The 29th Annual Ernies Awards for sexist remark took place on Tuesday 19 October, marking another year of celebrating world-class sexism and inappropriate speech.
Ernies founder and organiser Dr Meredith Burgmann commented that ‘misogyny comes and goes over the years but the eruption in March this year seems to have reached a peak that hasn’t been seen since the Julia Gillard (Big red box, ditch the witch) period’.
Burgmann explained the process for this year’s awards. “Because of covid restrictions we weren’t able to hold the usual noisy ‘Boos and Booze’ affair known as the Ernies Awards Dinner (normally attended by 330 angry and ‘emotional’ women in NSW Parliament House). This year we held a virtual Ernies where an Ernies ‘Council of Elders’ judged the quotes sent in during the year from over 3000 women.
The Elders choose the Gold Ernie winner and the winners of the 8 categories including the Good Ernie trophy for ‘Boys behaving better’ and the Elaine for ‘the remark from a woman least helpful to the Sisterhood’).
GOLD ERNIE AND POLITICAL SILVER ERNIE
Senator Eric Abetz, when asked if Christian Porter was the unidentified minister who was accused of rape, “yes … but not to worry, the woman is dead and the law will protect him … as for that Higgins girl, anybody so disgustingly drunk who would sleep with anybody … she could have slept with one of our spies and put the security of the nation at risk.”
Ernies founder Dr Meredith Burgmann commented that “Senator Abetz is an outstanding winner, having ‘podiumed’ on previous occasions. He is almost certainly on his last lap as he has been relegated to an almost unwinnable spot on the Tassie senate ticket. In excellent form though, the Senator has blamed his relegation on sexism and ageism”.
INDUSTRIAL SILVER ERNIE
General Angus Campbell, Chief of Defence, told incoming female ADFA cadets, they should avoid making themselves prey to sexual predators by being aware of the “‘four As’: alcohol, out after midnight, alone and attractive”.
MEDIA SILVER ERNIE
Jeremy Cordeaux, SA radio host on Brittany Higgins allegations, “I just ask myself why the Prime Minister doesn’t call it out for what it is – a silly little girl who got drunk.”
JUDICIAL SILVER ERNIE
Judge Robert Sutherland, NSW District Court, regarding Nicholas Drummond who hit a young woman after telling her to “put her tits away”. Judge Sutherland wished Drummond ‘good luck’ and concluded, [He made] “a lewd and completely inappropriate remark towards someone he didn’t know but whose dress might have been perceived by a former student of Knox to be provocative”.
SPORT (THE WARNEY)
Ricky Stuart, coach, Canberra Raiders, “If I can’t have tough conversations with my better players, I might as well coach netball.”
POLITICAL SILVER ERNIE – Dead heat
Senator Eric Abetz, quoted above
Prime Minister Scott Morrison following Brittany Higgins’s allegations of rape, “Jenny and I spoke last night and she said to me you have to think about this as a father first. What would you want if it were our girls?…Jenny has a way of clarifying things”.
CLERICAL/CELEBRITY – Dead heat
Professor Magnus Nyden, Dean of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University doesn’t think there should be more women in sciences because, “a woman is biologically wired to be more concerned about people, and men about things”.
St Luke’s Grammar School For asking their male students to choose the qualities they would look for in a girl which allocated more points for virginity, looks and strong Christian values than for generosity and adventurousness. The girl students were given articles on the importance of virginity and how Satan provided opportunities for fleeting sexual encounters.
THE ELAINE (For the remark least helpful to the sisterhood) – Dead heat
Senator Linda Reynolds, Minister for Defence, referring to Brittany Higgins “She’s a lying cow”
Teena McQueen, Federal Liberal Party Vice President commented in a meeting, “I would kill to be sexually harassed at the moment”
THE GOOD ERNIE (For Boys behaving Better) – Dead Heat
Liberal MP Russell Broadbent asked the PM to convene a national gathering of women and that all cabinet submissions, new policies and legislation have a gender impact statement and that politicians “need to be quiet, listen and learn”.
Richard Hinds, ABC Sports reporter, “I’ve no idea whether (Rugby Australia CEO) Raelene Castle was a good CEO or a disaster. I’m 100% certain women in power are still held to a much higher account than men”
THE TRUMP (for repeat offender) Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Scott Morrison (1) talking about the Women’s March4Justice, “This is a vibrant liberal democracy Mr Speaker. Not far from here, such marches, even now, are being met with bullets, but not here in this country.”
Scott Morrison (2) following Brittany Higgins’s allegations of rape, “Jenny and I spoke last night and she said to me you have to think about this as a father first. What would you want if it were our girls?… Jenny has a way of clarifying things”.
Scott Morrison (3) to Grace Tame after her Australian of the Year speech detailing her experience of child sexual abuse “Well, gee, I bet it felt good to get that out.”
Dr Burgmann commented that “time for contemplation during lockdown has not made Australia a kinder, gentler place – for women”.