Put that in your pipe: Hockey’s cigar moment the top political discussion of the year

It was on Budget eve that 9NEWS smoked out Joe Hockey and Matthias Cormann indulging in a cigar on a bench.

And an analysis has found the iconic images became the most discussed topic on the top trending day for the #auspol hashtag on Twitter this year.

Sitting back on a bench, the pair seemed relaxed as they puffed away, doubtless rewarding themselves for hard work on the Budget.

However the Budget was not well received, and the images fuelled critique on social media that the Government’s election promises had gone up in smoke.

Twitter discussion around Budget reaction took out most of the rest of the #auspol list, with reaction second, #BustTheBudget rallies fourth, Doctors against the GP co-payment policy fifth, the actual Budget announcement sixth.

The repeal of the Carbon Tax was third, and polling, student protests disrupting Q&A, the Christmas Island suicide attempts and ABC cuts rounded out the top ten.