NSW Labor leader says his comments ‘were not intended to come out the way they did’

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

The New South Wales opposition leader, Michael Daley, has issued an unequivocal apology for his remarks about Asians with PhDs taking “our kids’” jobs as the party goes into damage control to staunch the fallout in electorates with large Chinese populations.

With three days until polling day, the comments have seriously dented Labor’s momentum when polls were showing them 50-50 with the Coalition.

Speaking at a press conference in Alexandria on Wednesday, Daley said: “I have apologised. I hope people will see my comments were not intended to come out the way they did and I have issued an unqualified apology.”

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Daley made the remarks during a Politics in the Pub session in Wentworth Falls in September, which was captured on video. He was shown talking about housing costs and what was driving them.

“Our young children will flee and who are they being replaced with?” Daley says. “They are being replaced by young people from typically Asia with PhDs.”

Today he sought to press the reset button and return to safer ground by announcing plans to sign a partnership with local government to return planning powers to councils and to work with them.

“The Berejiklian government’s heavy handed approach to planning in Sydney has shut out councils and communities and it is not working,” he said.

Daley refused to acknowledge that his comments about Asian people were damaging his chances in Saturday’s state election but he said he had spoken to three or four MPs who have large Asian populations in their electorate. He said he had not spoken to Chinese community leaders.

Chris Minns, the NSW shadow minister for water and member for Kogarah, placed a message on the Chinese social media platform WeChat in Mandarin to Chinese-speaking voters.

Minns did not criticise Daley but highlighted his commitment to the community.

“I want to make clear that I love my community because of its wonderful Chinese character and heritage, not in spite of it,” he said.

The party also placed advertisements in the Australian Chinese Daily featuring Daley with his wife, Christina, and their two children.

The caption is understood to read: “Michael Daley and Labor. Put education and health before stadium revamp. Put people first.”

The advertisement features 10 Labor MPs and candidates that have large migrant populations in their electorates, such as Julia Finn in Granville, Lucy Mannering in Oatley and Jerome Laxale in Ryde.

Daley said he would not comment on the federal government’s plans to reduce the cap on immigration but said efforts to push new migrants into regional centres should not mean less help for cities.

On Twitter, the former SBS broadcaster Li Lin Chin posted: “Don’t worry Michael Daley, I stole an Australian newsreaders’ job without a PhD.

“We will take the jobs regardless of our education.”

Daley was also under pressure over preference deals with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party after its leader, Robert Borsak, said he would like to see greater availability of silencers.

“I will make an ironclad guarantee that I will not be part of weakening the gun laws,” Daley said.

Borsak is also pushing for relaxation of sanctuary zones in marine parks to allow access for recreational fishers and more access for four-wheel drives to national parks.