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.

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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.

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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.

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