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NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has made a grovelling apology for wearing a Nazi uniform to his 21st birthday party.
During a special press conference on Thursday, Mr Perrottet, 40, said he was ‘naive’ and regretted the decision to wear the costume in September 2003.
‘At that age in my life I just did not understand the gravity and the hurt of what that uniform means to people, not just in our state … but around the world.
‘I’m deeply ashamed of what I did and I’m truly sorry for the hurt and the pain this will cause for people right across our state, and in particularly, members of the Jewish community, Holocaust survivors, veterans and their families.
During a special press conference on Thursday, Mr Perrottet, 40, said he was ‘naive’ and regretted the decision to wear the costume in September 2003
The emotional politician said he was ‘naive’ and regretted the decision to wear the costume in September 2003
‘I am truly sorry … I am not the person I was when I was 21.’
Mr Perrottet received a call from a colleague asking about the costume two days ago and said while they had not threatened to out him, he wanted ‘the people of NSW to hear it from me’.
When asked why he didn’t come clean about the costume earlier, Mr Perrottet conceded ‘maybe I should have’.
‘There have been times throughout many years where I’ve thought of speaking about it,’ he said.
‘It’s been a difficult thing and the longer I’ve gone on in life, the more I’ve felt the pain of that.’
Mr Perrottet said he had spoken to Jewish community leaders before Thursday’s press conference.
The premier added he wasn’t aware of any photos circulating of the costume, adding the theme was ‘uniforms’.
‘It was a terrible mistake,’ he said, explaining his parents had told him it was the wrong decision the day after the fancy dress party.
Mr Perrottet received a call from a colleague asking about the costume two days ago
Mr Perrottet (pictured on his wedding day with wife Helen) said he had spoken to Jewish community leaders before Thursday’s press conference
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and his wife Helen with four of their six children
When asked why he didn’t come clean about the costume earlier, Mr Perrottet conceded ‘maybe I should have’
‘It’s been something that I’ve had to carry with me for my life,’ he said.
To his memory nobody else at the party was wearing anything offensive.
Mr Perrottet said he only wore the rented costume once, for the party.
He did not recall any other offensive costumes being worn at the event.
‘At that age in my life, I just did not understand the gravity of what uniform meant,’ he said.
‘It was just a naive thing to do – that was a terrible mistake from a 21-year-old who just had no depth or appreciation.’
His parents, who were at the party, raised the issue of the costume with him the next day, Mr Perrottet said.
The incident occurred in 2003, two years before Prince Harry was infamously photographed in a Nazi outfit that included a swastika armband.
Mr Perrottet denied his admission on Thursday was prompted by a threat that a photo of him wearing the costume would be released.
Asked if a photo of the costume existed, he said: ‘I’m not aware of that.’
Mr Perrottet, a father of seven, has been premier since October 2021 and is 72 days from going to the polls for the first time as leader.
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.
‘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,’ president David Ossip and chief executive Darren Bark said in a joint statement.
They said the premier had been a staunch supporter and friend of the NSW Jewish community, particularly when as treasurer he secured funding for the Sydney Jewish Museum.
‘Nazi symbolism is not to be taken lightly and dressing as a Nazi is not a joke,’ Mr Ossip and Mr Banks said.
‘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.’
RSL NSW said in a Twitter post that it noted the premier’s apology, adding the veteran-support charity was conscious of the harm caused by the Nazi regime to millions, including to Australian service personnel and their families.
More to come
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