
Andrew Laming slammed for blaming ADHD diagnosis for alleged behaviour.
Andrew Laming says he's been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after the prime minister forced him to apologise for harassing women online and made him undertake empathy training.
The federal MP says he had "no idea" ADHD could be an adult condition even though he is a trained medical doctor and there is a history of the condition in his family.
Dr Laming is about to return to work after being ordered to take a month of medical leave to seek help, including training to improve his ability to understand and be aware of his own actions.
He said his diagnosis was "not an excuse" but it helped explain some of his behaviour.
Expert says ADHD can’t explain Liberal MP Andrew Laming’s antisocial behaviour, by @msmarto
— Gabrielle Jackson (@gabriellecj) April 28, 2021
https://t.co/IPgJfHTt8y
Two weeks ago, the Liberal National Party took formal action to make sure the veteran MP could not recontest his Brisbane-based seat.
That followed a horror month that saw Dr Laming forced to apologise in parliament after two female constituents accused him of abusing them online. One said the abuse left her suicidal. He was also accused of taking a photograph of a woman bending over in her workplace without her consent, while her underwear was visible.
Labor's Penny Wong said she did not see the ADHD diagnosis as any sort of justification for the MPs conduct.
"I ... haven't seen people use the diagnosis as a justification or rationalisation of these sorts of behaviours - of what appeared to be a persistent pattern of harassment that has been described," she told the ABC.
"ADHD is … not a cause for remorselessness or other antisocial behaviour such as harassment," Founder of Doctors Against Violence Against Women, Dr Karen Williams told The Guardian.
Top Comments
Better think of your future,
Time to straighten right out,
Creating problems in town.
Rudy,
A message to you, Rudy.
A message to you.
Stop your fooling around,
Time to straighten right out.
Better think of your future
Else you'll wind up in jail.
Rudy,
A message to you you, Rudy,
A message to you.