MINISTER PUTS BOOT INTO ‘VACUOUS’ WATT

GOLD Coast-based Federal Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Steven Ciobo has blasted as “vacuous” a Labor senator who questioned his choice of footwear for a TV appearance.

Labor senator Murray Watt cheekily tweeted screen grabs of Mr Ciobo wearing chunky bright mustard-coloured boots for a CNBC panel discussion in Davos, Switzerland, during annual World Economic Forum talks.

Senator Watt tweeted “is this acceptable for a Gold Coast MP?”, while another commented “poor guy thought he was going to be behind a desk”.

Mr Ciobo told the Bulletin he chose to walk rather than drive to the studio in heavy snow, so wore the boots.

“How unfortunate that Murray Watt and Labor are so vacuous they focus on something like this,” Mr Ciobo fumed yesterday.

“My attention is on reducing energy costs, creating employment and boosting tourism.

“It is an indictment that Murray Watt is such a complete and utter lightweight.”