‘Double standards’: Coalition slams Tourette insult

The Coalition is accusing Labor MPs of having double standards when it comes to parliamentary behaviour, after Anthony Albanese apologised for attempting to insult a Liberal frontbencher.

Anthony Albanese in question time on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The Coalition is accusing Labor MPs of having double standards when it comes to parliamentary behaviour, after Anthony Albanese apologised for attempting to insult a Liberal frontbencher by questioning whether he had Tourette syndrome.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the Prime Minister made a “serious mistake” by referencing the disorder during question time while lashing out at opposition Treasury spokesman Angus Taylor.

“Imagine the sanctimonious outrage that would be coming from the Labor Party and the Greens political party and others if this had been Peter Dutton or a senior member of the Coalition,” Senator Birmingham told the ABC.

Mr Albanese delivered the insult on Tuesday when Mr Taylor was interrupting him while he was speaking in parliament.

“Have you got Tourette’s or something?” Mr Albanese said. “You know, you just sit there, babble, babble, babble.”

Mr Albanese withdrew the comment soon afterwards and apologised for the comment later in the day.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong made a similar remark to then Liberal senator Mathias Cormann in parliament more than a decade ago.

“Can you contain yourself? It’s like you have got Tourette’s or something,” she said.

“Is that the one where you can’t stop talking? (Or) ADD.”

Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia president Mandy Maysey said Mr Albanese’s comments were “incredibly disappointing”.

“We would appreciate the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mr Albanese to better help him understand the impacts of casual ableism and how his comments affect the Tourette syndrome community as a whole,” Ms Maysey said.

“It’s quite obvious from the sniggering and laughter from the chamber that this prejudice and reductive attitude doesn’t just come from Mr Albanese.

“Having worked for many years to educate the general public about Tourette syndrome, we still have such a long way to go to prevent instances like yesterday happening again.”

Opposition finance spokeswoman Jane Hume said Mr Albanese’s Tourette insult “spoke volumes of the type of man that he is”.

“People with Tourette’s syndrome deserve our respect,” she told Sky News.

“They don’t deserve our derision.

“This was a highly disrespectful comment that was made by the Prime Minister.”