CANBERRA, Australia: Australia’s prime minister has confirmed that his predecessor and intra-party rival Tony Abbott had once been too drunk to vote in Parliament, an incident that’s been a poorly kept secret in political circles for eight years.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told Melbourne Radio 3AW on Friday that he was opposition leader in 2009 when Abbott was incapable of voting against government legislation to massively increase economic stimulus spending.
Abbott replaced Turnbull as leader of the conservative Liberal Party late in 2009 and became prime minister before Turnbull ousted Abbott in a party ballot in 2015.
Turnbull told the truth over the episode after reports that Abbott has finally confessed to being too drunk to vote in a television interview being aired Sept. 5.
Australian PM: Tony Abbott was once too drunk for Parliament
Australian PM: Tony Abbott was once too drunk for Parliament
