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June 14th, 2013 
RADIO presenter Howard Sattler has been taken off air for being “disrespectful and irrelevant” in quizzing the PM over her partner’s sexuality.
Julia Gillard today told reporters in Adelaide that she will not be taking questions on the controversial interview.
“I’m aware that a number of you want to ask questions in relation to yesterday’s interview,” she told the gathered media.
“I’m not intending to make any comments on that interview.”
Ms Gillard added she was concerned such questioning could have a chilling effect on women and girls becoming public figures.
“I don’t want to see a message like that sent to young girls,” Ms Gillard said.
“I want young girls and women to be able to feel like they can be included in public life and not have to face questioning like the questioning I faced yesterday.”
Her comments followed those of Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick who said many women faced similar demeaning and sexist questioning.
“The fact is that from the PM down, so many women in public office, whatever side of politics they come from or women at senior business level, I think there is – there is still a significant demeaning attitude, sexist questions, invasive questioning,” she told ABC Television.
Julia Gillard talks to Howard Sattler in the 6PR studios.
“It’s got to stop because we want women in public office.”
On Sattler’s Drive show yesterday, Ms Gillard was asked about the recent offensive menu saga, if she ever wanted to be a teacher, her lack of religious belief and the topic of same-sex marriage.
After discussing topics for 12 minutes, Sattler then asked Ms Gillard if he could address some of the rumours about her partner Tim Mathieson’s sexuality.
“That’s absurd,” she said to Sattler.
Sattler prompted her further: “But you hear it, ‘he must be gay, he’s a hairdresser’.”
Ms Gillard refused to be drawn on the controversial comments.
“I mean Howard, I don’t know if every silly thing that gets said is going to be repeated to me now,” Ms Gillard replied.
“To all the hairdressers out there, including the men who are listening, I don’t think in life one can actually look at a whole profession full of different human beings and say ‘gee we know something about every one of those human beings’.”
Prime Minister Julia Gillard today, with SA Premier Jay Weatherill at an Adelaide school, told reporters she would not be taking questions on yesterday’s interview with Howard Sattler. Picture: Kelly Barnes
Sattler kept going with his line of questioning, telling the Prime Minister he was promised a “candid” interview.
“You can confirm that he’s not (gay)?” he asked.
“Oh Howard don’t be ridiculous, of course not,” Ms Gillard replied.
“But you’re in a heterosexual relationship? That’s all I’m asking.”
“Howard let me just bring you back to earth, you and I have just talked about me and Tim living at the lodge, we live there together as a couple, you know that.”
Fairfax Radio management later said it viewed Sattler’s questions as “disrespectful and irrelevant to the political debate”.
Fairfax also apologised to Ms Gillard and Mr Mathieson.
“Today Howard Sattler, Drive presenter on Perth radio station 6PR, put a number of questions to Prime Minister Julia Gillard regarding the sexuality of her partner, Tim Mathieson.
“These questions sought to establish if there was a basis in fact to rumours circulating about the couple’s relationship.
Kevin Rudd in Sydney today said the comments were ”sick”. Picture: Renee Nowytarger
“The PM answered Mr Sattler’s questions with dignity and some patience.
“Fairfax Radio management has reviewed this interview and considers that the questions posed by Mr Sattler were disrespectful and irrelevant to the political debate.
“Mr Sattler apologised later in the program for his line of questioning. The management of FRN also extends its sincere apologies to the Prime Minister and her partner.
“Mr Sattler has been suspended from broadcasting on 6PR pending an internal inquiry.”
Fellow radio host Ray Hadley told the ABC that he thought Sattler was a “dill” and he was surprised at the venomous attacks that have been made on Julia Gillard.
“I don’t think there”s been any Prime Minister who has been subject to the sort of attacks Julia Gillard has received,” Hadley said.
“The level of vitriol directed towards the prime minister surprises me, particularly from females.”
