A Coalition MP was ejected from Parliament after shouting “bulls***” at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he defended the government’s climate policies.
The outburst came during Question Time on Wednesday, after One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce asked Albanese why $8.7 billion had been allocated to the Department of Climate Change.
“It’s quite obvious that we have to reduce the size of government. So why don’t we look at getting rid of the Climate Change Department? There’s $8.7 billion a year we spend on it,” Joyce said.
Joyce argued that the department had “absolutely no prospects whatsoever of changing the climate” and claimed scrapping it would deliver significant savings.
Albanese rejected that argument, standing by the government’s climate action and its spending in the sector.
“There has now been decades of science and advice on climate change that it is real. I support responding to the science of climate change, which does represent a challenge, but also represents an enormous opportunity,” he said.
“What we do say is that the science told us they (extreme weather events) would be more frequent and more intense, and that is happening.”
As the Prime Minister spoke, Wide Bay MP Llew O’Brien interrupted by yelling “bulls***” across the chamber.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) was interrupted by Llew O’Brien while speaking in Parliament
Llew O’Brien (pictured) shouted “bulls***” at Anthony Albanese during Question Time (file)
Speaker Milton Dick immediately stepped in and ordered O’Brien to leave the chamber.
“Swearing in the parliament is completely unacceptable. He will leave the chamber for three hours,” Dick said.
“Honestly, we will not allow this parliament to have that language. None of us will accept that. I won’t accept it. Australia won’t accept it.”
Albanese then continued his response, telling the House that rising ocean temperatures and other effects of climate change were already imposing costs on communities and governments.
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The parliamentary clash followed calls from Albanese to “lower the temperature” in Parliament and Australian politics, as concerns grow about political violence after the alleged attack on Independent MP Helen Haines.
Haines remains in hospital after an incident outside her electorate office left her with life-changing injuries. The man accused of driving into her is facing a series of serious charges.
The 65-year-old Member for Indi was loading items into the boot of her car when she was allegedly struck twice by a Toyota LandCruiser outside the office.
Haines suffered severe injuries and doctors were forced to amputate both of her legs.
Milton Dick (pictured) ordered Llew O’Brien to leave the House of Representatives for three hours on Wednesday
Haines remains in a serious but stable condition at Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital.
On Monday, after Parliament returned for the first time following the incident, Dick renewed calls for colleagues to show ‘respect and courtesy’ to each other.
‘In this place where we often disagree, Helen has always shown that respect and courtesy go hand in hand,’ said Dick.
‘There is much discussion on how we as a parliament can work on showing respect to one another.’
‘Today I can say this is a moment for all of us to rise to the challenge.’
O’Brien later defended his outburst on social media, saying he stood by his comments and accusing the Prime Minister of exploiting recent natural disasters for political purposes.
‘I was just kicked out of Question Time for calling the Prime Minister out over politicising weather events in Queensland that have recently taken the life of a good mate of mine,’ O’Brien said in a video.
‘Weather events happen, they always have, and for him to use that to promote his net zero climate change agenda is disgraceful.’
‘I’m gonna call bulls*** when that happens, and that’s just the way it is.’