Turnbull finds Nemo on campaign trail, hooks selfie for grandson

NOBODY — including Malcolm Turnbull — expected to find Nemo on the campaign trail today. And when he did, the fish sure was mouthy.

Salty selfie: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mayo Liberal MP Jamie Briggs take a selfie with Nemo the fish during a street walk in Stirling. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

NOBODY — including Malcolm Turnbull — expected to find Nemo on the campaign trail in South Australia today. And when he did find Nemo, the fish sure was mouthy.

Confronted by an environmental protester dressed as the clown fish from animated movie Finding Nemo, Turnbull didn’t take a backward step.

Nemo ambushed the PM as he emerged from his car for a street walk, expressing his concerns about protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Turnbull asked for a selfie.

“Is this Nemo? My grandson Jack would love to have a selfie with you, do you mind?” said the PM.

Nemo agreed, and seized his moment: “I’m sure your grandson would also love you to commit to no new coal mines to help protect the Great Barrier Reef,” he said as Turnbull took the snap.

Turnbull initially ignored Nemo’s observation, closing the conversation with a ‘good to meet you’ and started to move off as Nemo replied ‘hope you take some action’.

Then Turnbull turned back, and told Nemo the reef ‘just to be deadly serious about it, it was on the watch list, under Labor, it is now off the watch list, it is not regarded as endangered’.

He continued: “Huge issues getting nutrients into the reef ... I d id a lot when I was environment minister and we are doing a lot now.”

Nemo wasn’t done yet, and moved on to ask about the controversial $16 billion Adani coal mine project in Queensland’s Galilee basin, which opponents predict will affect climate change and contribute to coral bleaching on the reef. He asked the PM to commit to no public funding of Adani.

Turnbull replied there was no public money for Adani, assured Nemo he took climate change ‘as seriously as you’, and then called the fishing expedition off, moving on with a smile.

He hooked a selfie, but probably not a convert. Better than being slapped with a fish.