WAYNE Swan has accused Tony Abbott of being "drunk" and of missing a crucial vote in the House of Representatives on the economy in 2009.
In a fiery question time in which both Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd were absent for Hazel Hawke's memorial service in Sydney, Treasurer Wayne Swan fielded a question from the opposition's Joe Hockey on the apparent "failure" of Labor's economic policies.
Mr Swan said the Coalition was focused on "talking down" the Australian economy and said the Opposition Leader had previously missed a vote on backing in Labor's stimulus package.
"The Leader of the Opposition slept right through the critical vote, he was drunk, and didn't come into the house - he slept right through that vote," Mr Swan said.
The vote Mr Swan was referring to was initially reported in The Sunday Telegraph in March 2009.
It involved the $42 billion fiscal stimulus package, brought forward by Kevin Rudd.
Mr Abbott told Chief Opposition Whip Alex Somlyay that he missed five divisions on the night of Thursday, February 12 because he fell asleep in his office.
His nap followed dinner in the Members' Dining Room with Peter Costello, Kevin Andrews and Peter Dutton
Mr Abbott said he and the group had consumed a couple of bottles of wine but denied he had fallen asleep because of the alcohol consumed. read more 'ere:
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/federal-election/wayne-swan-accuses-tony-abbott-of-being-drunk-...
