Australia’s Tony Abbott filmed drinking beer in seconds

Australian prime minister Tony Abbott was filmed downing a beer in six seconds at an event in a Sydney bar at the weekend.

Mr Abbott, who last year called for officialdom at every level to tackle Australia's binge drinking culture, was filmed downing the beer as members of the University of Technology's Australian

Rules football team and their supporters cheered him on.

Mr Abbott, who penned an article for the Courier Mail newspaper in 2014 in which he made the point that binge drinking was a problem that "has become all too prevalent among youngsters," was approached at the event at the Royal Oak Hotel and was asked to address the players.

Coach Simon Carrodus told Women's Weekly magazine: "We were doing the presentations and we line up all the best players from all of the grades and they are about to skoll a schooner of VB."

Mr Carrodus said the Australian leader agreed to address the players and gave a speech “which went along the lines of: ‘Well isn’t this a real treat, I’ve been a rugby man all my life but now I finally get to hang out with some real footballers’ to which of course the crowd went crazy.’”

“Then he proceeds to reach down and grab a schooner and he drank from head-to-toe the entire schooner, dribbling little bits on his shirt.. and then tipped it upside down on his head. He was proud as punch.”

The reaction to Mr Abbott’s actions were mixed. The main opposition leader Bill Shorten made light of the incident . “I’m just pleased that Tony Abbott’s learning to drink beer without adding lemonade”.

Michael Thorn, who is chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Education Research and Education (FARE), said attitudes had changed since the time of Bob Hawke.

“Abbott’s not Bob Hawke and if it had been Bob Hawke everyone would have say just said ‘Yeah, yeah,’’’ Mr Thorn was quoted as saying in the Australian.

“Times have changed and the public’s attitude towards the drinking culture is shifting.

“And Bob Hawke gave up alcohol when he was prime minister.’’

Earlier this year Mr Abbott was widely criticised for his theatrical video message to Irish ex-pats in Australia in which he mentioned drinking Guinness.

“I’m sorry I can’t be there to share a Guinness or two, or maybe even three, but like you I do rejoice in St Patrick’s Day,” he said.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he rejected the “stage Irish” image of Irish people on St Patrick’s Day and was frank about how he disagreed with his Australian counterpart.