Outrage at MP’s ‘joke’

THE newly re-elected MP for Bennelong, John Alexander, says he did not intend to offend anyone with his joke about disabled parking permits during his victory speech.

Speaking about an injury he had sustained during his tennis career, Mr Alexander on Saturday night quipped he wouldn’t be desperate enough to apply for a parking permit – a comment that was widely disparaged.

“You can be mischievous with your interpretation, but my point was that no one who doesn’t really need it should not have it,” he said yesterday.

Labor demanded he apologise, but the Liberal MP said he did not intend to disparage anyone.

He said if anyone was offended, then he apologised, but said “no one has done more for people with disabilities than I have”.