Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been criticised for attending an NRL match in Sydney, while residents of Victoria are still in COVID-19 lockdown.
Social media users slammed the Prime Minister, after a photo was posted on Twitter of Morrison at the NRL game between the Cronulla Sharks and the Penrith Panthers on Saturday night.
Australian residents said it was a repeat of Morrison's holiday to Hawaii during the Australian bushfire crisis in December 2019.
"What the actual f***. He p*ssed off to Hawaii during the bushfires and here he is at the footy during a pandemic," a Twitter user commented.
"As a Victorian who is worried and wondering about what's going to happen to us each day. To see this is just disgraceful," wrote another.
Morrison announced last Friday he would be taking a short break during the school holidays while still remaining in charge.
"As you know, it's school holidays and Jenny and the girls will be taking some time on the outskirts of Sydney, but given the changing and critical situation in Victoria, I will not be joining them for that full time," he said in a media conference.
"Look, as a dad, as you suspect, I'll take some time," he said, "but at the same time, I can assure you that we will remain certainly focussed on the things we need to focus on over the next week."
Despite the negative comments from social media users, Victoria's Premier Dan Andrews defended the PM's decision for attending the match.
"I wouldn’t begrudge anyone taking time off with their family, I don't think that's an unreasonable thing," Andrews said.
Labour MP Joel Fitzgibbon also agreed the PM should take a break.
"I completely reject this idea that the Prime Minister or any of us shouldn't be out having a good time because people are doing it tough elsewhere," Fitzgibbon told Sunrise on Monday.
"We can't all be locked down in misery because people are doing it tough elsewhere."
