An Australian political advisor has angered Irish people around the globe saying the Irish are “people who can’t grow potatoes,” have a “mutant lawn weed as their national symbol” and can't “verbalize the difference between tree and the number three.”
During a live Sky News debate on a possible same-sex marriage referendum in Australia following the May 22 Irish vote to allow same-sex marriage, Grahame Morris let the world know what he thinks of the Irish.
Morris, the former chief of staff for Liberal Party politician John Howard, was reacting to a bill proposed by Labor Party leader Bill Shorten to recognise same-sex marriages and overturn Australia’s ban.
He reacted by saying that the “trigger” for Shorten’s proposed bill was the Yes vote in Ireland.
Morris said: “Now I love the Irish, the parliament is full of Irish men, but these are people who can’t grow potatoes, they’ve got a mutant lawn weed as their national symbol and they can’t verbalize the difference between tree and the number three. But, and then all of a sudden, Australia has to follow suit.”
Watch Morris in action here:
As the show’s presenter David Speers noted, “There goes the Irish vote.”
Morris continued, saying that Australians were not ready and that the referendum would be a divisive issue.
“I don’t think people are ready. You run around Queensland, the Bush, and most of Western Australia and you can see people aren’t ready.
“This vote is going to be divisive and I don’t think most of the parties in parliament are ready to change.
“It isn’t a life and death decision.
“I have a feeling this could end up like that stupid referendum on a republic where the electorate wasn’t ready... and you’ve got to put it off for another ten years.”
Not surprisingly the Irish public had a little something to say about Morris on Twitter:
Disgusting, racist rant by @LiberalAus advisor Grahame Morris. Mocking 1m+ victims of famine inter alia. http://t.co/QKcAwt40Jw
— Daniel Ó C (@DanOClunaigh) June 2, 2015
when Grahame Morris thinks the Irish cant grow potatoes pic.twitter.com/uaoNWiYUEv
— I SAW THEM (@seadogsnalum) June 2, 2015
@LiberalAus Grahame Morris comments on Ireland are moronic. 1.25 million died 1845-52. National symbol is not a "weed"it's the Harp. #Langer
— Lorcan Collins (@1916walkingtour) June 2, 2015
Eccentric Australian MP Grahame Morris mocks Irish for starving to death http://t.co/HpWJC015Dl
— Sinabhfuil (@Sinabhfuil) June 2, 2015
Despite what Morris had to say it seems that Australia could be well on their way to following Ireland’s lead, if the polls are anything to go by. The latest Essential poll found that 59 percent of the people support same-sex marriage, with 30 percent opposed and 11 percent undecided.
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