PM refuses to take Jones' call

1 Oct 2012, 6:20 am   -   Source: AAP
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Shock jock Alan Jones has apologised to the PM after suggesting her father died of shame. (AAP)

Shock jock Alan Jones has apologised to the PM after suggesting her father died of shame. (AAP)

Broadcaster Alan Jones has apologised publicly for his comments about Julia Gillard's father, but the prime minister says she won't be taking his call.

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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has no intention of taking Alan Jones' call so he can personally apologise for his comments about her late father which have been widely condemned.

The veteran broadcaster has publicly apologised for using a speech to a Sydney University Liberal Club fundraiser to declare John Gillard had died of "shame" because of Ms Gillard's "lies".

Mr Gillard died this month aged 83 after a battle with illness. Ms Gillard has described him as her inspiration.

Jones' comments - secretly recorded by a News Limited journalist and published on Sunday - sparked outrage on social media and were swiftly condemned as offensive by politicians on both sides.

They also sparked calls for Jones' sacking from Sydney radio station 2GB and for an advertiser boycott.

During a sometimes rambling 45-minute media conference on Sunday, Jones apologised for the comments, which he admitted were "unacceptable".

"There are days when you just have to concede, man up and say you got it wrong," he said in Sydney. "And on this instance these are remarks which I shouldn't have made."

Jones said he had tried to contact the prime minister to apologise directly.

But a spokesman for Ms Gillard said she did not intend to speak to Jones about the remarks and declined to comment further.

But Ms Gillard's frontbench team were lining up to condemn the comments.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr called it the most "thoroughly indecent" thing he had ever heard in politics, while Trade Minister Craig Emerson dismissed Jones's apology as insincere.

"There is no remorse here. Mr Jones should be taken off air," Dr Emerson told reporters in Sydney.

Dr Emerson also called on Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to more vigorously reject the "disgusting" comments.

Mr Abbott issued a brief statement calling Jones's comments "completely out of line" and welcoming his apology, but Dr Emerson said that did not go far enough.

Senator Carr said Mr Abbott should also apologise to the prime minister.

"It is vital that Tony Abbott apologise for that utterance made at a Liberal Party meeting and do it today," Senator Carr said.

Mr Abbott should also denounce the Liberal "extremists" who cheered, applauded and laughed at Jones's comments, the foreign minister said.

Liberal frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull was among the first Liberals to condemn the comments.

"Alan Jones' comments about the late John Gillard were cruel and offensive," he wrote on Twitter. "He should apologise to the PM and her family."

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd described Jones's comments as the lowest of the low.

"Abbott must dismiss Jones from Liberal Party now and ban him from future Liberal events," Mr Rudd said.

The Australian Greens called on the major parties to follow their lead in boycotting Jones's popular breakfast radio program.

"The Australian body politic should disassociate itself from Alan Jones," Greens deputy leader Adam Bandt said.

"This is not political commentary, it's hate media, pure and simple."

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Your Comments

Nasty journo

Berengere - from Coogee, 8 months ago

If these nasty comments are the kind of stuff coming to his mind doing his journo job that says a lot about the level of work standards around here. It's not the first time a journalist or a politician is way out of line. In fact everyday a journo or a politician comes up with some nasty or usually childish comments (he's the one who did that nanana) Maybe it's time to revise some basic code of standards and work practice. If you talk about politics and politicians do so, leave alone the private life!! For once I guess the French media (and continental Europe in general) got it right, we don't care about the politicians private life and we leave their private garden untouched, that helps to avoid jones idiotic, hatred and stupid comments! I said media not "people crap paper". What we want are reports, comments and analysis on the pm while she does her job not about her partner, her late dad or the color of her hair!!

Always Gutter and Will Remain One

Pauline Ades - from Gladesville, 8 months ago

NO matter what side of politics you are from, the filth that came out of Alan Jones' mouth is total gutter. Anyone who condones what he said is no better than he is. He has always been a very nasty, evil man and he has never changed. What party needs him to prop them up, only ugly ones.

Shock Jock

Gerhard - from Blackheath, 8 months ago

Alan Jones spreads hate, disrespect and misconceptions in a nasty way. Time to take him off air permanently once and for all. Stand up and remove this bully now.

Apology

Robyn from Tasmania - from Tasmania, 8 months ago

So it's OK for the Labor caucus and backbenchers to say vile things about Kevin Rudd and not apologise, but it's not OK for a shock jock to say vile things. He must apologise, even though the PM is not going to listen to him. She didn't tell her comrades to apologise for the incredibly vile comments about Kevin.

Peter Mac

Peter Mac - from Perth, 8 months ago

I don't know what conference you were watching, but the only apology I heard from Jones was to the journos for disrupting their weekend.

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