‘Are you threatening me?’: MP Andrew Laming in fiery radio clash with ABC host

Controversial MP Andrew Laming threatened to terminate an ABC interview after a fiery radio clash about his shock health diagnosis.

EXCLUSIVE: Liberal MP Andrew Laming — who threatened to terminate a fiery radio interview to discuss his ADHD diagnosis — has revealed his ‘empathy training’ ordered by the Prime Minister was only an online course

When Scott Morrison ordered the Liberal backbencher to undergo empathy training over a string of public scandals he was originally expected to go to a rehab-style bootcamp interstate.

But the intensive empathy training the Prime Minister ordered Dr Laming to undertake appears to have been downgraded to an online course during the Brisbane lockdown.

The empathy training was a sore point during a spiky interview on ABC radio with Radio National’s Patricia Karvelas after news.com.au broke the story of his ADHD diagnosis on Wednesday.

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Mr Laming had a fiery interview with ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas. Picture: Aaron Francis

Dr Laming’s fall from grace follows allegations he took a photograph of a Brisbane woman Crystal White on her knees in a “crouching position” filling a bar fridge at a landscaping supply company prompting her to make a police complaint.

Police cleared him and no charges were laid. Dr Laming described the allegations as “ridiculous”, saying he was taking a general photo at the workplace for “social media”.

But when pressed on the scandal on Radio National on Wednesday afternoon the interview with the ABC presenter quickly turned fiery.

“She said her underwear was visible in the photograph. How did you think that was appropriate?’’ Karvelas asked.

“I just don’t know how many times I’ve got to tell you PK this is subject to defamation proceedings and it involves your own network,’’ Dr Laming replied.

“Are you threatening me?’’ Karvelas replied.

Dr Laming said he had “given her notice” it was subject to legal proceedings.

“If you really care about ADHD and the people who live it as adults, I am happy to answer questions. If you insist on going on in this vein we can’t continue the conversation and I will let your listeners make up their own mind.”

“I will say goodnight to you PK. All the best.”

Despite Karvelas stating on air Dr Laming hung up on her, he told news.com.au he could hear her the “whole time” and it was simply a bad line - and the ABC hung up on him.

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Olesja has defended her husband, saying they wouldn’t be married if he had done some of the things he is accused of. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled

If it were true ‘I wouldn’t be married to him’

Dr Laming’s Latvian-born wife Olesja Laming wept during an exclusive interview with news.com.au this week admitting the couple would no longer be together if the allegations were true.

She said the claims in the media that he took a photo of a woman’s bottom on purpose were “not Andrew” and if he had done such a thing they wouldn’t be married.

“Definitely not. We have been married for 14 years and I would have noticed something really that strange was happening. I wouldn’t be married to him,’’ she said.

But when asked about the allegations that had destroyed his career, a tearful Mrs Laming said it was a “big shock.”

She learned of the first TV report after it was broadcast.

“For me personally? Absolutely. It was just a big shock. I didn’t know about it being broadcast, the first episode,’’ she said.

“He was flying out from Canberra. He called me when he landed. I did watch it the following day.”

“The picture he took, I was just shocked. I went and saw him and said “What happened?”, “Tell me exactly what happened.”

“I knew his behaviour was a bit (unusual). He has so much energy I had people say to me “what supplements is he taking,’’ she said.

“Even when doorknocking he would run from one house to another. I thought there might be something.”

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Andrew Laming says he can have too much empathy. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Laming’s learned he cares too much

Dr Laming told news.com.au this week that his empathy training was “helpful” but still won’t say where he underwent the mystery “empathy training” online or who provided it teasing he will have more to say when he returns to work and Parliament next month.

“I felt, in good faith, I needed to be prepared to do absolutely anything,’’ he told news.com.au

“Nobody loses anything from doing some empathy training. I thought it would be a great opportunity.”

But rather than discover he was lacking in empathy Dr Laming emerged from the training believing he actually had too much care for others.

“What I have realised is that part of the symptoms was I was almost overly empathetic because I was getting involved in stuff I shouldn’t have, getting immersed and obsessed and determined to ‘fix it,’’ he said.

He maintained the big “light bulb” moment was his shock ADHD diagnosis and the drug treatment he has revealed has “changed his life”.

Liberal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming during Question Time. Picture: Mick Tsikas

Shock diagnosis that could explain behaviour

In March The Prime Minister ordered Dr Laming to do a private course to help him understand and be more aware of his actions after a string of public scandals.

“I want to see behaviour change and we’ve all got a job to do with that, and he certainly has a job to do on this,” Mr Morrison said. “We’ve discussed this very directly this morning and he’s agreed to participate in that and submit himself to that as he should.”

On Wednesday, Mr Laming revealed the shock medical diagnosis that he believes explains some of his erratic and downright eccentric behaviour.

He believes that the daily medication he now relies on has changed his life.

“As a medically trained person, I really genuinely just had no idea that ADHD and hyperactivity was an adult condition,’’ Dr Laming said.

“I just spoke honestly and openly with someone who understands ADHD intimately. It was very quick.

“I took medication the next day. On the second day I am just absolutely clear on the biological nature of this. I was stunned that I had taken a tablet and the thoughts I had lived with, all my life, raging in my head were just polite.”

Dr Laming insists he’s not looking for a “free pass” for his behaviour that includes allegations of the online abuse of constituents on Facebook, but admits his psychiatric diagnosis was a light bulb moment that has also transformed his relationship with his children.

“This is not an excuse,’’ he said.

“But it’s a genuine account of what has happened in the last month, which is remarkable.”