After being voted the new Liberal leader, Peter Dutton conceded that a controversial remark he made about climate change affecting Pacific Islands was in “bad taste.”
In 2015, Mr Dutton was overheard on an open mic warning then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison that the Pacific Islands will have ‘water lapping at [their] door.’
The remark was made in response to Abbott’s remarks regarding Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby.
Following Scott Morrison’s election defeat by Anthony Albanese, Mr Dutton offered a new apology on Tuesday after being sworn in as Liberal leader.
‘I’ve made some poor-taste jokes, like any person, over the years, and I’ve apologised for that,’ he said in an interview on ABC News.
‘I’m as human and as frail as anybody else.’
The new Opposition Leader explained that he had made decisions that were ‘tough’ but in Australia’s ‘best interests’ when he held other positions in government.
He has tried to form a new public image and believes that he has been unable to express his ‘entire character’ when he held other portfolios in government like defence, home affairs and immigration.
Peter Dutton was immigration minister when he made his controversial climate change quip at Parliament House in 2015.
He was making small talk with Tony Abbott before a meeting they noted was running late.
Mr Dutton joked the meeting was running on ‘Cape York time,’ to which Mr Abbott replied, ‘We had a bit of that up in Port Moresby.’
Mr Dutton then responded: ‘Time doesn’t mean anything when you’re about to have water lapping at your door.’
![Mr Dutton was caught by an open mic in 2015 telling then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison that there would be 'water lapping at [the] door' of the Pacific Islands](https://i0.wp.com/i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/05/31/07/58491053-10870141-Mr_Dutton_was_caught_by_an_open_mic_in_2015_telling_then_Prime_M-a-22_1653980139136.jpg?resize=634,383&ssl=1)
The pair laughed before they were informed by Scott Morrison, who was social services minister at the time, that a boom microphone was close by.
In video of the exchange, the body language of the pair noticeably changes at the revelation.
Mr Abbott defended Peter Dutton over the joke which was described as ‘vulgar’ and ‘soft bigotry’ by indigenous leaders at the time.
Mr Dutton also issued a grovelling apology not long after and stated that he regretted his comments.
Peter Dutton was elected unopposed as the new Liberal Party leader on Monday following the party’s loss of government at the 2022 election.
Sussan Ley was elected unopposed as deputy leader.