Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan denies saying 'bloody wog' in parliamentary hearing
Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan has denied he uttered the racial slur "bloody wog" during a parliamentary committee hearing, saying he prefers much stronger language to the "old fashioned" term.
A microphone picked up the alleged slight during a Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee last September after the testimony of a representative of the animal rights group Voiceless Emmanuel Giuffre.
Mr Heffernan, who has never shied away from employing turns of phrase with "a bit of colour and movement", denies he used the term "bloody wog" because it is not in his lexicon.
"I didn't say it," Mr Heffernan told the Daily Mail, adding he had a language expert to back him.
"Everyone knows I use much more explicit language than that, everyone knows that."
The senator added, "wog" is "an old fashioned word".
His words were not noted in Hansard, but parliamentary colleagues have criticised Mr Heffernan none the less.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon couched the slur alongside immigration minister Peter Dutton's "mad f***ing witch" text message sent earlier this month.
"Racism has no place in Australia and this includes Liberal Senator Bill Heffernan's 'bloody wog' comment."
"Our politicians should be publicly criticised for their insulting comments. Racism and sexism should have no part in public discourse and public life.
"Earlier this month a Liberal government minister (Dutton) called a woman journalist a 'f***ing witch' and now we hear of a Liberal MP using racist language.'"
A spokeswoman for the animal rights group Mr Giuffre represents did not accept Mr Heffernan's explanation either, saying, "clearly there is a lack of respect at the highest level".
Speaking at lecture last week, Mr Giuffre said" "It was quite clear what he said, he said "ah that bloody w*g again.'"
The alleged whispered affront recalls a similar incident in 2014 when then-education minister Christopher Pyne denied saying to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten "you're such a c***" at the dispatch box in parliament.
Some of "Heffo's" best on-the-record hits include referring to then-Deputy Opposition Leader Julia Gillard as "deliberately barren"; pretending to be "the devil" on a phone call to independent MP Rob Oakshot's wife; and bringing a mock pipe bomb into a parliamentary hearing in May 2014 to make a point about lax security in Parliament House.
News break – January 19
