Hon Turnbull apologises for ‘sit down & shut up’ remark to Hon de Castro
The apology, dated February 12, 2025, was officially received by the minister’s office at 10:49 AM on the same day.
Addressing the HoA on February 24, 2025, Hon Turnbull stated, "I want to let this House know, as well as the listening public that I did in fact issue the letter of apology to the Minister of Education on the 12th of February 2025; A hard copy was received by her office at 10:49 AM, which was one day from when the minister asked for said apology."
Reading the contents of his apology letter aloud to the House, he expressed regret over his choice of words during a recess exchange, acknowledging that his remark, "Go sit down and shut up your mouth," had caused concern.
Derogatory & uncalled for
"The phrase was uttered during a moment of heated negotiations using our cultural dialect and was intended in jest as a part of our reciprocal exchange; I deeply regret that my words were received as derogatory and uncalled for."
According to the District Two Representative, the comment was never meant to offend or disrespect Minister de Castro, whom he described as "not just only a respected colleague in this House but a cherished family member."
The legislator, reaffirming his commitment to respectful discourse, told members, "I was raised with strong values of respect and dignity, and my conduct in all interactions is a reflection of these principles. I sincerely regret that my choice of words in this instance did not reflect those standards."
As such, Hon Turnbull sought to assure the House and the public at large that he accepted full responsibility for his words and had taken measures to prevent such an incident from recurring.
"With humility and determination, I submit this letter to you and hope that we will move forward to continue to serve with honour and commitment to our collective responsibilities."
Honourable de Castro acknowledged receipt of the letter and publicly accepted the apology.
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5 Responses to “Hon Turnbull apologises for ‘sit down & shut up’ remark to Hon de Castro”
He fails to take responsibility for his words, instead placing the burden on others for how they interpreted them. Rather than acknowledging any wrongdoing, he implies that the fault lies with those who found his comments offensive, not with what he actually said.