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Paul Henry apologises for “starve to death” asylum seeker comment

EXCLUSIVE: TEN Breakfast co-host Paul Henry has apologised over comments that asylum seekers should be allowed to starve to death.

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EXCLUSIVE: TEN Breakfast co-host Paul Henry has apologised after comments he made yesterday that asylum seekers should be allowed to starve to death.

The controversial New Zealander was reacting to news that Christmas Island asylum seekers were on a hunger strike over plans to shift them to Nauru Island.

He was slammed by viewers on Twitter and Facebook:

Lynne D Johansen: @channelten PAUL HENRY!! Disgusting remarks on Breakfast… Let all the boat ppl starve to death.Get rid of this disgusting person!!!

Kaz: @channelten Racist Paul Henry states we should just let asylum seekers starve to death. Go TEN. Isn’t your rep bad enough at the moment?

Victoria Craw: Execs must be wincing after that outrageous call from Paul Henry re asylum seekers #tenbreakfast

Andrew Butler: @tenbreakfast Did Paul Henry say “let them starve” whats that about, there needs to be an inquiry into his comments!

Trev Good: @tenbreakfast send Paul Henry back to nz. Dehumanize yourself else where #refugees=human

Yesterday Henry issued a statement:

“I want to apologise for some of my comments on Breakfast this morning.

“My aim was to stimulate debate about the Government policy concerning asylum seekers in light of the hunger strike.

“People have interpreted my comments on Breakfast regarding asylum seekers and hunger strikes inaccurately. Some people believe I was implying that asylum seekers on hunger strike should die. I’m genuinely sorry if I gave that impression.

“It is the personal choice of the hunger striker to take this course of action. I was merely stating my view that our response to their action should be to stand firm and follow through with current Australian policy.

“I believe doing that will ultimately save many lives.

“I didn’t set out to offend anyone, nor do I believe that anyone should die over such a matter.”

He will also apologise on air today.

TEN was quick to distance itself from his remarks, despite Henry being hired by TEN Chairman, Lachlan Murdoch.

A network spokesperson told TV Tonight, “Network TEN unreservedly apologies for Paul Henry’s inappropriate and offensive remarks. His comments do not reflect the views of Network TEN.”

But this isn’t the first time the controversial host has been criticised for his comments on asylum seekers. In May he commented on the government’s plans to pay families to temporarily house asylum seekers in their homes to help deal with increasing arrivals.

He suggested they could live in linen cupboards.

“That’s a good idea, 300 bucks a week for the linen cupboard. You could put – you’d want to get the linen out, wouldn’t you? Otherwise (inaudible) ‘oh, these sheets are dirty. Ergh’.

“Don’t ask. These towels… (sniffs) oh no, don’t ask. We’ve got someone living in the linen cupboard kids, just don’t go in there.”

Meanwhile the ratings for the ailing Breakfast continue to flop, last week averaging a dismal 32,000 viewers.

While The Circle never fully recovered from comments about Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, at least it had a following to begin with.

67 Responses

  1. He was saying exactly what he was thinking. This incident is just a particularly tasteless one. The reality is he does this all the time. Let me tell you about a couple of other incidents not mentioned here.

    Directly after promoting a story about “Who Gives A Crap” toilet paper on July 10 (an initiative that hopes to raise money to fund new toilets in third world countries), Paul Henry made a comment along the lines of “well if we didn’t feed these people, they wouldn’t need to go to the toilet in the first place”. (This is not a direct quote but the gist of what was said.) Henry immediately retracted the comment realising he’d gone too far. However, it did not seem like genuine regret.

    This follows on from comments he made the week or so before where he said he would never buy a $10 ticket on Tiger Airways because he’d never want to “sit next to someone who would buy a $10 ticket” followed by a squeamish face, dry reaching and several “err yuck’s”.

    But then again, isn’t this part of Lachlan Murdoch’s plan to turn Ten into an local Fox News Network?

  2. It really infuriates me, the double standards/state of Australian media! Yumi says one comment (granted ill timed) and shes virtually fired from both her posts, this guy vomits out this comment and he’s likely to sit pretty on his fat pay cheque (similarly see Kyle Sandilands).

  3. Henry is only happy when he has a headline..he needs a headline , no matter how bad, it is to feel wanted..what a pathetic human being he is with those comments about asylum seekers…but then again, most on the extreme right, like Bolt , would probably agree with him.

  4. I happened to catch the last 10 or so mins of the highlights clip show of Breakfast on Saturday morning, and it was terrible. It is so obvious that his co-host cannot stand him, she seemed to dismiss him like an annoying child at the next table, and really didn’t feel like getting into a conversation with him.
    There are so many other people who could have been paired for this show, Matt Doran & Natarsha Belling, Hamish McDonald and just about anyone!

