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These awards celebrate “the best” in Australian sexism. Hint: It’s bad.

Aah 2015, the year that sexism died and Australia became the feminist utopia we’ve all been fighting for.

We have our very own Bachelorette now, we just hooked ourselves a female Minister for Women in Michaelia Cash and we have five, count them, FIVE women in the our new Prime Minister’s cabinet — out of 21 ministers that is pretty much parity, isn’t it?

What a year it’s been.

Our previous Prime Minister repealed that pesky carbon tax so housewives could breathe easy over the family budget, only 64 women have been murdered as a result of domestic violence, the gender pay gap is at a record high and… oh, bloody hell, things are worse than ever!

Ugh, my thoughts exactly guys.

Yes, Tony Abbott might have lost the top job, but his  legacy will live on at the Ernie Awards For Sexist Remarks in Sydney this evening, where he has received no less than five nominations.

For those who aren’t familiar with the Ernies, it’s Australian feminism’s night of nights where 300 of our finest will gather to sift through more than 200 sexist gaffes made by public figures over the past year.

The nominees receive a silver Ernie for each brilliantly backward quote, while the overall winner gets the gold — decided by whichever receives the loudest boo from the crowd.

Here 10 of the top contenders (in no particular order):

1. Tony Abbott

Aside from the aforementioned comments regarding the carbon tax (sigh), Abbott is also nominated for spending International Women’s Day at a local fire station recieving an award for his volunteer service — while he was Minister for Women, that is. We can only guess what the other three were for.

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2. The Queensland Liberal National Party

On the topic of International Women’s Day indiscretions, remember when the Queensland LNP decided to celebrate theirs by hosting  a lunch at an MEN-ONLY club?

2. Mark Latham

There are any number of reasons why Latham could have received a nomination, but this one is for that time @RealMarkLatham tweeted “@RosieBatty1 Australian of the Year dividing the nation on the basis of gender. You owe my wife daughter and mother a massive apology.”

3. Nick Kyrigos

It was just last month that the bad boy of Aussie tennis got himself in hot water by declaring: “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend, sorry to tell you that mate,” during a tennis match.

Look ladies, he’s sweating already.

4. Football Federation Australia

The FFA are still paying the Matildas $21,000 per annum and not providing any maternity leave. No wonder they went on strike.

5. Ian Healy

Sticking with the sporting theme for a moment former, Australian wicket keeper Ian Healy gets a shout-out for blaming the Australian cricket team’s WAGs for their disastrous test performance.

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6. Graham Cornes

Former AFL star Graham Cornes gets one too for his comment that  top level female AFL players “just does not look right, perhaps it was the outfits…not particularly flattering…most of them looked like girls playing football. Boobs and all.”

‘I know , I know, it’s completely ridiculous. Let’s hug it out.’

7. Russell Crowe

The Aussie actor gets a nomination for his very helpful advice to older women who say the struggle with discrimination in Hollywood, ie. “the woman who is saying that …is the woman who at 40, 45, 48 still wants to play the ingénue, and can’t understand why she’s not being cast as the 21 year old.”

8. Merv Hughes

For that time the human moustache told a woman to “shut up or I’ll chop your head off with this machete” on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

He got what was coming to him, obviously.

9. The Australian

The newspaper published an obituary for much-loved and best-seller Australian author Colleen McCullough which began: ”Plain of feature and certainly overweight…” Sigh.

10. Malcolm Turnbull

And last, but not least is our new PM and occasional “manspainer” Malcolm Turnbull for telling ABC journalists Emma Alberici and Leigh Sales that “a more effective interviewing style is one that is less aggressive and more forensic”. Oh, Malcolm.

It’s been a cracking year for sexism, is all I can say.

The 23rd Annual Ernie Awards will take place at NSW Parliament House this evening. Unfortunately tickets are sold out. The dress code is: ‘Your favourite woman leader’.

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