Awkward moment Nat Barr is caught in the crosshairs of tense clash as Clare O’Neil erupts on live TV: ‘Silence her microphone’

By BRETT LACKEY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: 23:20 BST, 22 April 2025 | Updated: 23:32 BST, 22 April 2025

Sunrise host Nat Barr found herself in the centre of a tense exchange this morning between Housing Minister Clare O’Neil and Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume.

Ms O’Neil had taken aim at the Coalition’s unpopular and now scrapped policy to force public service workers back into the office and suggested it contributed to its slide in the polls.

Ms Hume fired back that Labor had spent ‘million of dollars slinging mud’ and repeatedly interjected as Ms O’Neil spoke about the plan to point out that it was no longer the Coalition’s policy. 

‘Working from home has become integral to many families in my community,’ Ms O’Neil said, before she was interrupted.

‘Jane, if you don’t mind … I talked to families in my community and they’re they’re saying to me this is the only way that our family can actually get through the week.

‘I’m so sorry, Jane … I’ve been polite, and now I’d like you to be polite to me .. It’s a broader issue for the Coalition.’  

Ms Hume replied again that ‘it’s not our policy’.

‘Jane this is a democracy and I’m a politician trying to have my say. I listened to you politely … can you silence the microphone please?’

Ms O’Neil asked Barr to switch off Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume’s microphone

Jane Hume repeatedly interrupted MS O’Neil to point ordering workers to return to the office was not part of the Coalition’s policies 

Barr responded that ‘she’d love to [but] I think you got your point across’.

Ms O’Neil then wedged in mentions about Labor’s moves to improve the gender pay gap and lower childcare fees. 

More to follow. 

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Awkward moment Nat Barr is caught in the crosshairs of tense clash as Clare O’Neil erupts on live TV: ‘Silence her microphone’

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