Covid 19 coronavirus: Leo Molloy says joke takes aim at Labour and Green voters, not homosexuals

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Leo Molloy says signage in the men's toilets of his Auckland waterfront bar HeadQuarters is taking aim at Labour and Green party voters, not homosexuals.

It asked voters to not hold the penis of the man beside them at the urinal in accordance with their "new Covid-19 rules".

"Anyway, at HQ our new Covid-19 rule is 'dear Labour and Green voters ... when in the urinals please just shake your own whizzer, not the bloke's next to you ... this is not Ponsonby or Grey Lynn', [sic]" the signage read.

HeadQuarters bar owner Leo Molloy. Photo / Michael Craig

Earlier this week, a stir was created online after comments made on the HeadQuarters Facebook page in a now-deleted post were perceived as homophobic.

The post claimed the Prime Minister was telling "lies and half-truths" regarding the spread of Covid-19 at bars and hospitality venues.

Among the most prominent claims in the expletive-riddled post was the assertion a man who spread the virus in South Korea attended a number of "gay dungeon bars".

Molloy apologised earlier today for using the words "gay dungeon bars" and vehemently denied he or the bar HeadQuarters were homophobic.

Meanwhile, when asked about the signage in the men's toilets, Molloy said he was taking aim at voters and in no way, shape or form was it an attack on homosexuals.

"Seriously, it's a joke ... I knew some nutcase would ring up and make a comment," he told the Herald this afternoon.

"I'm taking the piss out of Labour and Green voters because clearly I'm Tory.

"I spent my whole life taking the piss out of them because I think they're so stupid, I think they deserve to have the piss taken out of them."

A dinner party was being held at HeadQuarters for 100 of Molloy's friends this evening.

However, dozens had cancelled following the waterfront bar's online post this week.

The post followed comments Jacinda Ardern made, pointing out South Korea was suffering a second wave of infection which had been spread at bars, and warned it could also happen in New Zealand without strict protocols in place.

Molloy told the Herald earlier today: "Ardern cited the South Korean situation and all I did was to draw attention to the distinctions between what happened in South Korea with that rebound and the likely situation here. I apologise for saying 'gay dungeon bars'.

"We have complied with the level 2 guidelines. We've had a dozen decide not to attend after extreme and intrusive media bullying... and the deliberate distortion of what's happening tonight."