Malcolm Turnbull
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull places a five dollar note into a homeless man's cup before delivering remarks at an economic event in Melbourne, Australia, August 17, 2016. AAP/Tracey Nearmy/via Reuters

Malcolm Turnbull has defended giving a street beggar in Melbourne $5. The Australian prime minister was either praised on social media for being compassionate or panned for being stingy.

On Wednesday, Turnbull was photographed leaving $5 to a street beggar’s mug as he arrived at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia to give a speech. While Turnbull was aware his action would be criticised, he said it was only a normal human reaction.

“It was a human reaction and I’m sorry if that has disappointed some people,” he told 3AW radio host Neil Mitchell on Friday. “Maybe they think you shouldn’t give money to people who are sitting on the street.”

Turnbull added, “Neil, I felt sorry for the guy and I think we should all remember, ‘There but for the grace of God goes me.’”

Although the PM has received some praises for showing compassion to the needy, he has also been criticised, not because he gave money to the beggar, but because he was apparently being stingy. In the circulating photo, Turnbull is seen handing the $5 note to the beggar with his left hand. With his right hand, though, he is holding a wad of cash.

Read: Australia’s new $5 banknote design panned

Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has told Melburnians last month not to give beggars any money because they might just use it to feed their drug habit.

“And so if you give money to beggars, you are not helping them out of homelessness, you are entrenching them in it,” he said, urging people to give to charities helping the homeless and disadvantaged instead.

He has repeated his views on giving money to beggars repeatedly over the years. In 2013, he wrote [via SMH], “It’s no crime to be down on your luck, or homeless, or mentally ill, or suffering from drug or alcohol abuse. But in our city, you can always get a good free meal and, usually, a bed if you need one.

“But begging money goes either to scammers or to buy drugs or alcohol. It doesn’t feed or clothe or house.”