Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has absolutely come out swinging against Peter Dutton.
The former Defence Minister is the likely candidate to lead the Liberal Party after Scott Morrison formally resigned following his loss at the federal election.
Much has been said about Dutton and his conservative politics, however few have been as savage as the leader of Australia's most western state.
McGowan told reporters yesterday (May 23): "He’s an extremist and I don’t think he fits with modern Australia at all.
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“He doesn’t seem to listen, he’s extremely conservative. I actually don’t think he’s that smart.
“I’ve seen him present on things. I don’t really pick up there’s much there, as opposed to Scott Morrison.”
This is probably one of the most brutal things a state leader has said about a high-ranking member of politics in a public setting to reporters.
He also levelled a pretty hectic criticism at the Liberal Party in general.
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McGowan said they are controlled by 'extremists factional powerbrokers', adding: “They don’t appeal to the mainstream. They’re out on the fringe.
“They’re more inclined to pursue their own hobbyhorses rather than listen to what the public wants. And I think that reflects in the voting.
“I actually don’t think they’re fit for government, certainly at a state level, for a long time to come.”
McGowan reckons the reason why many voters in his state swung against the Liberal Party was because of their opposition to WA's hard border during the pandemic.
Western Australia held on much longer than any other state or territory in the country in opening up so that they could keep their citizens safe from Covid-19.
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That policy saw criticism from politicians like Scott Morrison and United Australia Party founder Clive Palmer.
“Hopefully, they’ve learned a lesson that Clive Palmer is a bit like kryptonite – you don’t want to touch him because inevitably with these things, particularly political things, it goes bad,” Mr McGowan said.
“It was a terrible look and actually, not just a terrible look. It was just the wrong decision.”
The WA leader also reserved some of his catty lines for the political hopefuls from the United Australia Party who tried to get elected on May 21.
“I saw their actions on the polling booths. I saw how the Palmer people behave,” he said.
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“They’re misfits and losers and they scream and yell at voters. They shove things in people’s faces.
“They are offensive and rude people, and I’m glad that Australians haven’t supported them.”
He also reserved the 'misfits and losers' line to One Nation candidates as well.
Topics: Australia
Stewart Perrie