Deputy ex-Prime Minister Michael McCormack vomits and ends up in hospital after drinking a whole bowl of kava during Pollies’ Pacific tour
- Mr. McCormack drank a whole bowl of sakau, a type of kava, during the ceremony
- He visited the Pacific as part of a bipartisan parliamentary delegation
- 15 minutes after consuming the drink, he felt sick and told Penny Wong
- Mr McCormack was taken to hospital for treatment for dehydration
Nationals MP and former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has ended up in hospital after getting a little too adventurous with a drink in the Pacific Islands.
The Riverina MP traveled the Pacific as part of a bipartisan parliamentary delegation, on one occasion visitors were offered sakau, a type of Micronesian kava.
Mr McCormack says he has now recovered after being admitted to hospital following the incident
Sakau should be drunk rather than swallowed as it is much stronger than other types of kava which are meant to be drunk in their entirety.
“The trouble is, I took it!” Mr McCormack shared on Twitter.
“To show my respect for local traditions, I drank the whole bowl of sakau.”
Trouble is, I put up with it! To show my respect for local traditions, I drank the whole cup of sakau. I am feeling much better now and it was a great opportunity to connect with our Pacific family in FSM. 🇦🇺🇫🇲 https://t.co/Bs1QKBvtYa
— Michael McCormack (@M_McCormackMP) December 15, 2022
Mr McCormack was caught on video with his head in his hands before vomiting into a bucket and being taken to hospital for medical treatment.
“They did it before us, squeezed the sap from those massive tree roots, just absolutely squeezed it. It had a peppery essence and I was fine for 10 to 15 minutes and then I was like, ‘Ooooh, OK’,” he told the Guardian.
The MP says he slept for 14 hours after falling ill and required hospital treatment for dehydration
“I looked over [the foreign Minister] Penny Wong and said, “I’m not fine”. I squinted. I really did. Then somebody got me a bucket and, well, yeah.”
A non-alcoholic drink, sakau and other kavas are famous for their narcotic, sedative effects.
Mr McCormack was taken to hospital for treatment for dehydration and “slept 14 hours” when he recovered.
“I feel a lot better now and it was a great opportunity to connect with our Pacific family in FSM,” he said.