Liberal leader ‘angry’ at colleagues but won’t condemn Daniel Andrews-Stalin comparison

State Opposition Leader Brad Battin says he is angry and disappointed but has refused to call a febrile debate dangerous, after his MPs claimed Daniel Andrews used police as his “personal army” and compared the former premier to Joseph Stalin and Saddam Hussein.

Coalition colleagues condemned the language and Labor MPs said it fed into conspiracy theories while a manhunt for the self-described “sovereign citizen” who allegedly shot dead two police officers continues in Victoria’s alpine region.

Liberal MP Moira Deeming tabled a petition to parliament on Wednesday night protesting a planned statue of Andrews and went on to claim that post-World War II Nuremberg trial principles had been abused in Victoria during COVID-19. The petition’s tabling to parliament was scheduled before this week’s events.

In Victoria, premiers who lead the state for 3000 days or more get a statue outside 1 Treasury Place under a policy introduced by former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett.

“It is actually a hallmark of authoritarian regimes to be putting up statues while the leaders are still alive,” Deeming told the chamber. “Often it is done as a tool of political dominance, of intimidation, like with Lenin or Mao or Hussein. I think that we should be erring on the side of the tradition that honours leaders who did not lead their people into mass starvation and violence – but hey, that is just me.”

Liberal colleague Ann-Marie Hermans told parliament: “The erosion of democratic principles in this state under the leadership of the former premier Daniel Andrews cannot go without comparisons to Joseph Stalin.”

Labor MP Michael Galea told the chamber the Liberal MPs’ comments were “contemptible”, while Labor’s Tom McIntosh said the remarks were disgusting and bordered on inciting violence.

In a statement on Thursday, Deeming said: “Linking those poor police who were killed in the line of duty to a petition presented to parliament about a statue is absolutely disgusting.”

Only half the 14 Coalition MPs in the upper house turned up to the vote to take note of the petition, which was defeated.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Hermans said she regretted comparing Andrews to Stalin but added that Labor MPs were “all very pro-Marxism”.

“I don’t take back the autocratic side [of my speech]. I think that is a fair description of Daniel Andrews’ leadership, and perhaps words could have been chosen a little bit different in terms of Stalin because obviously, we haven’t had the sort of genocide [of the Stalin regime] and I wouldn’t want that,” she said.

“But at the end of the day, we are fighting a Marxist ideology, and young people are being taught that it’s good, and the reality is that Stalin is an example of where that takes you.”

Asked if her language played into the rise in fringe groups like sovereign citizens, she said there were a lot of desperate people who had been pushed to the edge.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said it was not appropriate language for her colleague to use. She said she did not attend the vote as she was not going to support the motion.

Nationals leader Danny O’Brien labelled the comments “odious”.

“Daniel Andrews is a terrible premier. Comparisons are odious,” he said. “And that was a very odious comparison, and not one I would have made.”

Battin, speaking on ABC radio on Thursday, said he would not have used those words but refused to condemn the comparisons as dangerous. He said he would have a conversation with his MPs.

Addressing reporters later, he said he had since pulled his MPs into line but again refused to condemn the language as dangerous.

“Today, I addressed the party room, and I’ve highlighted the fact that I’m disappointed and very angry about what has happened,” he said.

“The Victorian Liberal Party should be focused on the things that are important to people in Victoria right now. I am focused on the fact that two Victorian police officers have passed away doing their job.

“Victorians deserve to have a good, viable opposition.”

Asked whether he was angry at what was said or angry at the distraction, he said both.

“Why am I angry? Two police officers have died here in Victoria. The focus from every person in the state should be ensuring that we’re standing side by side with their families and their community.”

Deeming told the chamber she was against statues of any living premier, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis, but repeated unsubstantiated claims about a 2013 car crash when Andrews was opposition leader. Ryan Meuleman, then 15, was seriously injured in a collision known to some as the “bike boy scandal”.

Battin has also bought into unfounded claims of a cover-up. In 2023, he attended a press conference with a cardboard cutout of a car, splattered with red ink, and a wooden figurine to watch a “recreation” of the crash.

The car was driven by Catherine Andrews, wife of the then opposition leader, who was a passenger.

Battin said on Thursday he did not regret attending that press conference and claimed there were still unresolved questions about the crash but did not elaborate on what those were.

Police cleared the Andrewses of any wrongdoing and, though they failed to breathalyse Catherine or Daniel Andrews, the anti-corruption watchdog cleared the police investigation.

Premier Jacinta Allan, speaking in parliament on Thursday, said MPs had a responsibility to bring people together and stand against “poison that corrodes trust” in harrowing weeks like this.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines told ABC radio it was deeply offensive to police during a time of grief to claim they were Daniel Andrews’ personal army.

“To give voice to these fringe elements is very, very dangerous, and we should call it out,” Carbines said. “It lacks discipline, lacks leadership. It’s unhinged, frankly.”

Housing Minister Harriet Shing said the debate covered all sorts of “ridiculous conspiracy theories”.

“If we are talking about legitimising this kind of ridiculous conspiracy theory-based language then what we’re doing is creating an opportunity for people to feel as though their views are legitimate and that potentially they’re entitled to act on these views,” she said.

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.