Flipping out: ACT Liberal leader apologises for giving journalist middle finger on eve of election | Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
The ACT Liberal leader, Elizabeth Lee, has apologised for raising her middle finger at a journalist after a heated news conference days out from the territory election, explaining it as a “moment of frustration” on the campaign trail.
The moment, captured by cameras at the news conference as the opposition leader walked off, was branded “extraordinary” by the deputy prime minister, Richard Marles. The Queensland Nationals senator Matt Canavan joked he “wouldn’t advise” other politicians follow suit.
Lee, the Liberal leader in the Australian Capital Territory, is seeking to end 23 years of Labor government in Canberra at this weekend’s election. There are expectations of a tight result but while local politics in Australia’s smallest jurisdiction rarely rates attention outside the territory, the incident at a news conference on Wednesday has drawn national buzz as Lee “flipped the bird” at a journalist.
After a leaders’ debate with the chief minister, Andrew Barr, Lee took questions from journalists. Ian Bushnell, a reporter from local publication the RiotACT, peppered Lee with questions about her party’s election platform and whether it was “late in the day” for the Liberals to still be finalising details of their election commitments.
Lee responded: “Isn’t it late in the day for Andrew Barr to still have not submitted costings for his policies?”
Bushnell replied “let’s talk about your policy”, eliciting a terse reply from Lee.
She answered: “No, you can’t throw things at the opposition and expect to have no comeback, when the fact is that this is a treasurer who’s been in charge of the ACT Treasury.”
Bushnell accused Lee of having “a crack at Andrew Barr”. Lee then paused for a moment, before asking the journalist: “Are you finished?”
Bushnell responded: “I am. Answer the question.”
Lee replied: “Are you finished or not? I will answer the question in my own way, Ian. You don’t get to dictate how I answer the question.”
The news conference ended shortly after. Lee walked a short distance from the microphones to join a group of waiting staff, before turning around and appearing to make a face at the journalist, then briefly flashing a middle finger toward him.
Several of Lee’s staff appeared surprised at the gesture, in full view of the cameras. One staff member called back toward the media pack “thank you”.
Lee appeared before the media again shortly afterward, apologising for the gesture and admitting to “poor behaviour that was unprofessional”. According to the ABC, Lee claimed she “had history” and a “tense relationship” with Bushnell.
Local media reported the pair had engaged in “terse” interactions during the ACT election.
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“I respect the work that journalists do, including asking the tough questions, and I think that I have demonstrated during this term that I’m willing to step up and answer tough questions,” Lee said later.
“I’m not excusing my behaviour but unfortunately, on this occasion, in a moment of frustration, I let my emotional response get the better of me.”
Video of the incident prompted glee and humorous reactions online. Several people commented on Lee’s social media pages with an emoji of the middle finger. One supporter replied to a recent Facebook post: “Good on you Elizabeth for giving the appropriate salute.”
Another wrote: “Just seen you give the camera the bird and then be straight up with the way you speak.”
Asked about the incident on ABC News, Marles said: “I’ve not been tempted to flip the bird. I’ve certainly had my share of frustrations in press conferences.
“This is a difficult job. It’s obviously important that we seek to manage our emotions in that moment. But, yes, it was a pretty extraordinary contribution to the political discourse yesterday.
“I try to keep a lid on it.”
On Channel Nine, Canavan was more sympathetic.
“I’m sure she wished she could take that back, but it was a pretty instantaneous reaction,” he said.
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