“I am absolutely amazed that the media… are still wanting to focus on it instead of focusing on the cost of living crisis.”
Joyce missed parliament this week and earlier admitted he “made a big mistake” when he fell off a planter box on a Canberra street and continued a phone call while lying on his back on the pavement.
“I’m on a prescription drug, and they say certain things may happen to you if you drink, and they were absolutely 100 per cent right,” he said.
The Resolve Political Monitor, conducted for this masthead by research company Resolve Strategic after both those incidents, found stronger support for drug and alcohol testing than other options such as “naming and shaming” those who engaged in poor conduct.
When voters were given six options and the chance to choose any of those they supported, 40 per cent said the politician should be sent home for the rest of the day and 40 per cent said he or she should pay a fine.
Half the respondents said the politician should not be allowed to speak in the chamber and 34 per cent said he or she should be named and shamed, while 2 per cent said nothing should be done and 7 per cent were undecided.
There was majority support for two of the stronger measures, with 55 per cent in favour of testing and 53 per cent in favour of suspending the politician for a temporary period, such as one or two weeks.
The Resolve Political Monitor surveyed 1603 people from February 21 to 24, producing results with a margin of error of 2.4 per cent.
Steggall asked Albanese on February 15 about the “apparent ongoing issues with too much alcohol consumption” and sought his view on drug and alcohol testing.
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“One of the things about our jobs is we’re accountable,” Albanese replied, adding that he did not agree with the idea.
“Every three years, at least, we go to the Australian people and we’re accountable for what we say and what we do and how we act.
“I would have thought we were all responsible adults and we should act appropriately.”
Dutton also dismissed the suggestion in an interview several days later, but made it clear he did not accept poor behaviour in parliament.
“I don’t think it’s necessary,” he said of testing. “The government can make its own decision, but I know the prime minister’s rejected this proposal.”
When Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was asked her view in a broadcast interview, she said people should not be drunk at work but added: “I think it’s a bit of a sad situation if we have to be drug and alcohol testing.”
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