NSW Premier wore Nazi costume at his 21st
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has revealed he wore a Nazi uniform to his 21st birthday party, saying the costume choice was a grave mistake driven by youthful naivety.
Dominic Perrottet at a Hakoah event
“I’m deeply ashamed of what I did,” he told reporters on Thursday.
“I’m truly sorry for the hurt and the pain this will cause right across our state and particularly to members of the Jewish community, Holocaust survivors, veterans and their families.”
The admission came after a cabinet colleague on Tuesday approached the premier. He declined to name the colleague.
Repeatedly pausing as he answered journalists’ questions, the 40-year-old Liberal leader denied he was anti-Semitic, adding the birthday party’s theme was “uniforms”.
Mr Perrottet said he only wore the rented costume once and did not recall any other offensive costumes being worn at the event.
He realised what he had done was wrong the next day when his parents, who were at the party, spoke to him about the costume.
“At that age in my life, I just did not understand the gravity of what that uniform meant,” he said.
“It was just a naive thing to do.”
The incident occurred in 2003, a year after Mr Perrottet joined the NSW Liberal Party.
He stands 10 weeks from his first election as premier, attempting to lift the coalition to a fourth successive victory at the state poll.
Before the self-inflicted damage, his government had already been weakened by the retirements of a dozen colleagues and the party’s internal conflict over the selection of female candidates.
Mr Perrottet denied Thursday’s admission was prompted by threats to release a photo, adding he wasn’t aware an image existed.
It comes after an anonymous Twitter account on January 5 posted claims of the existence of a “seriously damaging photo” relating to the NSW Liberal Party.
Treasurer and deputy NSW Liberal leader Matt Kean said he supported the premier.
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies said the premier had personally conveyed his “deep and sincere regret about his poor choice of costume as a young man” in a conversation shortly before Thursday’s press conference.
In a joint statement, president David Ossip and CEO Darren Bark said: “We appreciate that the Premier personally reached out to the Jewish community this afternoon to express his deep and sincere regret about his poor choice of costume as a young man.
The Premier has been a staunch supporter and friend of the NSW Jewish community throughout his time in public life. In particular, as Treasurer, he ensured the Sydney Jewish Museum received funding to ensure that it could continue educating the community about the Holocaust and the horrors of the Nazi era.
This incident, no matter how old, is a reminder of the need to continually educate all Australians – and particularly our youth – about the abhorrent nature of the Nazi regime and the evil perpetrated in service of the Nazi ideology.
Nazi symbolism is not to be taken lightly and dressing as a Nazi is not a joke. It disrespects the millions of innocent civilians who were murdered during WWII, including six million Jews and thousands of Australian Digger who died fighting against the Nazis.
The Premier has acknowledged this, recognising that wearing the costume was offensive and will distress many in our community. We hope that this unfortunate incident will serve as a lesson to all.”
But they added the premier was a staunch supporter of the NSW Jewish community, securing funding for the Sydney Jewish Museum when treasurer.
Federal Liberal MP Julian Leeser, who is Jewish and whose electorate overlaps Mr Perrottet’s state seat, said the premier he knew was “a world away from the arrogant, ignorant, heartless and mean-spirited actions of a university student. ”
However, cultural historian Jordana Silverstein said the incident spoke to a narrowness of the political vision of white Australia.
“The fact that he’s only felt it appropriate to come out and reckon with this part of his past now – this is about face-saving, rather than a genuine accounting for what he has done,” the University of Melbourne academic told AAP.
“It’s always been considered offensive, but it’s a matter of whose opinions have been listened to and respected.”
Wearing swastikas, displaying Nazi memorabilia and waving Nazi flags is a crime in NSW, punishable with up to a year in prison and a fine of up to $11,000 after new laws passed the NSW parliament in August.
NSW Liberal MP Gabrielle Upton represents the seat of Vaucluse, home for many of Sydney’s Jewish community.
She commented: “I am profoundly disturbed by news from the NSW Premier today that he wore a Nazi costume at his 21st birthday party. The display of Nazi symbolism in any form is totally abhorrent and has absolutely no place at all in our community.
I acknowledge the deep offence and hurt this has caused our Jewish Community and Holocaust survivors.
I know the Premier is a passionate supporter and friend of the NSW Jewish community and I acknowledge his sincere regret and apology.”
AAP
What kind of education did Perrrottet have, that as a 20 year old university student he thought it funny and appropriate to wear a Nazi uniform at a dress up party?
At 21 one is mature and already accumulated education, general and specific notions of ethical values. Youth is no excuse for obnoxious behaviour and NSW Premier’s behaviour at 21 was UNPARDONABLY obnoxious even today, a few years later. We are talking here about an important political leader, head of a State within our Federation, not just an ordinary citizen crossing a red light.
We must be extremely careful how to articulate the Jewish community’s reaction to these disturbing facts. Moral transgressions may NOT be counterbalanced with financial assistance by a State Treasurer revealed to have offended most seriously our community.
Nothing in our beliefs can pardon, excuse anything related to nazism regardless of time passed.
Premier Perrottet chose to wear in public the very symbol of nazism. It was his choice at a time he must have known what nazism meant. The old adage must apply that he is sorry for getting caught and we, the descendants of the Shoah survivors and victims of what Perrottet’s uniform meant, cannot excuse and even accept the Premier’s “sadness” at the revelation of his outrageous behaviour. All my Grandparents perished in the nazi concentration camps and scores more Waldmanns, Grunfelds, Brisks, Spiras, all part of my family and no amount of funds “given” to my community by a State Treasurer will make up for the pain. Perrottet did not give out HIS own money, he simply passed on what we deserved anyway, not by the Treasurer’s personal discretion.
I have been a Liberal voter for yonks, but, to mine, Perrottet is not mein Premier.
Our Community leaders and Rabbis are obliged to show determined and unambiguous expressions of disapproval of Premier Perrottet’s suitability as NSW Premier.