The eating habits of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull are being dissected by his fellow Australians after he made a food faux pas while dining on a meat pie.

For some Australians, his approach to the dish was proof that you are not what you eat, but how you eat it.

During a stop in Tasmania — where he was campaigning for a local candidate — Mr. Turnbull brandished a knife and fork as he dug into a savory meat pie.