‘Fixed it’: Dominic Perrottet’s press conference drowned out

The NSW Premier called a press conference on Friday to make a major announcement but the event was quickly derailed.

Dominic Perrottet called a press conference on Friday to make a major announcement but the event was rudely interrupted.

The NSW government is injecting funds into the state’s religious communities in a bid to repair cultural division which deepened during Sydney’s harshest Covid-19 lockdown.

A Religious Communities Advisory Council will be established, with a focus on bolstering the safety and security of places of worship, including mosques and churches.

“One of the key takeaways from the pandemic is the critical role of multicultural and faith communities in ensuring we are all connected, engaged and supported,” Perrottet said.

“We are now acting on those leanings and investing in areas that will enable a stronger and brighter future for multicultural communities across the state.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the creation of a Religious Communities Advisory Council. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

The state’s most concentrated regions of multicultural diversity suffered through significantly harsher lockdown restrictions during the height of the 2021 Delta wave.

Perrottet’s government received rampant criticism for what appeared to be a lockdown policy which favoured more affluent communities and failed to take into account the cultural priorities of communities in the west and southwest.

Just as Minister Multiculturalism Mark Coure took to the microphone, a blaring car alarm sounded from nearby at Eastwood Mall, where the press conference was taking place.

Stifled giggles could be seen emerging from the crowd of state government employees behind Mr Coure, as he held his tongue and waited more than two minutes for the irritating noise to subside.

Minister Multiculturalism Mark Coure was interrupted by a car alarm during a press conference in Eastwood on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“The Premier’s fixed it,” he announced as the siren cut out.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Perrottet was fielding more heated questions from Sydney 2GB radio host Ben Fordham over the lavish spending habits of the Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand.

“It’s completely out of touch with those situations, you know, where families right across our state are dealing with high prices, high grocery bills, higher energy bills,” Mr Perrottet said to 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“And this type of largesse has no place in government at all. I’ll be ensuring that doesn’t occur in the future.

“It needs to stop.”

Mr Brand has spent thousands of taxpayers’ dollars on high-end restaurants, vintage wines and furniture, a Daily Telegraph investigation revealed.