Twerking on fixing naval PR disaster

A CONTROVERSIAL performance where dancers twerked at the launch of a naval vessel will not happen again, Defence Minister Peter Dutton has vowed.

A video of the dance edited by the ABC prompted widespread criticism and was deemed “inappropriate” for the commission of the ship, HMAS Supply.

Mr Dutton on Friday said he had spoken to the chief of navy about the incident as the government grapples with concerns about the treatment of women.

“It was not a good look,” Mr Dutton told the Today show.

“I have made it very clear that that won’t be happening again.”

The Sydney dance troupe, 101 Doll Squadron, on Thursday released a statement accusing the ABC of “deceptive editing”, which cut to guests and dignitaries who were not in attendance for the performance. The group said footage was also shot from angles that could not be seen by the audience, which the group found “creepy” and made them feel “threatened and exploited”.

The ABC has since issued a statement apologising for the way the video was edited and to the dignitaries who were not present at the performance. However, it stood by its filming of the dance performance, saying it was “shot in a standard manner”.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said the community dance group had experienced extraordinary abuse.

“I think that goes a long way to the importance of the discussion we have about respect, and how we deal with each other, when we have a difference of opinion,” Senator Payne told Sunrise. “I don’t want the participants in a performance group like that to have to endure the sorts of things that they have endured in the last week.”