Tony Abbott has finally admitted he was passed-out drunk when he was meant to be voting on Kevin Rudd’s GFC bailout measures in 2009.
At the time, then-Treasurer Wayne Swan’s accusations that the Leader of the Opposition was drunk and “slept through the vote” was branded a lie by Mr Abbott.
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Sharing his story on The House with Annabel Crabb, the former PM recounted the story while standing in the Members Only dining room in Parliament House.
“There was one famous occasion when Peter Costello, Kevin Andrews and I hung out rather a long time here,” he told Crabb.
“The night that the then-Rudd government was trying to bring in measures to deal with the GFC.
“I think quite a few bottles of wine were consumed by the three of us,” Mr Abbott said with a laugh.
“Peter was close to leaving at that stage, and I think all of us were in a mellow and reflective mood, so the reflections went on for longer, and later, than they should have.
“The impact was rather greater than it should have been.
“I think I famously slept through several divisions.”
Crabb encouraged Mr Abbott to keep going, nudging with: “The story was that you repaired … to the couch in your room and could not be roused”.
Mr Abbott confirmed that’s exactly what went on.
“It was a late night sitting, against all OH&S rules as you can imagine,” he said.
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“I lay down, and the next thing I knew it was morning.”
In 2009, Mr Swan was asked to withdraw his comment by Speaker Anna Burke after the Coalition lost their heads over the accusation.
“Wayne Swan should stop telling lies,” Mr Abbott’s spokesman said in 2013.
Mr Swan’s spokesman slammed the comment , saying: “This must be the world’s longest hangover. After more than four years, Mr Abbott still refuses to deny he was drunk.”
Meanwhile, Christopher Pyne told parliament that Mr Swan had “vastly gone past what is considered reasonable in this place”.
Crabb described Mr Abbott as the only MP “reckless enough to smuggle me in” to their rendezvous in the members dining room.
The House with Annabel Crabb promises to offer an intimate look around the halls of Parliament House that the public never gets to see.
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