ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has re-emerged with a bandaged ear following a terrifying incident at the Lowy Institute, where a protester briefly subjected him to the unbearable experience of hearing an alternative point of view.
Dutton was delivering a foreign policy speech when two separate hecklers interrupted to question his claims about the cost of nuclear energy. While security quickly removed both individuals, the brief exposure to critical thought is believed to have caused significant discomfort for the Liberal leader, with Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor telling The Advocate that his ear was left “badly strained” by the ordeal.
“It was a distressing moment,” Mr Taylor said.
“Peter has spent years fine-tuning his ability to block out facts that contradict his narrative – and the narratives of billionaire miners around the country, so you can imagine how painful it was to suddenly hear someone trying to speak sense to him.”
Medical experts consulted by the Coalition have described the injury as a “severe reaction to economic and scientific reality,” a condition Dutton has reportedly been managing for decades. While the full extent of the damage is unclear, senior Liberals say he remains committed to his role as the voice of Australia’s billionaires, despite this confronting brush with reason.
While no further treatment has been announced, insiders say Dutton has requested extra precautions for future events, including thicker walls of advisors and an upgraded security protocol to remove anyone who arrives with an understanding of basic arithmetic.
More to come.
