Peter Dutton apologises to Labor Dickson rival Ali France for disability comment

Updated

Peter Dutton has apologised to his Labor opponent Ali France for suggesting she was using her disability as an "excuse" for not living in the Dickson electorate.

Key points: Mr Dutton said his "argument" with Ali France was in relation to her policies

Prior to his apology, Labor senator Kristina Keneally called Mr Dutton "the most toxic man in the Liberal Party"

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten also earlier said the comments were offensive

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday defended Mr Dutton, saying he did not believe the Home Affairs Minister was using her disability as a basis of a political attack.

But Mr Dutton apologised on Twitter on Saturday afternoon.

"My argument with the Labor candidate is about how our respective policies would affect the people of Dickson," he wrote.

Ms France, Labor's candidate for the south-east Queensland seat of Dickson, had her left leg amputated above her knee after a car crashed into her at a shopping centre in 2011.

She lives in the neighbouring electorate and said she has been looking for a wheelchair accessible home in Dickson.

Mr Dutton on Friday told The Australian there were plenty of people living with a disability in the electorate.

"A lot of people have raised this with me. I think they are quite angry that Ms France is using her disability as an excuse for not moving into our electorate," he said.

"Ali has been telling people that even if she won the election she won't move into our electorate. She has now changed that position, but I don't think it is credible."

Federal Labor's campaign spokesman Jim Chalmers said the apology was cowardly.

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"A gutless tweet won't make up for a grubby and disgraceful slur against Australians with a disability," Mr Chalmers said.

"Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton — stop hiding behind Twitter on a Saturday afternoon.

"Do the right thing for once, come out and genuinely apologise to Australians with a disability. Stop taking the gutless, coward's path."

Earlier today, Labor senator Kristina Keneally ramped up the Opposition's attack on Mr Dutton, urging the Prime Minister to force him to apologise.

"Is Mr Morrison afraid of Mr Dutton? Mr Dutton, after all, is a thug," she said.

"Mr Dutton is the most toxic man in the Liberal Party."

Her comments followed those of Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Labor deputy Tanya Plibersek, who both roundly condemned Mr Dutton.

Mr Shorten described his comments as offensive, questioning how he could "launch a personal attack on a person who has suffered an above-the-knee amputation trying to protect their child … and then say somehow they are exploiting that?".

Meanwhile, Ms Plibersek called Mr Dutton a hypocrite and said Ms France's home was "a lot closer to the electorate than Peter Dutton's Gold Coast mansion".

"I hear from some people that Peter Dutton is a horrible human being — put that on the record," she said.

Chief executive of disability service group Community Connections Dougie Herd also said Mr Dutton's comments were insensitive.

"I am completely appalled and I simply cannot imagine [in] what universe Peter Dutton thinks an amputee would use her disability to get an advantage out of life," he said.

"It is bizarre and it is offensive."

Topics: government-and-politics, federal-election, federal-elections, australia

First posted