Malcolm Turnbull Longman pub visit derailed by voters

PM’s lightning visit to a pub in Longman is derailed after Labor-voting customers took him to task over penalty rates, the ABC | WATCH

Local resident Toni Lea (left) berates Malcolm Turnbull and LNP candidate for Longman Trevor Ruthenberg at the Sandstone Point Hotel. Picture: AAP.

Malcolm Turnbull’s lightning visit to a pub in the marginal Queensland seat of Longman has been derailed after Labor-voting customers took the Prime Minister to task over penalty rates and the ABC.

Mr Turnbull wanted to focus on “the missing man” Bill Shorten, who will not appear at any of the five by-election seats on the final full day of campaigning, but his message got somewhat lost as he mingled with punters at the picturesque Sandstone Point Hotel.

Well I don’t think that quite went to plan for @TurnbullMalcolm at Bribie Island Hotel #SuperSaturday pic.twitter.com/qAyy2JZhkg

— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) July 27, 2018

Queensland public servant Toni Lea, who will vote for Labor, accused the Turnbull government of cutting penalty rates.

“We’re not cutting penalty rates. The Fair Work Commission has made some changes to the award,” Mr Turnbull said.

“I’ll tell you who has cut penalty rates, it’s Bill Shorten. Where’s Bill? No, no Bill’s in hiding today.”

Ms Lea and another pub goer said they did not believe Mr Turnbull.

Yet another customer joined the conversation and yelled the Liberal Party was going to sell the ABC.

“Oh rubbish, the ABC will be publicly owned forever,” Mr Turnbull declared.

The Liberal National Party’s Longman candidate Trevor Ruthenberg was also on the defensive after he was questioned over his defence medal, which he wrongly listed as a service medal on the Queensland parliamentary website.

Mr Turnbull noted Ms Lea was “obviously a strong Labor supporter” but said it was good to speak with her.

“I get out and I meet people all over the country, whether it’s in pubs or in shopping centres or on trains or on ferries, on buses, I get around,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Obviously it is good to hear people who have got different points of views but it gave me the opportunity to point out that, in fact, Bill Shorten has a record of betraying workers. He is somebody who traded away workers’ penalty rates.”

Mr Turnbull said Labor should be “miles ahead” in Longman and the marginal Tasmanian seat of Braddon but the contests were “very close”.

The government has not won a by-election from the opposition in 98 years.

“Bill Shorten is the missing man. I understand that (Labor frontbencher) Anthony Albanese might be prepared to stand up today, that’d be an alternative,” the Prime Minister said.

“But the reality is Bill Shorten knows that the people of Longman and the people of Braddon, right around the nation, have woken up to his lies, his negativity, his shocking lies.

“A vote for Susan Lamb is a vote for Bill Shorten and his weaker borders, his higher taxes, his less economic growth, fewer jobs and lower wages.”