Tony Abbott voluntarily bites into a raw onion during a visit to a Tasmanian farm, doesn’t cry

FOOTAGE from Hobart proves Tony Abbott can swallow anything — insults, bad poll results and now a raw, brown onion.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott during a visit to Charlton Farm Produce on Friday did something nobody expected. Picture: Chris Kidd

KEVIN Rudd ate his ear wax. So Tony Abbott eating a raw onion isn’t that bad. But it’s still fodder for creative Australians to take and run with.

The Prime Minister tucked into a raw brown onion, skin and all, in front of a clearly puzzled pack of journalists and workers at Charlton Farm Produce in Tasmania on Friday.

No tears. Zero tears. It was a bizarre show of strength. The PM can swallow anything, apparently: bad poll results, insults across the chamber, whole brown onions.

Charlton Farm Produce Director David Addison and Prime Minister Tony Abbott sampling raw onions. Picture: Chris Kidd

Farm owner David Addison told The Mercury that Mr Abbott bit into the onion without prompting.

“It was just spontaneous and there weren’t even any tears,” he said.

“I may have said ‘It’s a shame they weren’t peeled’ and he just started eating it.”

Here it is:

Abbott eats a raw onion. No tear ducts or empathy means it was a dry event. #AUSpol http://t.co/ugAJwiigIz

— ☣Barón Emilio Death☢ (@krONik) March 13, 2015

Naturally, the internet had a field day with the Prime Minister’s day in the fields. We give you: #Oniongate

I've always said that Tony Abbott is a man of many layers. #onion #auspol

— Gigs (@AndrewGigacz) March 13, 2015

Dear world, video of Abbott eating a raw onion may seem trivial...look on it as a warning in the event a halfwit runs for PM in your country

— Barkus 1863 (@martinbarker70) March 13, 2015

Why is Abbott eating onions? Oh well.. the last person I saw eating an onion was an idiot, too: pic.twitter.com/CfeppVSgWx

— julian (@jse_82) March 13, 2015

Why didn’t you take the skin off the onion Mr Abbott? pic.twitter.com/iys92Rmf3n

— Rupert H (@rpy) March 13, 2015

Tony Abbott eating that onion like... #oniongate pic.twitter.com/8XMw7HluMf

— Lucy-Ellen Steadman (@LucySteadman) March 13, 2015

At least he peels his bananas! #AusPol #oniongate pic.twitter.com/021ikpyPaS

— Elias Hallaj (@Elias_Hallaj) March 13, 2015

Our Prime Minister ate *what*? #lifestylechoice #oniongate pic.twitter.com/e1OX1VnWSE

— Laurie Matthews (@matthewslaurie) March 13, 2015

'It's OK Babe, I'll sort dinner out tonight,' said @TonyAbbottMHR to Margie. #auspol #onion #oniongate pic.twitter.com/5JDVXCfRRq

— Kirsty Webeck (@KirstArific) March 13, 2015

Our Lizard People Overlords should check in on Tony; not a convincing human impersonation today #OnionGate #StPaddyGate #GreenTieGate

— S. Gerry Edwards (@teknokryptik) March 13, 2015

The PM was in Tasmania to confirm a $200 million boost to the state’s freight equalisation scheme.