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A Nationals senator under fire for drinking before slurring her words in Parliament had a bizarre image of a woman drowning in a glass of red wine as her Facebook profile picture.  

Deputy Nationals Leader Perin Davey denied being intoxicated when she stumbled over her words at a Senate committee hearing last week. A spokesman insisted that it was ‘pathetic’ to suggest she had drunken too much. 

But three days after that denial, Senator Davey admitted to Sky News that she had ‘two glasses’ of red wine at a party function hours before the meeting. 

Her profile picture on her private Facebook page up until midday on Monday was a woman inside a wine glass, drowning in red wine as it's poured from the bottle

Her profile picture on her private Facebook page up until midday on Monday was a woman inside a wine glass, drowning in red wine as it’s poured from the bottle

That picture had been prominently displayed on her profile for seven years before she suddenly replaced it on Monday afternoon

That picture had been prominently displayed on her profile for seven years before she suddenly replaced it on Monday afternoon

Now Ms Davey has been the subject of a series of revelations – including that for the past seven years, Ms Davey’s profile picture on her private Facebook page was an image showing a woman trapped inside a wine glass.

The picture shows a woman cowering in the glass as red wine is poured from the bottle. The image was suddenly replaced it on Monday afternoon after questions to Ms Davey. 

It also emerged that Ms Davey is also a member of the taskforce creating a tough new alcohol policy for parliamentarians.

And she also shared an update on the same social media account of a glass of red wine at a table, captioned: ‘Happy Friday’.

Ms Davey was also appointed co-chair of the voluntary Parliamentary Friends of Australian Spirits – which launched for the first time under her watch in 2021.

As part of her role with that committee, she ‘meets and interacts with Australian distilled spirits industry stakeholders… relating to supporting and growing Australia’s distilled spirits sector’.

In early February, she was gifted an Australian whisky advent calendar complete with 24 shots, tasting notes and information about the distilleries they’re made in.

‘So I know where to go for more,’ she said.

‘As Co-Chair of Parliamentary Friends of Australian Spirits, I couldn’t think of a better present.’ 

Daily Mail Australia has approached Ms Davey regarding how much time she dedicates to that role. 

Ms Davey often poses alongside glasses of wine, and was appointed co-chair of the voluntary Parliamentary Friends of Australian Spirits - which launched for the first time under her watch in 2021

Ms Davey often poses alongside glasses of wine, and was appointed co-chair of the voluntary Parliamentary Friends of Australian Spirits – which launched for the first time under her watch in 2021

In early February, she was gifted an Australian whisky advent calendar complete with 24 shots, tasting notes and information about the distilleries they're made in

In early February, she was gifted an Australian whisky advent calendar complete with 24 shots, tasting notes and information about the distilleries they’re made in

Perin Davey claims she wasn’t drunk during this animated exchange

Ms Davey is also a member of the taskforce forging a new alcohol policy for Parliament House. 

The draft policy – which is not yet in force but could have pinged Ms Davey if it had been – states ‘alcohol or legal drug consumption should not adversely affect an individual’s work performance or official conduct’. 

Politicians must ‘ensure that they are fit for duty and free from impairment from alcohol or legal drugs’. 

Individuals who are found to have failed to comply could be subjected to disciplinary measures. 

Footage of Ms Davey during the meeting last Tuesday night has been widely shared and shows her slurring while speaking about arts funding during the Environment and Communications Estimates Committee meeting.

‘The MPAs are still getting their funding which is good, cos they deserve it. Let me take nothing away. They, they absolutely, you know, this is, this is Australian culture,’ Ms Davey rambled during her speech – prompting several people to ask what she was trying to say.

‘When it comes to program funding, are we still having program funding, outside the four year model and outside the MPA model, are we still seeing program funding?

‘Or, do we have, segregated out, the MPA you’ve got your funding, go and do your arts – we love you – and then small to mediums and others, and accepting others have four year funding and that helps with their core business model, but all of the rest of you fight against each other but they’re no longer fighting against the MPAs.’

Daily Mail Australia has approached Ms Davey regarding how much time she dedicates to that role

Daily Mail Australia has approached Ms Davey regarding how much time she dedicates to that role

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia during the week, a spokesperson for Ms Davey argued she had merely been displaying her passion for the arts

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia during the week, a spokesperson for Ms Davey argued she had merely been displaying her passion for the arts

On Friday - just days after she was drinking alcohol while working in Canberra on taxpayer dollars - she shared an update on the same social media account of a glass of red wine at a table, captioned: 'Happy Friday'

On Friday – just days after she was drinking alcohol while working in Canberra on taxpayer dollars – she shared an update on the same social media account of a glass of red wine at a table, captioned: ‘Happy Friday’

When contacted by Daily Mail Australia during the week, a spokesperson for Ms Davey argued she had merely been displaying her passion for the arts.

He said she was ‘coherent throughout the hearing’ and ‘to equate this passion with being intoxicated is pathetic’.

Despite having two glasses of wine in the middle of a work day, Ms Davey insists she was not drunk.

Political commentator and Sky host Andrew Clennell said he finds it hard to believe Ms Davey only had two drinks.

‘It’s quite the pickle for the Nationals,’ he said.

‘Perin Davey has a preselection in a month, she’s now likely to lose. After she loses that, presuming it occurs, she will probably lose the deputy leadership of the party and again a spilling of leadership positions is not an ideal situation for David Littleproud.’

It comes at a time when the Nationals are already under intense scrutiny, after former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce was filmed on his back, cursing through his phone after a late night out in Canberra.

Mr Littleproud stood by his leadership rival, suggesting he take ‘personal leave’ rather than demoting him off the frontbench. 

On Monday, Mr Joyce revealed he’s ‘given up alcohol for lent’ after the incident.  

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This post first appeared on Daily mail

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