Scott Morrison’s concession about embattled MP Andrew Laming

The PM has admitted he was unaware what type of training his embattled MP Andrew Laming undertook as fresh complaints were made.

Scott Morrison has admitted he simply doesn’t know if the “empathy training” he ordered Liberal MP Andrew Laming to undertake was a “tick a box” online course.

News.com.au revealed on Thursday that the “empathy training” Dr Laming has completed was conducted by a mystery provider on the internet that he will reveal when he returns to Parliament in May.

The Prime Minister was challenged over exactly what “training” had been completed on Friday following fresh complaints from women that Dr Laming had pestered them on planes or online.

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Andrew Laming’s empathy training was an online course. Picture: Mick Tsikas

There’s also the looming question of whether Dr Laming will return to the Coalition party room after some female MPs suggested they weren’t sure this was a good idea.

“You instructed him to undertake empathy training. Were you aware at the time that it was only an online course?’’ 2GB’s Ben Fordham asked the PM.

“Look, at the time he said he would arrange to undertake appropriate training,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“As you know, Andrew has also advised that for some period of time now he’s been affected by ADHD.

“Look, Andrew is not running for the LNP at the next election. The LNP have made that decision. And in the meantime, I expect him to serve his community that elected him on many occasions and to do that job between now and the election.”

Pressed on whether he realised the training was a “tick a box routine” the PM conceded he was not aware who was providing the training.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison was not aware of the type of empathy course Mr Lamming undertook. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

It’s understood the “empathy training” was privately paid for by Dr Laming rather than taxpayers and is “ongoing” although it’s not clear how much time he has spent doing it.

“He undertook to me to be correcting and changing his behaviour and getting help for that and I know he has been doing that,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“I mean, I haven’t seen the exact course that he’s undertaken. I mean, there’s been a few other things that I’ve been a bit focused on.

“But that was his undertaking to me and I would expect him to be taking that very seriously and correcting his behaviour and as a member of Parliament.”

Earlier this week Dr Laming revealed exclusively to news.com.au that he had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD.

Dr Laming revealed the shock medical diagnosis that he believes explains some of his erratic and downright eccentric behaviour that friends admit has left his career “in flames”.

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.”

https://t.co/fJFqC1QRsxpic.twitter.com/hXm4RiOlng

— Prof Gemma Carey (@gemcarey) April 29, 2021

New claims: Four women felt ‘uncomfortable’

However, since that revelation four new women have come forward to complain Dr Laming made them feel “uncomfortable” including a Canberra professor who claims he pestered her to come out for cocktails on a flight in 2015.

Professor Gemma Carey, who met Andrew Laming on a flight from Canberra to Sydney in March, 2015, said his behaviour was annoying.

“I was sitting by the window, so I was wedged in by him. He had the aisle seat,” Professor Carey said.

“He asked me a lot of questions, but it was a very chaotic exchange … where I felt like I was being spoken at by Andrew Laming, I wasn’t really speaking to him.”

I look forward to @ScottMorrisonMP telling the nation if he will finally remove Andrew Laming from parliament today

— Prof Gemma Carey (@gemcarey) April 29, 2021

Professor Carey said Dr Laming also made comments about her appearance: “They were things like: ‘Are you from Canberra? You don’t look like you’re from Canberra. You look too cosmopolitan for that.’ And he said things like, ‘You have such a lovely figure in that outfit.’

“I was deeply uncomfortable. I felt like I was trapped next to someone who was just being completely inappropriate, irrespective of their job, being completely inappropriate.

“He said, ‘I’m going out to an art gallery after this flight. When we get to Sydney, you should come with me. We’ll have lots of cocktails, it’ll be great. Come to this art gallery,’” Professor Carey said.

After she refused he tried again after she bumped into him at the taxi stand.

‘Come out, we’re going to an art gallery. Come on, come out.’ And I said, ‘No, no, I’m not interested. And I can’t.’”

Queensland federal Liberal MP Andrew Laming. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Dr Laming offered her a lift to her hotel in his chauffeur driven vehicle.

In a statement, he told the ABC: “The offer of a lift to a hotel or drink is not uncommon where work interests overlapped.”

“Six years after a flight, these allegations have been tweeted and politically tagged four times over the last month and for the first time.”

Dr Laming has previously insisted he’s not looking for a “free pass” for his behaviour over the ADHD diagnosis 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.