It was supposed to be just a few quiet knock-off drinks on a Friday afternoon after another gruelling week in politics.

But it quickly turned into another public relations disaster for the Labor Party when Treasurer Wayne Swan unintentionally spent the entire earnings from his mining tax on a round of beers at Parliament House

Records show the Deputy Prime Minister bought three schooners of James Boag’s lager and a packet of lightly salted cashews for his staffers at approximately 5:30pm last Friday. The total cost was $24.70, approximately equal to the money earned from the Government’s mining tax.

Mr Swan says he’ll be sticking to the waters from now on (image from SMH)

“I didn’t think anyone would notice if I bought a few drinks with some of the money,” Mr Swan said. “Turns out I blew the lot”.

Mr Swan has tried to divert attention from the blunder by calling for a Parliamentary enquiry into the cost of beer at Parliament House. “Seven dollars for a schooner of beer is just ridiculous. That’s the real story here,” he said.

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