On the 12th of January 2023, Premier of NSW, Dominic Perrottet held a press conference to discuss his wearing of a Nazi uniform at a fancy dress party in 2003 when he was in his early twenties:
"When I was 21, at my 21st fancy dress party, I wore a Nazi uniform...I'm deeply ashamed of what I did. And I'm truly sorry for the hurt and the pain that it will cause people right across our state...Particularly members of the Jewish community, Holocaust survivors, veterans and their families. I'm truly sorry for that terrible mistake."
The press conference followed days of speculation regarding an apparent photo of Mr. Perrottet wearing the uniform. According to the ABC, the press conference also followed a phone call from then-retiring Transport Minister, David Elliott, to Mr. Perrottet regarding the photo. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that a senior minister, speaking on the condition of anonymity, had stated that the incident was an "internal hit job" against the premier, with another minister saying that the "worst was yet to come."
David Ossip, a member of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and its chief executive, Darren Bark, stated that the premier had "personally reached out to the Jewish community" to "express his deep and sincere regret".
Former-NSW Labor premier, Bob Carr, stated that Mr. Perrottet was now “unelectable” following the admission:
“Will Jewish leadership insist on his resignation? They should...The memory of six million demands it. He must go.”
Mr. Perrottet did not resign and remained in his role as leader of the NSW Liberal Party. The party went on to lose the March 2023 state election which saw a landslide victory to the Labor Party, 41 seats to 59.
Comments