Irate on the trail

FADDEN MP Stuart Robert isn’t going to let irate pensioners stop him from pressing the flesh on the federal election campaign trail, saying it was all part of politics.

The comments came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a pre-campaign visit to a Newcastle pub hijacked by an unhappy disability pensioner.

“You better f***ing do something, I don’t care,” the man said, raising his voice and adding that he was “sick of (Mr Morrison’s) bull***t.”

Speaking to Channel Nine’s Today show on Friday, Mr Robert said the encounter would not stop him or the PM from meeting the public.

“If we’re going to stand for government and if we’re going to say to the Australian people that we’re here to provide leadership and guidance, we should make every opportunity to connect with Australian people,” he said.

“I spend a lot of time with the Prime Minister … and he does a lot of that. And, sometimes it gets a little interesting, a little willing out there. The only message I’d have is by all means, come up and have a chat. Just be respectful. Otherwise, we’re going to be chatting with everyone.”

Asked whether appearing in public when there was a lot of frustration was “a high-risk strategy”, he said it was an honest one.