NSW police have charged a central coast man over allegedly posting racist comments on the Facebook page of outgoing Labor senator Nova Peris.
Woy Woy-based chiropractor and osteopath Chris Nelson was arrested on Monday afternoon following an investigation by detectives from Brisbane Water local area command.
He was taken to Gosford police station and charged with using a carriage service to cause offence.
Peris shared the offensive post through her social media accounts, part of which said: “You were only endorsed by Juliar because you were black. Go back to the bush and suck on witchety grubs and yams.”
The post also criticised Peris, Australia’s first Indigenous female senator, for wearing white ochre on her face during her 2013 maiden speech.
Peris responded in Facebook post: “I’ll continue to wear ochre on my face just like my people have done for thousands of years! My skin is my pride.”
(“P.S. Never had a witchy grub,” she added. “I’m coastal, the mangrove worms are delicious & the yams are amazing.”)
Nelson reportedly denies making the comments, telling a local newspaper his account was “clearly hacked”.
“I’m definitely not a racist. I’ve got friends who are Aboriginal and family who are Aboriginal,” he said.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Gosford local court on 21 June.
