Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has intervened to demand the Victorian Labor Party remove a social media post mocking the marriage of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and his wife, Kirilly. The post, which appeared on Facebook, repurposed a 2019 image of the couple with the caption:
“Justifying dating your new partner to your friends who don’t like him.”
A spokesperson for the prime minister confirmed Albanese’s actions, stating,
“The prime minister demanded it be taken down. Families should be off limits.”
The post had drawn sharp criticism from the Liberal Party, including Senator James Paterson, who condemned it as offensive and inappropriate.
“Labor has given up solving the cost of living crisis. All they have is nasty personal smears against Peter Dutton and his family.”
Dutton himself weighed in, posting on X (formerly Twitter):
“I can assure you the Liberal Party I lead will not be targeting Jodie Haydon. I respect and like Jodie, but she is not an elected official and will not be the subject of humiliation, attack ads, or public smear by the Liberal Party. I would ask the PM to equally respect my wife.”
The image used in the meme originated from a 2019 Courier-Mail interview in which Kirilly Dutton defended her husband, saying,
“He is a really good man. He is a really good father and he’s not a monster.”
The Victorian Labor Party added humorous captions intended to capitalise on Dutton’s unpopularity in Victoria, Australia’s most progressive state.
Labor’s state secretary, Steve Staikos, defended the post, calling it a light-hearted commentary. “It’s not a personal attack – that’s a mischaracterisation of the post,” Staikos said.
“It’s a screenshot from a newspaper article they [the Duttons] willingly participated in.”
Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, James Paterson, criticised Victorian Labor Secretary Steve Staikos on X for defending a political attack involving Peter Dutton’s wife before Albanese intervened to have it removed. Paterson questioned whether Staikos would face any consequences for his actions or if it was “just another day in the office.”
The Victorian Labor post is part of a broader struggle for political dominance in the state, where the Liberal Party sees opportunities to regain seats like Aston and Chisholm in the upcoming federal election. Recent polling from the Resolve Political Monitor indicates a shift in voter sentiment, with Labor’s primary vote dropping from 33% to 29% in Victoria and the Coalition’s rising to 38%.
While the post has been removed, the controversy has reignited discussions about the ethical limits of political discourse. With both leaders vowing to keep family matters out of the political fray, the spotlight now turns to whether the parties can maintain their commitments as the election approaches.
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