Man swears at Australian PM for jumping queue at pub

Bystander gives Malcolm Turnbull the finger during an event a the Carindale hotel in Brisbane

Malcolm Turnbull with his wife Lucy and grandson Jack, outside Government House in Canberra (Reuters)

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was given the finger by a member of the public during an event at a hotel.

Mr Turnbull was at an event in Brisbane to “meet the locals” when a bystander thought he had jumped the queue to get a drink.

While he was sipping a beer a 27-year-old man, who apparently did not recognise Mr Turnbull, gave him the finger.

Police detained the man, who was described as an “angry landscaper”, news.com.au reported.

Queensland Police said the man, who had red hair and was dressed in a cream sweatshirt, was angry that Mr Turnbull and his entourage were being served at the bar before he was.

Mr Turnbull’s security detail intervened as the man approached the prime minister and he was later issued with an infringement notice for failing to leave a licensed premises.

Despite the incident Mr Turnbull said the event, where he was addressing hotel guests in the company of local Liberal MP, Ross Vasta, had gone “very well”.

“It was a very warm welcome, it was an open session, and there were questions on a whole range of topics," he said.

“Yeah there was one gentleman there who clearly had had a few drinks too many, and I think he was assisted to make an early return home.

"Which is probably where he should’ve gone earlier in the evening, as I'm sure he's worked out by this morning."