  5. joey69.. you must have missed a piece from David last week that set out to congratulate Ten for various programs etc.

    This ““My aim was to stimulate debate”…as soon as I read it I thought…the typical dernier cri of a show in trouble and the same lame old justification to wriggle away from what was said.

    Forget the issues and the politics of the topic under debate, this is just a usual style of a show in its last death throws in Aussie: someone says something controversial and gets a load of attention focusing on the show.

    It’s repeated retreat to these old, lame ploys that in part is killing Aussie TV.

  6. Given the number of viewers that Breakfast has, Henry could go to each person’s house and personally apologies. If he starts at 9am when the show finishes, he should be back in time to make the 12 noon production meeting.

  7. I don’t understand the fuss.

    Henry was hired to generate controversy just like Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt, Sam Newman and Kyle Sundilands often do.

    All he was doing was what he was hired for.

    There will be a slight boost in Breakfast ratings and probably a 6 figure performance bonus from Murdoch but it will eventually just go away.

    These sort of racist outbursts have not affected the careers of the other gents I mentioned and as for the media watchdog – well…

  9. Good on him for saying what a lot of us are thinking as nobody asked them to come to our country except the Federal govt. who rolled out the welcome mat.

  11. Get a life guys!!! how much more do you guys want to stick the boot into Ch 10. Maybe we should have just 9 and 7 control out FTA. Just have a look at how David Gyngell from 9 treated the public in relation to the nrl rights, Back off Ch 10 and give this brodcaster a go we need more different shows on FTA TV. Not the same crap the other two ram down our throats. and by the way were would the 9 and 7 get their on air talent from. it seems to me that many of them got a start on ch 10.

  12. Daniel, I did watch the original clip yesterday and I stand by my comments. He was offensive and meant exactly what he said. In contrast I found no real sincerity in his apology today, rather a lot of backtracking and ‘this is what I really meant…”. Well if that is what he really meant then he should have said it that way in the first place – the man is articulate enough to choose the precise words he wants to use.

  14. Leaving aside Henry’s crass, insensitive, bordering on downright stupid comments – the longer-term issue for the network which bizarrely hired him, is the show is still tanking. Pure and simple. The concept is utterly, utterly flawed, and has been from the get-go.
    You have two big, very established and well-produced, successful mainstream breakfast shows in Sunrise and Today and getting a pseudo shock-jock to make ‘edgy’ ‘or ‘provocative’ commentary on the day’s big stories is not what about 99% of the potential audience at this time of day are after, I would confidently wager.
    Unless ratings pick up within a few months it’s time to pull the plug (probably unlikely given strategically it still does make sense to try something other than cartoons in this space) Or – more realistically – a much more radical shake-up of the show, which means Henry to go – even if it means paying him out. The current lack of chemistry between Henry and his co-hosts is embarassing by its complete and utter absence.

  15. Well, this is the sort of thing he was hired for. He is known to be a controversy magnet, so this is not surprising. If he seriously meant his comment, I personally think it is a sacking offence, but he won’t lose his job. In fact, I bet Ten are secretly hoping for more of the same to raise the profile of the show.

  16. I watched the episode yesterday and I think his comments were fine to begin with.

    Clearly he doesn’t want anyone to die, but he feels a hard stance will save many more lives in the future. He may have a different opinion to many, but free speech should be allowed. His apology was very sincere and genuine as well.

    I believe others should first watch the original clip before making comment on the issue.

  17. For Gods sake and ours get rid of this good for nothing and bring back The Circle. As you say it had a following and a huge one at that. It’s still very sadly missed and for your information the comments Yumi made were a flippant remark on an Aussie bod that we were all thinking anyway. She in no way knew who he was as she did not and I repeat did not see the Channel Seven interview re the Corporal. George Negus did however and he was the one that should have been the brunt of all this negativity since February. Why, should we the viewers have to suffer the cancellation of the circle that thousand enjoyed so much every morning. We lived and breathed that show and it was so relevant to all of us. Those hosts spoke of subjects that applied to each and every one us each day. It was like having friends over for morning tea. Now channel ten has taken that from us and we circlers still suffer from there wrong decision. Channel Ten please bring The Circle back to our screens!!!

  18. His comments haven’t been interpreted incorrectly at all. He meant what he said and as such he should be sacked immediately – unless of course this is the audience that TEN are hoping to attract.

  21. More proof, as if any was needed, that it’s not by accident that so many people detest this d******d.
    Go back to where you came from, Henry.

  24. Please excuse the cynicism here…..but is he just trying to get publicity for his show?

    It is just that when he made those comments only 2 or 3 people were watching, so no only a few could be offended. A furore is created resulting in publicity for the show.

    This is my only comment on this subject as I do not wish to provide further oxygen for his dumb remarks

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