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Labor doubts restaurateur's explanation for Gillard menu Labor doubts restaurateur's explanation for Gillard menu
(4 months later)
Senior Labor ministers are casting doubt on a statement from a Brisbane restaurant owner that a lewd menu referencing Julia Gillard was always intended as a private family joke, not as a public insult.Senior Labor ministers are casting doubt on a statement from a Brisbane restaurant owner that a lewd menu referencing Julia Gillard was always intended as a private family joke, not as a public insult.
Several ministers have questioned an account of the incident from Joe Richards, a donor to the LNP, and the owner of a restaurant, Richards&Richards – the venue for a fundraiser for Mal Brough held in late March.Several ministers have questioned an account of the incident from Joe Richards, a donor to the LNP, and the owner of a restaurant, Richards&Richards – the venue for a fundraiser for Mal Brough held in late March.
Richards says the menu, which first became public via social media, was not distributed to people at the function at his restaurant. It was produced as a joke between him and his son.Richards says the menu, which first became public via social media, was not distributed to people at the function at his restaurant. It was produced as a joke between him and his son.
But this account appears to cut across an earlier sequence of events and explanations on Wednesday.But this account appears to cut across an earlier sequence of events and explanations on Wednesday.
Brough, a former Howard government minister, and the LNP’s candidate for Fisher, apologised for the offending menu on Wednesday morning. So did the LNP in a statement acknowledging that the card was used at the fundraiser. The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, also distanced himself from a reference he described as tacky.Brough, a former Howard government minister, and the LNP’s candidate for Fisher, apologised for the offending menu on Wednesday morning. So did the LNP in a statement acknowledging that the card was used at the fundraiser. The opposition leader, Tony Abbott, also distanced himself from a reference he described as tacky.
But Brough now insists he apologised not because he had seen the menu, but because the distribution of it at the function was presented to him as “a fait accompli”.But Brough now insists he apologised not because he had seen the menu, but because the distribution of it at the function was presented to him as “a fait accompli”.
“I wasn’t to know that [the document] wasn’t there,” Brough said on Thursday.“I wasn’t to know that [the document] wasn’t there,” Brough said on Thursday.
Apologising, he said, “was the decent thing to do” in the circumstances.Apologising, he said, “was the decent thing to do” in the circumstances.
“I never saw any menu. [But there] could well have been something I hadn’t seen. There are 20 people in a room. You get confronted with a document that is real and told that it’s happened, only to find out that it hasn’t happened,” Brough said.“I never saw any menu. [But there] could well have been something I hadn’t seen. There are 20 people in a room. You get confronted with a document that is real and told that it’s happened, only to find out that it hasn’t happened,” Brough said.
Asked if the LNP had pressured the restaurant owner to make a clarifying statement, Brough replied: “I can categorically tell you that Mr Richards has made his statements on his own volition.”Asked if the LNP had pressured the restaurant owner to make a clarifying statement, Brough replied: “I can categorically tell you that Mr Richards has made his statements on his own volition.”
In a further explanation for the confusion of Wednesday, Brough later told Sky News that Richards wasn’t sure in the morning whether or not the menu had been distributed to guests, but had established by the evening that the document had not been made public.In a further explanation for the confusion of Wednesday, Brough later told Sky News that Richards wasn’t sure in the morning whether or not the menu had been distributed to guests, but had established by the evening that the document had not been made public.
The man who first released the picture of the offending menu to social media sites, David Carter, said he had seen the menu on the Facebook page of the restaurant’s executive chef. Carter said he “tried to send a message” to both the prime minister via her Facebook page, and News Limited commentator Peter van Onselen, because he was concerned about the content.The man who first released the picture of the offending menu to social media sites, David Carter, said he had seen the menu on the Facebook page of the restaurant’s executive chef. Carter said he “tried to send a message” to both the prime minister via her Facebook page, and News Limited commentator Peter van Onselen, because he was concerned about the content.
Carter says he has no evidence that the menu was distributed publicly at the Brough fundraiser – and confirms he is no fan of Tony Abbott.Carter says he has no evidence that the menu was distributed publicly at the Brough fundraiser – and confirms he is no fan of Tony Abbott.
Julia Gillard has called for Brough to be disendorsed as the LNP candidate for Fisher. The prime minister told reporters in Perth on Thursday morning that she stood by that statement.Julia Gillard has called for Brough to be disendorsed as the LNP candidate for Fisher. The prime minister told reporters in Perth on Thursday morning that she stood by that statement.
Brough, Gillard declared, had “dozens and dozens” of questions to answer over the incident – and it was up to him to provide explanations why he’d changed his account of the events.Brough, Gillard declared, had “dozens and dozens” of questions to answer over the incident – and it was up to him to provide explanations why he’d changed his account of the events.
But Abbott said that, as it was now clear that the offensive menu had never left the kitchen, it was time to move on from the issue.But Abbott said that, as it was now clear that the offensive menu had never left the kitchen, it was time to move on from the issue.
“This was a bad taste menu that never made it out of the kitchen. It wasn't seen by anyone at the event, it was never distributed to people at the event,” Abbott said. He said his office had distributed the statement from Richards on Wednesday evening because the businessman did not have a media staff.“This was a bad taste menu that never made it out of the kitchen. It wasn't seen by anyone at the event, it was never distributed to people at the event,” Abbott said. He said his office had distributed the statement from Richards on Wednesday evening because the businessman did not have a media staff.
But the health minister, Tanya Plibersek, claimed the Brisbane restaurant owner’s account of the incident as outlined in the email distributed by Abbott’s office on Wednesday night was not credible. “I think you'd have to take that with a grain of salt, as an after-the-fact justification or explanation of what is incredibly poor taste,” she told the ABC.But the health minister, Tanya Plibersek, claimed the Brisbane restaurant owner’s account of the incident as outlined in the email distributed by Abbott’s office on Wednesday night was not credible. “I think you'd have to take that with a grain of salt, as an after-the-fact justification or explanation of what is incredibly poor taste,” she told the ABC.
The treasurer, Wayne Swan, declared it was inconceivable that patrons at the fundraiser did not see the menu. “This is a vile act by those who were at the lunch,” Swan said. “The stories told by various participants do not add up.”The treasurer, Wayne Swan, declared it was inconceivable that patrons at the fundraiser did not see the menu. “This is a vile act by those who were at the lunch,” Swan said. “The stories told by various participants do not add up.”
The finance minister, Penny Wong, echoed the prime minister’s declaration on Wednesday that there was a pattern of bad behaviour. “We have an Abbott Liberal party that seems to have this sort of thing happen a bit too often,” Wong said.The finance minister, Penny Wong, echoed the prime minister’s declaration on Wednesday that there was a pattern of bad behaviour. “We have an Abbott Liberal party that seems to have this sort of thing happen a bit too often,” Wong said.
“I mean, this is a party led by a bloke who stands in front of signs saying the prime minister is a bitch and witch, and I don't think it's a good thing for political culture.”“I mean, this is a party led by a bloke who stands in front of signs saying the prime minister is a bitch and witch, and I don't think it's a good thing for political culture.”
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