Queensland's Deputy Premier has caused a Labour Day crowd to erupt into laughter after a slip-up during a speech sounded like he called the Prime Minister a derogatory expletive.
Speaking to a crowd of union members and their supporters at a Labour Day rally, Steven Miles — who hasn't been shy about criticising the federal government on policy issues — seemingly called Scott Morrison a c***, which he quickly replaced with the word "contrast".
"Albo's [federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese] here with us at Labour Day … while Scott Morrison's charging 5,000 bucks a head to have dinner with him," he said.
"What a c*** — contrast.
"Don't we need … contrast. It's contrast."
Hundreds of people erupted into a cheer after the Deputy Premier's slip of the tongue.
Mr Miles is adamant it was an honest mistake.
"Oh look, I understand that I might have stuttered while speaking earlier and that some in the crowd might have misheard what I said," he told media afterwards.
"I want to be very, very clear — whatever I think of the Prime Minister, I would never, ever use language like that.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday he "accepts his word" that Mr Miles made an honest mistake.
"He has a habit of carrying on like a bit of an idiot," Mr Morrison told Cairns radio station 4CA.
"He says he stuttered — oh well, fair enough."
Mr Morrison said it was "water off a duck's back" to him.
The faux pas came as hundreds of people marched across the state for Labour Day, with a focus on security and equality in the workplace.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was out west, marching in Barcaldine and promising a review of industrial relations laws.
