National Press Club’s lobster fiasco after Linda Reynolds is hospitalised

Linda Reynolds’ health emergency caused another problem of sorts for the National Press Club – what to do with hundreds of lobsters.

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds’ cardiac emergency created a lobster fiasco for the National Press Club with the fire-sale of hundreds of “champagne poached Western Australian lobsters” and a furious backlash online.

With just hours to go before she appeared at the sold out event in Canberra on Wednesday, Senator Reynolds announced her dramatic admission to a local hospital just after 9am.

Her health crisis forced the NPC to “reluctantly” cancel the event but in practical terms the immediate problem was hundreds of gourmet lobsters on ice for the lunch.

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Liberal senator Linda Reynolds was admitted to hospital just hours before she was due to appear at the sold-out event. Picture: APH via NCA NewsWire

The solution: flogging the lobster lunches for just $10 a plate in a desperate attempt not to take a financial bath over the event.

“It‘s Lobster Day at the #NPC Don’t miss out on West Australian lobster for just $10! Today only,’’ the National Press Club tweeted at 10:29am.

It's Lobster Day at the #NPC! Don't miss out on Champagne poached Western Australian lobster for just $10! Today only. pic.twitter.com/mbwQUGrvGf

— National Press Club (@PressClubAust) February 23, 2021

Ten Network political editor Peter van Onselen was quick off the mark, posting a photograph on Twitter of him clutching bags of the takeaway lobster for the office.

“No press club address today but that doesn’t have to mean a $10 fire sale of lobster is off the menu. Network 10 Parliament House here I come!,’’ he tweeted.

But the seemingly innocuous tweet from the NPC offering cheap lobsters prompted an angry reaction online with Twitter users demanding the NPC “give the lobster to the homeless”.

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No press club address today but that doesn’t have to mean the $10 a pop fire sale lobster is off the menu...Network 10 Parliament House bureau, here I come! pic.twitter.com/O725c6Edjy

— Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) February 24, 2021

Mmmn for that price I think they should just donate them to the homeless and write it off. I'd like to know if anyone who doesn't have much money has eaten any cheap lobsters of late. I've only seen wealthy people post pics of the cheap lobsters that they've bought.

— Dr Scott Rickard (@Rickard_Scott) February 24, 2021

Unbelievable that you'd dare tweet this. Unemployed people below poverty line, missing meals. No wonder there's overall contempt for current journalistism

— Sally Corbett (@thatsjazz2) February 24, 2021

“A Marie Antoinette moment in the Canberra press bubble!,” wrote one Twitter user.

“For that price I think they should just donate them to the homeless,” Dr Scott Rickard wrote.

“I’ve only seen wealthy people post pics of the cheap Lobsters they bought.”

Sally Corbett said it was “unbelievable you dare tweet this”.

“Unemployed people below the poverty line, missing meals. No wonder there’s overall contempt for journalism.

“Tasteless! Donate the food to needy people,” wrote David.

Lobster sale sold out! 220 lobsters in 72 minutes. That’s gotta be some kind of record! #NPC

— National Press Club (@PressClubAust) February 24, 2021

But by 1:29pm the cut-price lobsters were “sold out” according to the press club.

“Lobster sale sold out! 220 lobsters in 72 minutes. That’s got to be some sort of record,’’ the National Press Club tweeted.

That means the NPC pocketed $2200 for the lobsters, a fraction of the amount they would have pocketed if Senator Reynolds had turned up.