Hadley says Sattler’s question was ”the last thing” he would have asked the PM.
Howard Sattler’s health battle
Stephen Smith with Julia Gillard in Perth yesterday says Howard Sattler should quit. Picture: Justin Benson-cooper
Derryn Hinch, whose mouth landed him in trouble during his long broadcasting career, says he cringed when he heard Sattler’s interview.
“This is just low-life stuff and Howard is being a coward on this,” the now Channel Seven commentator said today.
“This was low life and it diminished the office of prime minister.”
Hinch said the PM showed ”a lot of class, a lot of style” in her restrained response.
“She should have leaned across the desk and slapped his face.”
The question demeaned journalism and no responsible journalist would have touched it with a barge pole, Hinch said.
Kevin Rudd said the offensive questions were sick and he called on journalists to rail against grubby behaviour.
”What base attitudes give rise to that?” the former Prime Minister said while touring western Sydney.
”It’s just wrong.”
He said people in public life were often the subject of offensive rumours, 99 per cent of which was ”made up in people’s imaginations”.
”It’s another thing though for a bloke who has control of a radio mic to go and stick that stuff out there and claim it’s a question that should be answered,” he said.
”It’s just wrong, it’s just wrong, it’s just wrong.
”And frankly, those of us in public life think it’s sick.”
He called on the media as a whole to take a stand against such behaviour.
”I don’t think there’s a place for that in contemporary Australian journalism as a profession.”
Labor Minister and Perth MP Stephen Smith said he refuses to be a guest on Sattler’s show and yesterday’s line of questioning was proof the radio jock should quit.
”I frankly thought that it was disgraceful, showing a complete lack of respect for the office (of the Prime Minister) and for the office holder,” Mr Smith told reporters.
”I don’t know of anyone else who has been subject to that sort of treatment on radio in interview when they’ve occupied the office of Prime Minister, or indeed any ministerial office.
”I have not appeared on Howard’s show for a period of time and that’s a reflection of my own view about his own judgement.
”Howard, frankly, should think about giving the game away.”
Canberra Cabinet minister Penny Wong dismissed the radio interview as an inappropriate attempt at “gossip”.
“I think most Australians would be surprised that someone holding the office of Prime Minister would get those sorts of questions,” she told ABC radio.
“There are far better things to talk about.”
The Senator said such questioning did not reflect what Australians wanted to hear about.
Victorian Premier Denis Napthine also condemned the PM’s treatment during the interview.
But he said it added nothing to talk about the issue on radio and it should be put aside.
“I think that the way the Prime Minister was treated yesterday was absolutely disgusting, appalling and totally inappropriate and the less said about it to inflame it and make it worse, the better,” he told ABC radio.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re talking about in politics, picking on people’s shape, religion, background, is totally inappropriate, totally wrong.
“I want to talk about real issues.”
NSW Minister for Women Pru Goward said the question from Sattler and the “Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail” menu were vulgar, but no worse than what had been dished out to the PM’s male predecessors.
“I think it’s a very intense political environment and there is huge personal animosity to the Prime Minister, and inevitably some of that will attach to her gender,” she told AAP in Sydney today.
“It is not the first time that appalling things have been said to and about Prime Ministers.
She recalled John Howard being asked “appalling” questions about his wife.
“I think you will find that people have short memories … it’s what happens to Prime Ministers,” she said.
During the interview, Ms Gillard also suggested that while the marriage act should not be changed to include same-sex marriages, new ‘institutions’ should be developed to recognise them.
“I do think that we should recognise all relationships of love including same-sex relationships but I feel that marriage has had a particular status in our culture and that we can grow new institutions and new ways of recognising relationships,” she says.
“I think the fact that I’m not married shows obviously, I think, that you can have a relationship that’s committed and full of love and full of significance in your life without being married.”
Sattler’s line of questioning seemed to rattle Ms Gillard at times, who told him the Federal Election was on September 12 – it’s on September 14.
– with AAP
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