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Steve Price apologises over Jacinda Ardern comments

"What I said last night was dumb," admits Project presenter.

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The Project‘s Steve Price has apologised for comments made earlier this week around New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

On Tuesday the panel discussed the Kiwi leader’s holiday and its potential to give a much-needed tourism boost to Australia in a time of crisis.

“Stay in your own country and spend money in your own place. Typical virtue-signalling from Jacinda Ardern. I get sick and tired of that woman,” he said.

He added, “If you can criticise Scott Morrison for going to Hawaii… why is she not in Hamilton or Canterbury or somewhere like that? What’s she doing hanging around Australia?”

His comments led to criticism on social media, amid calls for him to be sacked.

On Wednesday he returned in an interview to say, “What I said was disrespectful to her as a woman and importantly it was also disrespectful of the office of the Prime Minister of New Zealand, our closest ally,” he said.

“She has got every right to be here in Australia and what I said last night was dumb. I got home last night, watched myself and thought back and I thought I was wrong to do it.

“If I make a mistake I own it. I made a mistake last night, a dumb one, and I’m here to say sorry.”

You think…?

Source: Daily Mail

33 Responses

  3. I don’t watch the Project on purpose (It will be on in the background whilst I’m washing the dishes, or after I have stopped watching a recorded program. I am often incensed by the way they act like the left wing opinion is the only possible opinion and they make make fun of people they interview with a conservative leaning, to the point of being very disrespectful. But if someone is seen as disrespectful to the lefties watch out. I don’t often see Steve Price’s episodes, unfortunately, but when I do he seems to be on his best behaviour. I wouldn’t put up with this from work colleagues, and I certainly wouldn’t have apologised, unless I was forced too.

  4. I find Steve an interesting beast. He is very right wing on his radio show….it’s Sky News without pictures. On the Project he has a less Right view because of the shows agenda. The others on the panel clearly get fired up by his comments, but they do show at times a close friendship to Pricey. So can only presume he is a likeable guy off camera. Regarding last night…yes he went to far and the NZ PM can holiday wherever she likes just like out PM can. Talking of that…I think our PM has been ok (except for lifting up people’s hands to shake his hand – that vision will haunt him forever…what a dill). Hey took a week’s family holiday (at a typically a quiet time) when the major fires were just starting and cut his holiday short to return. States run the emergency departments not the PM. The job of the federal gov is to federally fund support / rebuilds after the crisis which is…

  5. Steve is included on the panel for spoof effect as The Project trends predominantly leftist opinion or a soapbox for sensible political choices, depending on your point of view, so any sideline observations by Steve must invite a jibe or two or it wont work. Letting Steve get off script is not a good idea, he’s not Waleed after all.

  6. Since when has TvTonight started posting & allowing comments on Left Vs Right political comments.

    With what’s happening in this country at the moment we need unity rather than this ‘blame’ the other side nonsense. The past few weeks have been terrifying personally due to this climate emergency; we need a fix rather than playing this ‘us’ vs ‘them’ nonsense.

    1. Trust me political comments stretch back more than a decade on the site. In this case The Project put politics on the table so the comments need to allow for a response that will be balanced.
      Moderation is not a science so sometimes I get it wrong, and sometimes I ask people to get back on the topic, hope that helps!

      1. I think in this case you got it wrong with the reference choice (Daily Mail) and moderation of the comments. I may have to take a break from visiting this website if you are going to empower alt-right opinions.

        2. I disagree Dave R. Allowing a variety of views is not ’empowering alt-right opinions’ but rather facilitating constructive and democratic debate. It would be sad if you stopped visiting this site simply because people voice opinions different to yours.

  8. Oh dear, poor PM Adern. A protected species it seems. If all the nasty things said about our PM required public apologies, you could turn it into a daily half-hour show. The Project is such a tiresome show of self-righteous lefties, preening their “wokeness” and sneering at the unwashed masses. You have to admire Steve Price, happy to play the part of the token (moderate) conservative and graciously tolerating the set-ups. The Project offends me constantly – where’s my apology?

      1. These things are about stupid, trivial, nonsense. Which is the level of debate and media reporting you get once you invent Twitter. Arden was just trying to use a disaster to get TV time and boost her flagging popularity, while piling on with a thinly veiled attack on Morrison for trying to get away from politics for a few weeks by going to a tropical paradise in another hemisphere and not telling anyone, (while holidaying in a foreign tropical paradise herself!).

        It’s been at least a few months since the media took down a PM. It’s Time! Hopefully this time we will get a new PM with leadership!!!!

    3. No, I don’t have to admire Steve Price, in fact I generally turn off episodes he is on. I saw his rave and thought how petty and ignorant in tone and logic the statements were. Yes contrition is fine but the shock jock stuff does the damage at the time and he will inevitably do it again. I thought Pete Helliar did well with him at the time.

      1. Yes spot on. I find The Project on the whole to be balanced. Trouble is most media outlets refuse to do their jobs & hold our Govt to account. So when the rare ones do they are accused of ‘lefty bias’. I find The Project picks on both Parties equally. It’s not bias to point out our Govt’s failings. It’s called journalism which currently is very lacking.

        1. I agree Carole.The right wing commentators here seem to expect the media to be an echo chamber of their own thoughts.Anyone who dares to criticize the government or even to hold it to account is accused of a left wing bias.Apparently having 90% of the media on their side isn’t enough for them.They want 100% support from the media.

  9. He had a very valid point. I am sick and tired of people having to apologise because they “offended” someone. You’re welcome to disagree with someone, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong. political correctness is a joke. lighten up ffs

    1. What was the valid point, she was in Australia on holiday at a cheese shop. She didn’t leave the country in the middle of one of its worse fire seasons ever.

  10. Very disappointed in The Project. It was clearly set up to get a headline. It was a wink wink and a bit of a grin from Lisa and co. They all knew it would get a headline and were all part of it. I am a regular viewer and thought they were better than this. What is even worse was the apology was also part of the plan i am sure. News delivered fakely.

  11. I’m not a fan of The Project anymore because of perceived dodgy editing and imbalanced narratives, but I read that it was an incredibly silly argument when the response to why Jacinda shouldn’t holiday in Australia when there is no current emergency in New Zealand was “So”. It was an unjust imputation. I think there’s a need to lift the game when it comes to politics in the media. An apology is one thing, but the issues behind the indiscretions should also be addressed to prevent this sort of thing happening again.

  13. Some people take their role as devil’s advocate too far. Just because he’s the grumpy one on the panel doesn’t mean he should feel obliged to spout any old nonsense whenever the opportunity arises.

  15. I think he made the original comments as a publicity stunt. First night back for the year, he’s recently lost his radio job and he would be well aware of the backlash Alan Jones faced for comments about Jacinda Ardern. Perhaps he has form.
    Also appeared on Today and made controversial comments about people being able to climb Uluru earlier this year on the very day his afternoons radio show started.
    In this case however, this is one of the better apologies from a presenter admitting they stuffed up rather than just being sorry if they offended anyone.

  19. Of course he does. Thinks an apology is enough. Nothing will change. Seems to be a recurring pattern at Channel 10 though. Kerri Ann is the same. He should be gone from the show. When will these people be held more accountable? Enough is enough.

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