several times who he was speaking to.
“Spokesman: ‘Mr Taylor recalls seeing you at Oxford. He does not in any way state that you were campaigning against quote unquote Christmas.’” “Just to be clear, I am Naomi Wolf,” said Wolf at one point, saying she was not at Oxford in 1991.
“Right, I mean, look, Mr Taylor seems to recall that you were in Oxford,” the staffer replied. “You’d have to have that conversation with him.”
“It can’t be a matter of opinion between me and Mr Taylor, or a matter of dispute or different impressions about him allegedly seeing me in Oxford in 1991,” Wolf said.
The staffer repeatedly asked her to send an email, which Wolf refused because she wanted to be able to ask follow up questions.
She asked for someone to call her back, but the staffer said he was on a landline and didn’t have her number. Wolf offered to give it to him. He responded that it was past midnight in Canberra. She retorted that he had picked up the phone.
He later said “it was an accident this phone call was even picked up.”
“I’ve been trying to get this corrected for three or four days now,” said Wolf.
“It’s a matter of public record. I wasn’t there, I wasn’t warring on Christmas. You have a responsibility without any further communication from me. I’m telling you directly, I wasn’t there, it’s not true.”
She accused Taylor of using her name and reputation in a divisive and “thoroughly dogwhistle way”.
The conversation ended with the staffer, who refused to give his name, offering to have a media advisor call Wolf, saying “I have to go, it’s 1am.”
In his 2013 speech Taylor said: “It was 1991, and a young Naomi Wolf lived a couple of doors down the corridor. Several graduate students, mostly from the north-east of the US, decided we should abandon the Christmas tree in the common room because some people might be offended. I was astounded.In his 2013 speech Taylor said: “It was 1991, and a young Naomi Wolf lived a couple of doors down the corridor. Several graduate students, mostly from the north-east of the US, decided we should abandon the Christmas tree in the common room because some people might be offended. I was astounded.
“In our times, the world over, the foundation of democracy – free speech – and the foundation of capitalism – property rights – are being chipped away by shrill elitist voices who insist that they know what is best for people who are not remotely like them.”“In our times, the world over, the foundation of democracy – free speech – and the foundation of capitalism – property rights – are being chipped away by shrill elitist voices who insist that they know what is best for people who are not remotely like them.”
The anecdote was repeated in a 2014 profile in the Australian Financial Review. The anecdote was repeated in a 2014 profile in the Australian Financial Review. Taylor’s staffer told Wolf that was the AFR’s reporting, and not a claim sourced from Taylor’s office.
Wolf said on Monday she was “long back in the US” and no longer at Oxford by 1991.Wolf said on Monday she was “long back in the US” and no longer at Oxford by 1991.
“I was a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford 1985-88,” Wolf said. “Angus Taylor recalls me in a fever dream at Oxford in 1991 among those warring on Xmas. I was in NYC. Plus I love Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa. Flattered to be on this mythological hate list.”“I was a Rhodes Scholar in Oxford 1985-88,” Wolf said. “Angus Taylor recalls me in a fever dream at Oxford in 1991 among those warring on Xmas. I was in NYC. Plus I love Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa. Flattered to be on this mythological hate list.”
“Catch that anti-Semitic dogwhistle – elitist people ‘who know what’s best for people who are not remotely like them.’ Referring to Jews like me whom Angus Taylor imagined to be among the warriors against xmas in Oxford in 1991.”“Catch that anti-Semitic dogwhistle – elitist people ‘who know what’s best for people who are not remotely like them.’ Referring to Jews like me whom Angus Taylor imagined to be among the warriors against xmas in Oxford in 1991.”
Taylor rejected the accusation he was antisemitic, with a spokesman noting that his grandmother was Jewish.Taylor rejected the accusation he was antisemitic, with a spokesman noting that his grandmother was Jewish.
His office insisted Taylor recalled seeing Wolf at Oxford, although they clarified the minister’s speech was not referring to Wolf as one of the graduates who campaigned against the Christmas tree.His office insisted Taylor recalled seeing Wolf at Oxford, although they clarified the minister’s speech was not referring to Wolf as one of the graduates who campaigned against the Christmas tree.
Taylor is the subject of multiple controversies, including a NSW police investigation after his office provided doctored documents to media as part of a political attack on the lord mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore. Taylor is the subject of multiple controversies, including a NSW police investigation after his office provided a doctored document to the media as part of a political attack on the lord mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore.
A Senate committee this week found Taylor “consciously used his position as an MP and minister” to try to influence an investigation into clearing of grasslands at a property he and his family part-own, and recommended the prime minister order an inquiry.A Senate committee this week found Taylor “consciously used his position as an MP and minister” to try to influence an investigation into clearing of grasslands at a property he and his family part-own, and recommended the prime minister order an inquiry.
Taylor’s office has been contacted for a response to Wolf’s claims.Taylor’s office has been contacted for a response to Wolf’s claims.
It is not the first time an Australian federal minister has sparred with a US celebrity. In 2017 the then deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, made international headlines after he threatened to have Johnny Depp’s dogs put down when the actor bypassed customs to bring them into the country. Pistol and Boo were flown home before Joyce’s deadline.It is not the first time an Australian federal minister has sparred with a US celebrity. In 2017 the then deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, made international headlines after he threatened to have Johnny Depp’s dogs put down when the actor bypassed customs to bring them into the country. Pistol and Boo were flown home before Joyce’s deadline.