The awkward moment a talk back caller tells the PM she works for an adult sex line.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott briefly forgot he was on camera today when an adult sex line worker phoned in to ABC Melbourne where he was making an appearance this morning.

Mr Abbott was caught winking at host John Faine as 67-year-old Gloria told him she has been forced to take on phone-sex work to get by. He then smiled cheekily and appeared to be holding back laughter.

“I just survive on around $400 a fortnight after I pay my rent,” the grandmother said. “I work on an adult sex line to make ends meet.”

“Food, electricity, firewood, Christmas, birthday presents to my grandchildren or should we all just die and get out of your way?” she asked.

“But you don’t give a stuff though, do you?”

Prime Minister Abbott goes on to speak to the woman, but not before having a bit of a quiet joke at her expense.

This is a woman who is struggling to make ends meet. She told the leader of her country how difficult things are for her and his initial response is to wink in jest and barely hold back laughter?

She may not have been there to see it and he may not have realised he was on camera, but that shouldn’t matter. The Prime Minister of our country should not react that way when talking to a struggling citizen, no matter how much her job seems to make him want to giggle.

Here’s the moment that’s now going viral:

UPDATE: A spokesperson for the Prime Minister contacted Mamamia with the following statement:

“The Prime Minister made a facial expression in response to Mr Faine’s reaction to the details mentioned by the caller about her work. It was simply to assure Mr Faine that he was comfortable for the call to continue. The Prime Minister was by no means making any statement or judgment about the caller’s work circumstances.”