Raylene Mullins hijacks Malcolm Turnbull’s press conference at Whyalla

RAYLENE Mullins was driving past a park in Whyalla when she saw a group of journalists. Taking a chance, she ended up debating the Prime Minister. Now she’s considering a new career.

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PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s announcement on a major government steel purchase from Arrium was hijacked by the wife of a steelworker who complained free trade agreements were “killing” local industries.

Victor Harbor resident Raylene Mullins, 63, quizzed the Prime Minister on the impact of free trade agreements on local industries as he spoke to journalists about an upgrade of a 600km rail line from Adelaide to Tarcoola, using steel made in Whyalla to prop up struggling steelmaker Arrium.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull listens to Raylene Mullins, the wife of a steelworker, during his press conference at Whyalla. Pic: Mike Burton

Mrs Mullins’ husband works at the steelworks and she decided to quiz Mr Turnbull after she saw a waiting press pack while walking past a local park overlooking the plant.

“Australian industry has been ruined (by the free-trade deals) and nothing will help Australia if there is another world war because we wouldn’t be able to exist,” she told the Prime Minister.

“You can’t just have office jobs and health jobs.

“It (free trade) is running the country.”

Raylene Mullins takes over Malcolm Turnbull’s press conference at Whyalla. Pic: Mike Burton

But Mr Turnbull spruiked the benefits for Australian businesses of getting access to bigger Asian markets.

“I understand your concern but our future is bound up in overseas markets,” he said.

“The future of our children and our grandchildren depends on access to those big markets in Asia.”

Mrs Mullins told the PM she was telling everyone she knew to vote informally at the next election to make a point.

“That’s telling all the parliamentarians we don’t want you because we don’t like what you all do,” she said.

It was that comment that got under Mr Turnbull’s skin, the prime minister issuing his own advice to Ms Mullins.

“Don’t informal vote because that’s a wasted vote,” he said.

Ms Mullins told the prime minister her husband worked at the Arrium steel works and the couple used to have a steel business until they lost a government contract at the local police station.

After a few minutes local Liberal MP Rowan Ramsey came to his boss’s rescue, politely telling Ms Mullins they had to go.

The impromptu hijacking turned out all smiles. Pic: Mike Burton

Mrs Mullins, who admitted to being a long-time Liberal voter, said she would consider standing as an independent at the election if politicians continued to pursue policies which hurt local industries.

“I hope he (the Prime Minister) was listening,” she said.

“If not I’d like to go in parliament and tell them what to do

“Because there is not enough people like me who are prepared to speak up.

“And that’s what the Government needs is for people to speak up and sort out all the nonsense that’s going on.”

- with AAP