Tasmanian Labor MP David O’Byrne roasted in question time

Things got brutal in State Parliament today as Labor’s David O’Byrne bore the brunt of the teasing. One jab even left his own colleagues in stitches.

LABOR MP David O’Byrne has laughed his way out of State Parliament after he spent most of question time deflecting personal jabs.

The State Government spent part of the hour roasting the Opposition infrastructure spokesman, taking aim at his new beard and a “desperate” press release he sent out this morning celebrating the first meeting of a Labor infrastructure advisory council.

Mr O’Byrne returned to parliament, after its four-month break, sporting a healthy beard, giving the State Government enough personal fodder for the hour.

“Last night someone said to me that (O’Byrne) looked a bit like a small Sean Connery but I said he was more like a tall Papa Smurf to be honest,” Treasurer Peter Gutwein joked.

But Mr O’Byrne didn’t take the jab lying down, clapping back: “Is that right, Dr Evil?”

“I think you deserved that one Treasurer. Could we please stop the personal attacks?” Speaker Sue Hickey added, calling for order.

Labor MP David O'Byrne in parliament’s first day back.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein roasted Mr O’Byrne.

But the Government wasn’t quite done with Mr O’Byrne yet, also taking aim at the Labor MP for an alert he sent out this morning.

In his release, Mr O’Byrne called the first meeting of Labor’s Building, Construction and Infrastructure Industry Advisory Council “positive” and hailed it a “success”.

“Some of the key issues raised were managing the pipeline of work to maximise the short, medium and long term benefits for Tasmania, ensuring that innovation and sustainability are front and central,” Mr O’Byrne said.

Papa Smurf and Smurfwillow in Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation's Smurf’s: The Lost Village.

Mr O’Byrne also said the meeting had positioned the industry advisory council to “make a substantial contribution to industry policy in Tasmania”.

The release was scoffed at by the Government, which sent out a response labelling it “self-congratulatory”.

Dr Evil with Mr Bigglesworth.

“(O’Byrne) is so desperate for relevance he produced a media release this morning celebrating, none other, than himself,” Infrastructure Minister Jeremy Rockliff told parliament to raucous laughter from both sides.