Fed: Call centre wins Gold Ernie after docking pregnant worker

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Fed: Call centre wins Gold Ernie after docking pregnant worker

SYDNEY, Aug 22 AAP - A call centre which docked a pregnant worker $100 for taking toomany toilet breaks has taken out the top prize in the 2003 `Ernie' awards aimed at crackingdown on sexist behaviour.

Wollongong's Stellar Call Centre picked up the Gold Ernie after its nomination generatedthe loudest levels of booing from the 400 women attending the gala ceremony at NSW ParliamentHouse.

The company took the prize, despite the $100 being eventually paid to the pregnantworker along with an apology.

Drawing a link between abortions and a spike in the number of women in jail handedACT's opposition leader Brendan Smyth a win in the political category.

He generated roars from the crowd for his comments that women who had had abortionsdisplayed a propensity to take risks and evidence suggested this could lead to a greaternumber of women in jail.

Tennis star Jelena Dokic's father Damir took out the sports award for his commentsthat he would kill himself if he discovered his daughter was a lesbian.

The twice-nominated Judge Roddy Meagher drew waves of thunderous booing from the crowdand took out the judicial category for describing the inhabitants of a block of flatsas a "motley crew" and that "many of them were female".

Judge Meagher's comments that no woman was on the High Court because there was no suchwoman warranting the position also helped cement his win in the category.

ABC radio's morning presenter Sally Loane won The Elaine award - for remarks leasthelpful to the sisterhood - for her on-air comments about teacher salaries.

Broadcaster Ron Casey claimed the media prize for saying Victorian MP Kirsty Marshallwas a "second rate politician with a first rate publicity stunt" because she had gotten"her boobies splashed all over the national press".

Celebrity chef Neil Perry won the culinary category for his comments about NigellaLawson's breasts while Prime Minister John Howard claimed The Clinton Award for repeatoffenders.

The `Anon' - for men behaving better - was awarded to business consultant Mark Holden.

Awards organiser NSW MP Meredith Burgmann declared the 11th annual awards night a great success.

AAP swe/ldj

KEYWORD: ERNIES