Scott Morrison has backflipped on his previous support for legislation to ban trans women from female sport.
During an interview on 2GB Radio earlier this week, the Prime Minister was asked whether he backs the views held by Katherine Deves.
The Liberal candidate for Warringah has advocated against trans women from being allowed to compete in female sports and even set up the Save Women’s Sport lobby group.
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Mr Morrison said: “She’s standing up for things she believes in. And I share her views on those topics and I think it’s important they’re raised.
“And it’s got nothing to do with the broader gender debates. This is just about common sense and what’s right.”
Later that day, he added during a press conference: “I think I conveyed my own personal view on these matters. We will have more to say about that at another time. If I do, I will. We will deal with that another time.”
However, in the time since those comments were made, Ms Deves has apologised for her social media rhetoric about trans people.
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Deves, who is Mr Morrison's 'captain's pick' for the seat of Warringah, has deleted a series of online posts where she criticised the trans community.
Reacting to a post about a trans teenager who had undergone top surgery, Ms Deves said it was 'beyond heartbreaking' that the child was changing their sex.
She added: “They will not stand for seeing vulnerable children surgically mutilated and sterilised in furtherance of an unattainable idea.
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“The lawsuits will be legion, as will the government inquiries. Complete failure of safeguarding. Mark my words.”
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The Liberal candidate has been hit with a wave of criticism for the posts and she's now apologised.
She told news.com.au: "The language I used was not acceptable, and for that I apologise.
”My commitment is to continue listening to the views of people in Warringah, and the broader community – I will do this in a respectful way.”
In the wake of this apology, Scott Morrison walked back his support for a potential ban on trans women in female sports.
Yesterday (April 13), the Prime Minister said the government has no plans to adopt Liberal senator Claire Chandler’s private bill on the topic.
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“It is a private member’s bill. The government does not have any plans for that to be a government bill," he explained.
"I have told you very clearly what my views on that bill are, so I have been upfront.”
News Corp reports Mr Morrison had called the bill 'terrific' earlier this year and labelled Senator Chandler 'brave' for introducing it.
Topics: Australia
Stewart Perrie