Treasurer Scott Morrison has attempted to claw back an awkward public blunder over the humble five cent piece.
Mr Morrison fired off a feisty response when asked why he hadn't abolished the pesky piece of currency, which cost the Mint more to produce than it was worth, during a National Press Club post-budget address on Tuesday.
"If you can get as many people as are in this room who are interested in that topic, I'll answer your question," he told reporter Malcolm Farr at Parliament House.
"I mean, I'll take it up with the Reserve Bank governor. Why don't we get some questions on the budget?"
Well, it appears Mr Morrison did reach out to the Reserve Bank in the hours that followed, as social media users seized on his icy response.
The treasurer was determined not to make the same mistake when he fronted a Tax Institute breakfast in Sydney on Thursday.
"Nobody's asked me about the five cent piece," Mr Morrison exclaimed with mock alarm when the event's Q&A drew to a close.
"By the way, we don't make them any more. They're still in circulation, but we don't make them any more."
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