Anthony Albanese slammed for Tourette’s slur during Question Time

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised for sarcastically asking Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor if he has Tourette syndrome, saying the comments were “unkind and hurtful”.

Albanese made the comment during the heat of Question Time on Tuesday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Prime Minister in damage control over Tourette syndrome blunder.

“The idea - I mean this nonsense that they carry on with, the idea that we’re... have you got Tourette’s or something? You know, you sit there, babble, babble, babble,” he said.

Albanese immediately withdrew the slur and apologised.

He went further on Tuesday evening, saying he knew he had made a big blunder as soon as he asked the question.

“Today in Question Time I made comments that were unkind and hurtful,” he said.

“I knew it was wrong as soon as I made the comment. I apologised and I withdrew as soon as I said it but it shouldn’t have happened.

“And I also want to apologise to all Australians who suffer from this disability. I regret saying it, it was wrong, it was insensitive and I apologise.”

Shadow Health Minister Anne Ruston was among those to slam the PM over the gibe to his political rivals, saying that “mocking a disability is no laughing matter”.

“This is absolutely despicable behaviour from (Albanese). The Prime Minister must immediately apologise to the entire Tourette’s community,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.

“Australians living with Tourette’s deserve the PM’s respect, not his ridicule.”

Tourette syndrome is a disorder that causes involuntary and uncontrollable sounds or movements, known as tics. Some people swear or repeat certain sounds or phrases.

There is no cure, although it can be treated with medicine and symptoms generally improve with age.

Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia president Mandy Maysey has three children with the neurological disorder and says she was “absolutely livid” over the PM’s comments.

“I’m incredibly disappointed and just gobsmacked somebody that has the national stage would use that platform and Tourette syndrome to make an insult,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.

“That’s my perspective as president of the association. As a parent, I am absolutely livid and disgusted. It shows a lack of education.”

PM ‘owes community an apology’

Maysey said the syndrome can be socially isolating and embarrassing, and said the PM needs to own the mistake.

“At the very minimum he owes the Tourette’s community an apology,” she said.

“This shows we have a very long way to go until Tourette syndrome is taken seriously as a condition.”

It comes on a trying day for the government, with a motion designed to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah failing to secure bi-partisan support.

The gaffe also comes amid an arm wrestle over political party popularity.

New Roy Morgan survey data released on Tuesday shows Australians are split down the middle in terms of who they would vote for — the ALP or Coalition — if an election was held today.

Neither party has enjoyed a “decisive election-winning lead” above 52 per cent, two-party preferred, since the start of June.