Australia's prime minister fined for not wearing a lifejacket

Politics might've been mad as ever in 2017, so perhaps there's something oddly normal about a country's leader getting what is a rather boring fine.

Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was issued a A$250 ticket (US$193) on Friday for not wearing a lifejacket when he was moving his dinghy near his Sydney home earlier this week.

SEE ALSO:15 of the most brutal J.K. Rowling Twitter shutdowns of 2017

The fine was confirmed by the New South Wales maritime authority, who are on the lookout for boaters who are breaking the law -- seemingly no matter how distinguished they may be.

Mashable Top StoriesStay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news.Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletterBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Thanks for signing up!

The executive director for NSW Maritime, Angus Mitchell, said it was "a timely reminder during the holiday season to always wear a lifejacket." Photos of the prime minister sans lifejacket were published in The Australian, which noted the law that had been broken.

We're sure Turnbull, who is a multimillionaire, will have no problem paying the fine. If anything it's a case of mild embarrassment, despite receiving plenty of flak over issues like marriage equality.

"So lesson learned; I will make sure I always wear a life jacket in my dinghy regardless of how close I am to the shore, just as I always do on my kayak," he wrote on Facebook.

Well, at least he knows now.

---

Featured Video For You

---

2017 was a year of beauty— weird, weird beauty

---

(责任编辑：新闻中心)