Government won’t lecture Nationals after deputy leaders admits to drinking before estimates hearing

Federal MPs respond after deputy Nationals leader Perin Davey admitted to having two glasses of red before fronting a Senate estimates hearing | WATCH

The government won’t “lecture” Nationals MPs after deputy leader Perin Davey admitted to having two glasses of red before a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday, although parliamentary colleagues have said that they would have instead stuck to lemon, lime, bitters.

It’s the latest drink-related incident for the Nationals, after party colleague Barnaby Joyce was filmed lying on a Canberra footpath on February 7 late at night. He blamed the “embarrassing” incident on mixing alcohol with medication.

Ms Davey’s admission prompted Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie and Labor’s Communications Minister Michelle Rowland to say they wouldn’t have done the same in parliament, although neither offered support for alcohol and drug testing of MPs – an idea floated by Teal MP Zagi Steggall.

On Saturday, speaking on Sky News, Ms Davey had admitted she had two glasses of wine at a staff drinks prior to an appearance at the Senate committee, but insisted she was not drunk.

“I don’t think I was drunk,” Ms Davey said on Sky.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Picture: Martin Ollman

“I wouldn’t say I was under the weather. I stumbled over my words. If you want to pick on people who stumble over their words, there are plenty of Labor MPs (who do so).”

The senator could be seen on footage of the hearing stumbling through a statement about the arts in which she thanked attendees for giving evidence.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton says others should learn from the drink-related incidents that have plagued Parliament House in the last few weeks. “I think people have to take responsibility for their own actions. And the public holds those of us in public life to a higher standard and that’s appropriately so,” he told Sunrise on Monday morning.

“I know Perin well. She’s a decent person. She has a burning desire to help people particularly in regional areas. She’s made a mistake in this instance. She’s owned up to it and her other colleagues should learn from it as well.

“People can have a drink in moderation. You can catch up with friends, you can attend social functions and that happens in workplaces and across society everyday. But you need to take responsibility particularly if you’re in the public eye. I think a lot of people will learn a lesson from it.”

On Sunday, the government said it he would refuse to “lecture” Nationals MPs, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that politicians were accountable to voters and should act appropriately as responsible adults.

“I think that politicians have a responsibility to think about the great honour that we have of representing our electorates,” he said on Sunday.

Minister Rowland would not say whether Senator Davey appeared drunk but conceded she wouldn’t appear at a parliamentary committee after drinking two glasses of wine.

Opposition Defence Spokesman Andrew Hastie. Picture: Martin Ollman

“Individuals in parliament are all responsible for their own actions. And I don’t seek to lecture anyone or add to any commentary about how people live their lives or how they behave within the law,” Ms Rowland told Sky News.

“We are judged by a different set of standards and I think that’s the reality. We’re judged by the electorate. We have our jobs under the Constitution because people vote to put us there.”

Ms Steggall had last week called for random drug and alcohol testing at Parliament House “due to apparent ongoing issues with too much alcohol consumption”.

On Sunday, Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie also said he wouldn’t drink two glasses of wine before appearing at a parliamentary committee but said random breath testing of parliamentarians was “a bit much”.

Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce was filmed lying on the ground at night in Canberra. Picture: X

“I stand with many Australians in that I enjoy a drink in moderation as part of a normal work-life balance,” he said.

“This story is unfortunate, but I owe my colleague (Ms Davey) a conversation before I make comments about her in public like this.”

Mr Hastie said, on the subject of random breath tests, he was eager to “get more of a balance”.

“ … There’s got to be a decent balance to things and I think that’s something that we can always work on as a parliament,” he said.

The incident follows footage of Mr Joyce lying on a pavement in Braddon, Canberra, using profanities after having fallen from a bench.

Coalition leaders Peter Dutton and David Littleproud last week urged Mr Joyce to take leave to deal with personal issues after the New England MP blamed the incident on mixing prescription medication with alcohol.

The incident has re-prompted a conversation in parliament about the standards of behaviour for MPs and ongoing issues relating to alcohol consumption in Parliament House.