Peter Dutton tears into journalist at Alice Springs press conference – ‘Such an ABC question’
Ruthless moment Peter Dutton makes fun of an ABC reporter on trip to crime-ridden Alice Springs: ‘Do you live locally? Do you speak to people on the street? Do you hear what they say?’
- Peter Dutton was obviously aggravated by an ABC reporter
- He accused the journalist of not doing his job properly
Opposition leader Peter Dutton bumped into an ABC reporter at a press conference in Alice Springs and ridiculed the journalist by saying ‘that’s such an ABC question’.
The journalist asked Mr Dutton about his call for a royal commission to investigate child sexual abuse figures in Central Australia following criticism from SNAICC, a national non-governmental body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
“They labeled it an uninformed approach. Why do you think those top bodies reject those calls from you and what evidence do you have that there is so-called rampant child sexual abuse?’ asked the ABC reporter.
“With all due respect, that’s such an ABC question,” replied a stunned Mr. Dutton, later adding that the reporter was not doing his job properly.
‘Do you live nearby, do you approach people on the street, do you hear what they say to you?
“(Police and social workers) have kids taking them back to homes where they’ve been sexually assaulted and six-year-olds grabbing their legs and begging not to be left there.
“They’re the people on the front lines,” Mr. Dutton said.
He said he didn’t know what academics or bureaucrats are saying about the issue, but “I can tell you what the human experience on the front line is.
“And if the ABC doesn’t think it’s appropriate to report that, then I honestly think it reflects more on the ABC than on the locals here.”
However, the leader of the Liberal Party was not done yet and told the reporter, “I don’t think you are doing your job if you deny the reality of the conditions on the ground.”
An obviously annoyed Peter Dutton (pictured) accused an ABC reporter of not doing his job properly
Peter Dutton got into a heated argument with an ABC reporter in Alice Springs on Thursday, saying “that’s such an ABC question.” The photo shows ABC’s headquarters in Sydney
The journalist then tried to ask the same question in a slightly different way.
“I’m not denying reality. I ask you what data you use to support your claims here,” he said.
But Mr. Dutton had had enough and said, “I’ve answered that question, so if there’s a more sensible question I’d be more than happy to take it.”
Senator Jacinta Price from the Northern Territory, standing next to Mr Dutton, then unleashed on SNAICC saying it had its priorities wrong.
“I think questions should be asked of organizations like SNAICC, whose job it is to uphold the human rights of Indigenous children, but instead follow an ideological line.”
She said ‘it is more important (to SNAICC) that these children are expected to be connected to (their Indigenous) culture than that their human rights are actually respected’.
Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price (pictured), unleashed at the National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Secretariat, saying it has its priorities off
Ms Price is tipped to become shadow minister for Indigenous Australians following Julian Leeser’s resignation over Liberals’ opposition to a Voice to Parliament.
On Wednesday, Mr. Dutton focused on the crime spree in Alice Springs when he met with business owner Darren Clark, who called for more federal government aid in the city.
Mr Dutton called for the Australian Federal Police to be sent in to assist local police in tackling the crime, saying: “There needs to be a greater presence on the ground.”
He called three months ago to use the AFP in Alice Springs.