'You've got very blue eyes, haven't you?' Hilarious moment Bill Shorten gets lost in Peter Helliar's penetrating gaze on The Project
- Bill Shorten made an awkward fumble during his latest television appearance
- Appearing on The Project, the Labor leader got distracted by the host's eyes
- He had been discussing transitioning to more renewable energy sources
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten made an awkward fumble during his latest television appearance before vowing to help a family facing deportation.
Appearing on The Project on Wednesday, the Labor leader made a last-minute bid for voters ahead of this weekend's Federal Election.
Mr Shorten effortlessly spun lines about his party's policies while being grilled about climate change and coal mining.
But Mr Shorten stumbled midway through a pitch about transitioning from coal and into more renewable energy sources as he got distracted by host Pete Helliar's eyes.
Mr Shorten stumbled midway through a pitch about transitioning from coal and into more renewable energy sources as he got distracted by host Pete Helliar's eyes
'This is the equivalent of moving from a horse to a motorcar...we need a government in Canberra who's got a plan to transition us.
'Did you know, for instance, we are proposing to roll out…you've got very blue eyes haven't you Pete?'
The hosts erupted in laughter but the jovial quips did not last long and it quickly turned the talk back to policy.
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During the interview Mr Shorten was asked what he would do to help a Tamil asylum seeker family who are facing deportation.
Refugees Nadesalingam, Priya and their two daughters have been in immigration detention since March last year.
The family are set to be sent back to to Sri Lanka, where they claim they will face persecution.
'Did you know for instance, we are proposing to roll out…you've got very blue eyes haven't you Pete,' he said before laughter erupted from the hosts
Mr Shorten has promised to reopen the case and urged the government not to deport the family before Saturday's election.
'I'm promising to reopen the matter and I'm promising to give it consideration.
'This family, as I understand, has exhausted a range of legal appeals. It's right back on the minister's desk.'
The tight-knit Queensland town of Biloela, where the family had originally settled, has been fighting to keep them in Australia.
On Tuesday, the High Court dismissed their case for review.
Following Sri Lanka's civil war, the pair moved to Australia separately by boat in 2012 and 2013.
They were placed in an immigration detention centre in March last year.
A spokesperson from the Australian Border Force told ABC the 'family's case has been assessed, over many years, by the department, various tribunals and courts, including the High Court of Australia'.
'Non-citizens who do not hold a valid visa and who have exhausted all outstanding avenues to remain in Australia are expected to depart to their country of citizenship.'
