Federal cabinet minister Simon Birmingham has called on David Leyonhjelm to publicly apologise for his "appalling" comments about Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Sky News has already been forced to apologise to Senator Hanson-Young after it broadcast the Liberal Democrat's comments during its Outsiders political commentary program.
"I would expect that apologies would be the appropriate order of the day. Frankly, people ought to be a little bigger and better than that," Senator Birmingham told Sky on Monday.
"It's certainly not the way I conduct my politics. I don't believe that type of commentary has any place in decent fair public policy.”
The comment was displayed as a strap across the bottom of the screen during the Sunday morning show, featuring conservative political commentators Rowan Dean and Ross Cameron, alongside Senator Leyonhjelm.
Yesterday, the news broadcaster issued an apology via Twitter and announced a producer had been suspended over the incident.
“Sky News wishes to apologise to Senator @sarahinthesen8 for broadcasting appalling comments by Senator @DavidLeyonhjelm earlier today, and for highlighting them in an on-screen strap. A producer has been suspended pending an internal investigation,” Sky tweeted.
It follows an earlier exchange between senators Hanson-Young and Leyonhjelm, in which the Liberal Democrats leader told the Greens senator to “stop shagging men”.
He made the insulting comment during a Senate debate on women and violence, in which it was suggested women should be armed with Taser stun guns to discourage violence.
Senator Hanson-Young said Senator Leyonhjelm also swore at her, telling her to “f—k off” when she confronted him.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young . Source: AAP
“I asked whether I heard him correctly. He confirmed he yelled ‘you should stop shagging men, Sarah’,” she said.
“Shocked, I told him he was a creep. His reply was to tell me to ‘f—k off’.”
Senate president Scott Ryan asked Senator Leyonhjelm to apologise but he refused.
Senator Leyonhjelm said if the Greens senator took offence, it was an issue for her.
"I am prepared to rephrase my comments. I strongly urge Senator Hanson-Young to continue shagging men as she pleases," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
In a piece for The Guardian Australia, Senator Hanson-Young described the comments as “slurs”.
“For years I have winced and tried not to flinch at innuendos about my dress, my face (being told by older men that I don’t smile at them enough) and my apparent sex life. What started as mutterings while I would be on my feet speaking, or during a debate, slowly over the years has become slurs that are now shouted across the chamber floor,” she wrote.
There’s calls for David Leyonhjelm (right) to apologise after his comment directed at Senator Sarah Hanson-Young. Source: AAP
It’s not the first time the conservative program has been mired in controversy. Former Labor leader and Outsiders regular Mark Latham was dumped from the station last year over his comments directed at former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.
