Mayor Who Asked Ugly Women to Move to His Town Crowned 'Sexist of the Year'

An Australian mayor who begged unattractive women to move to his town has been crowned "sexist of the year."

John Malony pleaded for "ugly ducklings" to migrate to Mount Isa to counter a lack of eligible women.

The mayor of the remote mining town in northwest Queensland state defended his comments, saying he was "telling it like it is."

"With five blokes to every girl, may I suggest that beauty-disadvantaged women should proceed to Mount Isa," Maloney said in August.

He later told national radio that large women could even lose weight under the gaze of Mount Isa males.

But his outrageous sexism has seen him receive the "name and shame" Ernie award by an all-women voting panel.

The annual awards have 10 categories and are decided by the level of boos, jeers and stamping of feet at the event, held at the New South Wales state parliament in Sydney.

Malony earned his top golden Ernie award with a defense that "the protesters are blaming me for their looks."

Event organizer Meredith Burgmann said the awards provided a necessary check of sexism in society.

"I think the message is ever vigilant, ever watchful, keeping people, keeping blokes on their toes and making sure that we name and shame them," she said.

Western Australian politician Troy Buswell was runner up, having been accused of sniffing a female staffer's chair and snapping a bra strap earlier in the year.

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