Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has drawn condemnation for a mocking reference to a neurological disorder in Parliament, while responding to interjections. or signup to continue reading "Have you got Tourette's or something," Mr Albanese shot at Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during question time on Monday. "You're just sitting there, babble, babble, babble.
" The comment, which the Prime Minister quickly withdrew, was met with gasps from across the aisle. Opposition health spokeswoman Anne Ruston rebuked Mr Albanese in a post to social media platform X, saying: "Mocking a disability is no laughing matter." is a type of disorder, characterised by rapid, repetitive and involuntary muscle movements and vocalisations called tics.
According to the Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia, tics are experienced as a build up of tension, are irresistible and eventually must be performed. "Typically tics increase as a result of tension or stress and decrease with relaxation or concentration on an absorbing task," the association's website said. Senator Ruston said the Prime Minister "must immediately apologise to the entire Tourette's community" for his "absolutely despicable behaviour" in Parliament.
"Australians living with Tourette's deserve the PM's respect, not his ridicule," she wrote. The interaction came after shadow treasurer Angus Taylor raised a point of order when Mr Albanese dodged his question, which was: "Does the Prime Minister rule out any changes to the tax treatme.