Reverend Fred Nile says not all people held hostage in the Lindt Cafe deserve bravery honours. Courtesy: Sunrise/Channel Seven

Fred Nile: The only 'man' in the Lindt Cafe was 'the man with the gun'

CONTROVERSIAL NSW MP Fred Nile has backtracked on comments this morning that the only man inside the Lindt Cafe siege at Martin Place was the man holding the gun, now saying he ‘misspoke’ and ‘the terrorist was a coward’.

Earlier, the Christian Democratic Party leader sparked outrage on Channel 7’s Sunrise by saying bravery awards were for people who put themselves in danger to help others, not those who found themselves in dangerous situations.

Sydney siege: Inquest date set for January 29

Sydney siege: Male hostages shouldn’t get bravery awards, says NSW MP Fred Nile

Hostage victims to receive as little as $1500 compensation

The Martin Place siege began on December 15 when man Monis took 18 people hostage about 10am. It ended 16 hours later with three people dead and others injured.

“Usually men try to protect the women but it looks like the men were trying to protect their own skins,” Mr Nile said on Sunrise this morning.

“Where were the men?

“The only man really there was the man with the gun.”

Those comments followed a radio interview on Tuesday where Mr Nile said male hostages who fled the fatal Sydney siege shouldn’t receive bravery awards.

The divisive figure believes Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson, who were both killed along with gunman Man Haron Monis in the 16-hour siege, should receive the awards.

But the men who escaped from the Lindt Cafe don’t.

“They should get recognition for what they suffered as hostages but I don’t think they should get bravery awards,” Mr Nile told Fairfax Radio.

“Maybe they could have done something more to protect the women.

“Normally bravery awards are given for an act of bravery — that somebody actually does something. They haven’t done anything.”

Giving bravery awards to those male hostages who fled would diminish the worth of the medal, Mr Nile added.

State Sydney Independent MP Alex Greenwich, whose electorate covers the site of the siege, slammed Mr Nile over his comments.

“Fred Nile has redefined mean and has delivered the cruellest blow possible to the victims of the siege, including all the still traumatised hostages, and should resign for his comments,” he said.

Mr Nile backed down this morning, telling the Daily Mail he certainly wasn’t complimenting Man Monis and that the siege gunman was just a coward hiding behind a gun.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott earlier this week requested Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove support a push to honour the victims, surviving hostages and emergency services with bravery awards.

Mrs Dawson and Mr Johnson were both killed by gunfire on December 16 when the siege reached its bloody conclusion.

Mr Johnson’s execution by Monis was what sparked police into storming the building after 2am.

Mrs Dawson and Monis were both killed in the ensuing gunfight, with the Sunday Telegraph revealing this week that the mother-of-three’s fatal wounds were the result of police bullet ricochets that pierced her heart and shoulder.

Monis was later found to have had 20 shotgun cartridges in his pockets.

Last week NSW Premier Mike Baird said a permanent memorial to those involved in the siege would be unveiled in the second half of 2015.

An inquest into the deaths at the siege will begin on January 29.