The state government has demanded an apology from upper house Labor MP Amanda Fazio after she commented on Facebook that Tweed MP Geoff Provest’s partner looked like ‘a retired B-grade porn star’ at a parliamentary function on Thursday night.
‘At the NSW Parliament Spring Ball. Excellent singers from Bankstown Talent Program. Geoff Provest has a date that looks like a retired B-grade porn star,’ the opposition whip and former Legislative Council president wrote.
Mr Provest told the Telegraph yesterday he was shocked by the posts. The paper reported that he was ‘distressed when he had to call his partner of four years, Gold Coast businesswoman Elizabeth Hamilton, to inform her of Ms Fazio’s remarks’.
Ms Fazio has since deleted the post but that hasn’t satisfied the minister for women, Prue Goward, who has demanded an apology.
‘It’s deeply sexist, it’s deeply offensive; it was made about a private member of the public. John Robertson should require Amanda Fazio to apologise,’ she told ABC radio this morning.
Mr Provest has refused to respond to the comments.
Ms Fazio told the Telegraph, ‘with the benefit of hindsight… I would not have made [the comments] and if they have caused any distress I am deeply sorry’.