Senior Labor MP Tanya Plibersek has delivered a crushing punch to the likely next Liberal Party leader, Peter Dutton.
In a live radio interview, Ms. Plibersek said Mr. Dutton “looks a bit like Voldemort” – the dreaded villain in the Harry Potter series.
Dutton will become the Liberal party’s next leader after the party’s election defeat, with reports suggesting he will participate unopposed.
“I think there will be a lot of kids who have seen a lot of Harry Potter movies who will be very scared of what they see on TV at night, that’s for sure,” Ms. Plibersek told Brisbane radio 4BC.
Camera icon Peter Dutton is widely tipped to take over as leader of the Liberal Party. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp Australia Camera icon Ms. Plibersek suggested he looks a bit like Harry Potter’s dreaded villain, Voldemort, played by Ralph Fiennes. Image: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Credit: Included
When she pressed what she meant, Mrs. Plibersek didn’t hold back.
“I say he looks a bit like Voldemort, and we’ll see if he can do what he promised to do when he last ran for leader, which is more smiling,” she replied.
Ms. Plibersek was defeated by many on the internet by the comparison, who have used the perceived resemblance for years to express their distaste for Mr. Dutton’s policies.
This week the Western Australian newspaper featured a cartoon of Mark McGowan as Harry Potter and Peter Dutton as Voldemort, following scathing criticism from the WA Prime Minister who called Mr. Dutton an “extremist” and “not so smart”.
The page featured the splash headline, “Mark McGowan and the Not So Smart, Absolutely Crazy Extremist”.
Camera icon Ms. Plibersek was forced to kick back at the comments after being pressed when she attacked Mr. Dutton based on his appearance. NCA NewsWire/John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia
Following her comments, Ms. Plibersek was pressured by 4BC presenter Scott Emerson to ask if she intended to attack her political opponent based on his appearance, prompting Ms. Plibersek to kick back on the comment.
“I’m just saying he’s not the warm and friendly face of the Liberal Party, and if this last election has taught us anything, they’ve taught us that the Liberal Party has gone too far with the extremes of politics,” she said.
A spokesperson for Ms. Plibersek told The Courier-Mail she had since contacted Mr. Dutton to apologize and wish him success in his new position.