Nationals candidate Ian Crossland's contentious comments about his rural seat of Leichardt being unsuitable for a female pollie did not come as a suprise, according to party collegues.
The Courier Mail today reported:
The Nationals' parliamentary secretary, De-Anne Kelly, warned voters her "colleague Crosso" could well do it again.
"He is so politically incorrect that I am sometimes rendered speechless," Ms Kelly said. "He always calls me 'the dumb blonde'.
"The first time he said it, I was sort of 'what!'. But now my response to him is 'look anybody who has a haircut the same as Bart Simpson's would be expected to say that'."
Nationals senator Barnaby Joyce also defended Mr Crossland yesterday, despite admitting he was initially shocked by the comment.
"I was actually sitting beside him when he said it and my hands just went to my face," Senator Joyce said.
"I started quickly writing a note saying 'don't talk about other candidates, just talk about yourself'. It was just like one of those 'oh shit' moments."
