Embattled Liberal MP Fiona Martin has doubled down and refused to apologise to her Labor opponent Sally Sitou, continuing to deny she confused her with another Asian-Australian woman.
The two women were engaged in a fiery election debate on 2GB on Wednesday, when Dr Martin claimed Ms Sitou was only running in the seat of Reid — located in Sydney's inner west — because she had been "kicked out" of Fowler by Labor frontbencher Kristina Keneally.
But Ms Keneally was parachuted into the neighbouring seat of Fowler to contest this year’s election over with Vietnamese-Australian lawyer Tu Le, who was also running for Labor preselection in the seat.
Ms Sitou has never run for preselection in the seat of Fowler.
In an interview with Sky News on Thursday, Dr Martin was questioned about whether she would respond to a request for an apology from Ms Sitou over the exchange.
“I haven’t made any mistake, I made a legitimate comment,” she said.
Asked directly if she had confused Ms Sitou with Ms Le, she replied: “Absolutely, no way. I know what I was saying and I was not confusing the candidates in any way at all.”
During their debate, Dr Martin and Ms Sitou had clashed after the Liberal MP had asked her opponent where she grew up to which she replied: “I grew up in Cabramatta and I’m really proud of that.”
Dr Martin responded: “I grew up in Reid."
Ms Sitou then asked “Where do you live?” to which Dr Martin said she had “deep roots” in Reid but she lives “very close by”.
Ms Sitou said she “didn’t want to raise this but I chose to live in this electorate because I love the community”.
Dr Martin said Ms Sitou had moved to Reid because she “found an opportunity” and “couldn’t run in Fowler”.
“Kristina Keneally kicked you out of Fowler too.”
Ms Sitou then said Dr Martin was “just making things up”, adding: “That’s how ridiculous this debate has gotten. I’m sorry your listeners have had to listen to that.”
During her interview with Sky News on Thursday, Dr Martin implied her comment was a “question” about whether Ms Sitou had been “kicked out of the Cabramatta area too.”
“Sally lived in the Cabramatta area up until she moved here in 2019 so it’s a legitimate question to ask,” she said.
She was then asked by a journalist whether her comment was a “question” or a “statement”.
"It was a question, I said were you also kicked out of that area too."
Dr Martin has said she was referring to a media report Ms Sitou was being considered as a candidate for the state seat of Cabramatta in 2018.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported in June 2018 that Ms Sitou was among "at least 12 people" who were "touted as a possibility" to run in the seat. She did not run as a candidate for the seat.
Ms Sitou on Wednesday had called for Dr Martin to apologise over the exchange asking her to "admit to your mistake".
Campaigning in Reid on Thursday, Ms Sitou again called for her opponent to apologise for the "mistake".
"It's important though that if you do make a mistake, you just apologise. That's all that I'm asking for. She has not apologised," she said.
Tu Le on Wednesday night also responded to the incident, tweeting “Because we all look the same?”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was earlier asked by SBS News whether Dr Martin had confused Ms Sitou with Ms Le and if she should issue an apology.
“Dr Martin has already made statements on that issue today and no, that wasn't the case,” she said.
“She's made a statement and I refer you to the statement.”
Ms Sitou later said it was “frustrating and disappointing” that the prime minister had backed “the inaccurate claims about me made by his candidate in Reid".
Dr Martin continued to dig in her heels on Thursday, also posting to Facebook that she “won’t be distracted by desperate political games by the Labor Party and its seat shopping candidates”.
“I am the granddaughter of Greek migrants and I grew up and went to school in Reid,” she said.
"Australia is one of the most successful multicultural nations in the world and Reid is the 'jewel in the crown' when it comes to multiculturalism. Our diversity is our strength."
“My record makes clear I would never direct a racial slur at anyone. There is no place for racism in Australia and it should be called out.”
Erin Chew, co-founder of Sydney-based advocacy group Asian Australian Alliance — who is a former member of the Labor Party — said she was concerned how commentary on Australia’s relationship with China was playing out during the federal election campaign and the impact this is having on her community, along with Asian-Australian candidates.
Ms Chew said people were waking up to the fact that “there is a lot of rhetoric and lack of nuance in this debate”.
“The racial collateral falls back onto the Chinese-Australian community,” she said.
She said it means for people like Ms Sitou, among other candidates who are of Asian or Chinese background, "their loyalties are consistently questioned".
The Chinese-Australian Liberal Member for Chisholm recently had one of her posters vandalised with a blue marker.
The text appeared to accuse the sitting member of being affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a claim raised since her election in 2019, and one she has denied a number of times.
