David Penberthy says Bettina Arndt’s reaction to his article suggesting she was a “crappy choice” for an Order of Australia medal only proves his point.
After the article was published Arndt criticised David for not mentioning that his wife, former MP Kate Ellis, was a “longtime advocate for victims of sexual assault”.
How David Penberthy, author of today's vile hit job on me, fails to acknowledge his conflict of interest as the husband of former MP Kate Ellis? My campus work poses a direct threat to Ellis' longtime advocacy for victims of sexual assault. Shameful, unethical journalism. pic.twitter.com/185hbehtPO
— Bettina Arndt (@thebettinaarndt) February 15, 2020
Penbo told FIVEAA Breakfast on Monday:
“It totally proved the point of the article about her weird hostility towards women. I’ve written an article under my own name my wife didn’t even know I was writing the damn thing… then Arndt, come in spinner, she goes on this mad rant against her, not really against me.
“It wasn’t really a tub thumping piece. It was quite personal. I wrote it as a divorced person who gets along really well with his ex saying don’t hold all of us divorced blokes up as hopeless victims of a cruel system.”
