Scott Morrison says he is "deeply sorry" that a comment he made during last night's leaders' debate that he was "blessed" not to have a child with disability caused offence, saying he did not intend it that way.
Both Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese were asked about the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) by an undecided voter.
The woman, named Catherine, began her question by saying she had a four-year-old son who lives with autism.
"We are grateful to receive funds through the NDIS, but have heard many stories of people having their funds cut recently under the current government, including our own," she said.
"I've been told, to give my son the best future, I need to vote Labor. Can you please tell me what the future of the NDIS looks like under your government?"
Sky News moderator Kieran Gilbert offered Mr Morrison the chance to answer first.
Mr Morrison began his answer by asking Catherine what her son's name was, to which she replied Ethan.
"Jenny and I have been blessed, we've got two children that don't — that haven't had to go through that," he said.
"And so, for parents with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children.
"And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme."
Mr Morrison has been criticised by disability advocates and the opposition over the comments.
"I accept that it has caused offence to people," he said today.
"I think people would also appreciate that I would have had no such intention of suggesting anything other than [that] every child is a blessing.
He said he was trying to convey that he did not have a first-hand understanding of the challenges people who have children with disability faced.
"I was seeking to respect the challenges they face, not the opposite," Mr Morrison said.
He also said he had apologised directly to Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, who had criticised his comments earlier.
Labor senator Katy Gallagher told Channel Seven that, as the parent of a daughter with autism, Mr Morrison's comment upset her.
"I found it really offending and quite shocking, and it is something that people who have a disability, children with autism, it is a kind of response they get all the time," she said.
"That people are blessed not to have what they have when, in actual fact, every child is a blessing.
"Certainly my daughter enriches my life and my partner's life every day.
Mr Morrison's comments were also quick to draw the ire of Shadow Minister for the NDIS, Bill Shorten.
"ScoMo says he is 'blessed' to have two non-disabled children. Every child is a blessing," Mr Shorten tweeted.
"The NDIS is there to help people with disability live their lives to the fullest.
"My suggestion to Scott Morrison is he apologises to people with disability and their families for his remarks tonight which were insensitive."
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John, who uses a wheelchair, was also critical of Mr Morrison's comments.
"I am done with this government dismissing and disempowering disabled people," he said.
Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame, who has autism, was also critical of Mr Morrison's comments.
"Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off," she wrote.
Current Australian of the Year Alcott also tweeted about the remarks.
"Woke up this morning feeling very blessed to be disabled — I reckon my parents are pretty happy about it too," he said.
"Feeling sorry for us and our families doesn’t help. Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does."
Government senators defend PM
After the debate, Mr Morrison was seen approaching Catherine to speak to her further about her son, Ethan, and their experiences with the NDIS.
Journalists in the room reported that Mr Morrison took a notebook and pen and was writing down details, before he took photos with other voters.
Liberal senator Hollie Hughes, who has a son with autism, said she did not think anything of Mr Morrison's comments.
"I know Scott and Jenny had tried for 14 years to have their children and they are blessed with two beautiful daughters," she said.
"I certainly didn't take anything negative away from it and I really do think that people are missing the point of the substantive issue here.
"It's not looking at us as families or our children as a burden, it's a recognition that we do have additional challenges.
Senator Hughes said there was an "almost permanent rage machine" lying underneath the disability community and, since the introduction of the NDIS, "they had to find somewhere else to direct their rage".
Finance Minister Simon Birmingham was asked if he was concerned by Mr Morrison's language and comments, given it upset many in the disability community.
"The PM, actually in that context, was talking about not having to deal with the many challenges of systems that you have to work through to get support," he said.
"It is simply the case that, as a country, all Australians, I think, understand the need for us to provide additional support and we can understand as well the circumstances for family members and for others helping people living with disabilities are not always easy circumstances.
"And that, for many of us, we are fortunate not to deal with some of the challenges faced in those cases."
Last night's leaders' debate covered a range of issues, including housing affordability, what each party would do to create an anti-corruption commission and China's new security pact with Solomon Islands.
