Thursday 8 September 2022 01:26 AM Nationals leader David Littleproud and girlfriend Amelia Dobson's awkward ... trends now
Nationals leader David Littleproud and his girlfriend were the victims on an awkward table list error at the Midwinter Ball at Parliament House.
Mr Littleproud has been dating banking executive Amelia Dobson since 2019, months after his marriage to ex-wife Sarah ended.
The couple, on what is believed to be their first official event since they started dating, were among the first to arrive on Wednesday night.
But when they looked at the chart to find their seats, they discovered Ms Dobson was listed as 'Amelia Littleproud' despite the absence of a ring on either of their fingers.
Ms Dobson thought the mistake was hilarious and souvenired the table marker with the far-too-soon name, but Mr Littleproud appeared less impressed.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud and partner Amelia Dobson during the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery Midwinter Ball in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra
The couple first entered the public eye at the federal election on May 21, and days later Mr Littleproud replaced Barnaby Joyce as Nationals leader.
The father-of-three posted happy snaps on Instagram of himself with Amelia Dobson, 37, as they cast their votes and celebrated with 'democracy sausages' in his electorate Maranoa, west of Brisbane.
The pair are believed to have been an item since 2019 - after he and Sarah ended their 20-year marriage in 2019.
Mr Littleproud announced the separation the day after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he had split from his ex-wife, Carmel Tebbutt .
David Littleproud and Amelia Dobson (pictured together) have been an item since about 2019
The couple posted happy snaps on election day - casting their votes, and celebrating with democracy sausages (pictured)
Pictured: David Littleproud's ex-wife, Sarah
'It is an amicable split,' Mr Littleproud told the Warwick Daily News in January 2019, as he confirmed his marriage breakdown.
'My wife Sarah and I have been separated for some time.'
The member for Maranoa had paid tribute to his wife in his maiden speech to Parliament in September 2016, a little more than a year before becoming a cabinet minister.
'I would like to pay tribute to my family,' he told the House of Representatives in 2016.
'My wife, Sarah, and our three boys- Tom, Hugh and Harry - are a constant pillar of support for me and for that I am truly grateful.'
Since announcing the separation in 2019, Ms Dobson - who has a son with her ex-husband - and Mr Littleproud have been photographed together at events with their respective families.
They took a happy snap with her parents and two younger sisters at her family's home in Clifton, in Mr Littleproud's electorate, on Christmas Day in 2020, and then again 2021.
Ms Dobson regularly likes and shares Mr Littleproud's posts on LinkedIn, most recently his celebration of 40
