The 28th Annual Ernies Awards for sexist remarks (yes – it has been that long, you’re not imagining it) will take place on Thursday 1 October. The 28th year of celebrating world class sexism and inappropriate speech.
Ernies founder and organiser Dr Meredith Burgmann explained the process for this year.
“Because of Covid we can’t hold the usual Ernies Awards Dinner for 350 enthusiastic (and sometimes emotional) women, where the winners of each category are decided by the loudness of the boos which greet each remark.
So, this year we are holding a virtual Awards night on Thursday 1 October where an ‘Ernies Council of Elders’ will choose the winners of the categories and the eventual Gold Ernie from the hundreds of nominations that have been sent in during the year from over 3,000 women.
This process will of course be transparent and fair (Actually it will be totally rorted – something we have always wanted to do)
Some of the front runners for 2020 are old favourites Mark Latham, Jeff Kennett and Craig Kelly, joined by newcomers Adem Somyurek and Israel Folau.
Dr Burgmann commented “It is remarkable that what began as a joke 28 years ago has become an institution. The winner of the Gold Ernie is often a surprise and in 28 years I have never managed to predict the winner.”
There were 238 nominations in six categories…media, political, judicial, industrial, sport (The Warney) and clerical/celebrity (The Fred) plus of course The Elaine (for remarks least helpful to the sisterhood…often the most hotly contested category). There is also a trophy for boys behaving better (The Good Ernie) and a trophy for habitual offender ‘The Trump’.
Results will be emailed to news outlets on the night by 7pm. If you want results sent to you, email us here or check out the final list on the Ernies website www.ernies.com.au.
For the history of this unique awards ceremony and photos of the previous 27 Ernies’ Nights visit our website at www.ernies.com.au.
Here is a list of frontrunners for the Gold Ernie:
Craig Kelly, MP for Hughes, calling senior physicist and meteorologist Laura Tobin an ‘ignorant Pommy weather girl’.
Senator Malcolm Roberts, on the family law system, “But when you’re a father, and you can’t get access to your kids, and you can’t get access to the legal system properly, what else is there to do other than check out or hurt the other person?”
Jayson Westbury CEO Australian Federation of Travel Agents objecting to Tracey Grimshaw’s reporting of the travel industry’s response to refunds. “She needs to be given a firm uppercut or a slap across the face”.
Josh Frydenberg declaring in Parliament “The gender pay gap has closed”. (It’s still 14%)
Mark Latham “The gentrified Leftist families where, in the name of ‘gender equity’ and PC ‘role models’, the mums don’t cook, clean up or help the kids with homework because it ‘gives the wrong example to young girls’.”
Adem Somyurek talking about Victorian Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams “she’s a stupid bitch…I will “fucking force … out of the ministry”.
Mark Latham, during abortion debate “I am the Matriarchy”
Anthony Fisher, Archbishop of Sydney, for referring to the Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019 as the “Kill Bill”
Council of the Order of Australia – for awarding Bettina Arndt an AM for “significant service to the community as a social commentator, and to gender equity through advocacy for men”.
Qld Det Insp Mark Thompson says police are keeping an open mind about the murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children after they were set alight by her estranged husband.“…is it an instance of a husband being driven too far by issues he’s suffered”.
Michael Leunig for his cartoon and poem entitled Mummy Was Busy. “Mummy was busy on Instagram, When beautiful bubby fell out of the pram, And lay on the path unseen and alone, Wishing that he was loved like a phone”
Bruce McAveney Ch7, referring to Collingwood’s Jordan De Goey, who has been charged with indecent assault. “We feel like he’s full of confidence. He’s had an OK year so far. And then he’s had a hiccup, we know.”
Israel Folau “bushfires crippling Australia are God’s punishment for legalising abortion and same-sex marriage.”
David Murray and John Fraser, AMP directors, for the promotion of Boe Pahari to Head of AMP Capital, despite there having been a number of sexual harassment complaints against him.
Jeff Kennett, president of Hawthorn Football Club, responding to a suggestion that the AFL be renamed AFLM in order to avoid discrimination against AFLW, with the words “embarrassing”, “thoughtless” and “unprofessional”.
Shore school boys for their ‘Triwizard Shorenament’ challenging students to have sex with a woman over 80kgs; aged over 40; or who is deemed to be a ‘3/10 or lower’.
The ‘Elaine’ for words ‘least helpful to the sisterhood’ is always hotly contested
Bettina Arndt objects to a Sex, Love and Dating handbook at Griffith University “Young women at Griffith University are being taught to be uncaring, demanding bitches”
Pauline Hanson, Deputy Chair of the Family Court Enquiry, on women fabricating stories of domestic violence. “a lot of the women out there abuse the system by instigating false DVOs against their former partners or their husbands…Domestic violence orders have got completely out of hand”.
Bettina Arndt on the murder of Hannah Clarke and her children.”Congratulations to the Queensland police for keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence, including the possibility that Rowan Baxter might have been ‘driven too far’.”
Ita Buttrose ABC Chair. “Australia has become too politically correct and we are far too sensitive now …Even in the workplace, the way men and women used to talk to one another, which was quite fun, I think, doesn’t exist today”
The Australian, under a headline that read ‘Body in freezer: Husband ‘a quiet man. A woman whose body was found frozen “rock solid” in a freezer at her family’s Sydney home had a “strong, aggressive” personality and often nagged her “quietly spoken” husband, according to friends of the couple.”
The Good Ernie for Men Behaving Better
Actor Sam Neill. “I actually think it would be better if men just shut up for a while…Resist the urge to shout over the top of women. Stop being boofheads. And bullies… And when someone says “You’re not the boss of me” you better believe it. You’re just a guy that messes up the house or the office.”
Former Sydney Swan Brandon Jack. “Remember the ‘Kissing Sailor’? He was a groper”
Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith demanded Bettina Arndt be stripped of her AM for comments ‘totally at odds with the values of the Australian people, the Crown and the Australian Government’