Senator fires back at cocky TV host who scolded him for not wearing a suit during an interview in parliament
- Senator was under fire for not wearing a suit
- Caleb Bond’s critique backfired
- Pocock praised on music and dress sense
Australian politician David Pocock has fired back at a cocky journalist who berated him for wearing a t-shirt while being interviewed in parliament.
The senator wore a Tame Impala T-shirt as he addressed reporters during an unscheduled interview in the corridors of the federal parliament in Canberra on Tuesday morning.
But Sky News journalist Caleb Bond was unimpressed by the Senator’s casual attire in the workplace and called him out on live TV last night.
He began his diatribe discussing how Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews rarely wears a tie when addressing the media before unleashing Pocock.
“He couldn’t even put on a collared shirt,” Bond said.
“Go to a store and buy a bloody shirt, tie, and suit. You’re a politician!’
Senator David Pocock (pictured with his wife Emma) received fashion advice after turning to parliament in casual attire
Senator Pocock responded to Bond’s mean remark on Wednesday.
‘What do you think? Play on?’ he tweeted.
“I came straight from an early morning game of tennis celebrating 100 years of Tennis ACT and agreed to do a doorstop (no pre-arranged interview) in the hallway on my way out of the Press Gallery after a morning radio- interview.
“Great to see the major issues being reported.”
He ended the tweet with a crying smile emoji.
Caleb Bond (pictured) was furious that the senator came to Parliament House in a T-shirt
Senator Pocock backtracked on the criticism on Wednesday
He was quickly inundated with overwhelming support, prompting more than 600 responses within two hours.
Many praised Senator Pocock for his taste in music and his dress sense.
“A Tame Impala shirt is so much better than a suit,” one follower wrote.
Another added, “As a resident of the ACT, I don’t care what you wear. I am interested in good policies that benefit the country. If you can do that in shorts and thong, I’ll take over from someone in a suit who doesn’t achieve anything.’
A third wrote: I am 100% in favor of David Pocock wearing an Australian band T-shirt to every interview.’
David Pocock has been praised for his love of Tame Impala and his dress sense
Others wondered who had named Bond as Parliament’s fashion police.
“If that’s all Sky has to complain about, that says more about them than it does about David Pocock… and he doesn’t need to explain himself,” one wrote.
Another added, “As a resident of the ACT, I don’t care what you wear. I am interested in good policies that benefit the country. If you can do that in shorts and thong, I’ll take over from someone in a suit who doesn’t achieve anything.’
Many also pointed out that previous prime ministers had worn the media in similar attire, including avid cyclist Tony Abbott and Wallabies jersey and tracksuit tragic John Howard.
Pocock is a former Wallabies flanker who played 78 Tests for Australia before becoming one of two Senators elected to represent ACT in the 2022 election.