Dave Hughes was moved to tears during a recent episode of the ABC TV series The Assembly, after being asked to share a memory of his late mother Carmel. The veteran comedian, 55, was prompted by a journalism student on the documentary series to recall a moment that helped shape who he is.
Emotional Tribute to His Mother
'It gets me emotional. My mum grew up in an orphanage, so she didn't really have any parents,' Dave began. 'But she never complained about that or even wanted me to mention it. She was a beautiful woman who was strong, and always was my biggest supporter.' He wiped tears from his eyes as he revealed that his mother saw huge potential in him from a young age. 'She saw that I was a smart kid very early on. She could see that I had potential and supported me all the way along,' he said. 'Mum was always on my side, she died a couple of years ago. She was a great person.'
In October 2023, Dave told fans that his mother Carmel had died aged 83, following a two-decade-long battle with cancer. 'My angel mum Carmel passed last night at home surrounded by the love of her family. She has earned the rest,' he said at the time.
Fiery Government Criticism
The emotional moment comes after the comedian launched a blistering attack on the Australian government over recent policy decisions amid the new federal budget. Dave didn't hold back as he accused authorities of allowing criminal activity to spiral out of control and questioned the management of public systems. 'I can't remember the referendum where we all agreed that criminal cartels could just take over the country,' the TV personality began his expletive-filled rant. 'What are we doing, governments? The NDIS is a cash machine for criminals now, it is meant to help disabled people! What the f***'s that about?'
Dave went on to suggest law-abiding Australians were being let down, his frustration escalating as he broadened his criticism to other areas of public policy. 'Why have you let this happen, are you in on it? The tobacco industry is just billions and billions of dollars going to criminals who firebomb tobacconists every single day. What the f*** are you doing?' he vented. 'What is the point of paying tax when it is just going to be stolen by criminals because the governments are f***ing useless? Enough of this bulls***!' he continued.
Dave further explained in the comments that he was angry at how the NDIS expenses had significantly exceeded its budget, which would reportedly lead to over 160,000 Australians being excluded from its benefits by 2030. 'You get that NDIS is half our entire federal budget now! At least five times more expensive than it was meant to be? And the scamming of it is on an industrial scale?' he said.
