NSW Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig tried to lie his way out of making an offensive comment to a female counsellor during the first day of the Australian Local Government Women’s Association Conference on March 27.
A councillor asked him if he would consider relaxing a council code of conduct rule over counsellors attending meetings remotely. “Have you ever been able to convince your partner to change their view, if you’re not standing over him with a wooden spoon?” Hoenig said.
When the Sydney Morning Herald asked him about the comment and a spokesperson for Hoenig said he did ‘not recognise the characterisation’.
“The session was conversational in nature, and at one point he made a light-hearted, self-deprecating remark referencing his wife being ‘in charge’ at home,” a spokesperson said. “It was not directed at any individual councillor nor connected to the question as suggested.”
Days later he was given the recording of the statement. Hoenig then said it a was a ‘poor choice of words’. Women at the event said his statement was offensive, violent and unacceptable.
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