Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm’s comments on police treatment of football fans are a “slap in the face” to law enforcement agencies who put their lives on the line to keep Australia safe, the immigration minister has said.
Peter Dutton, himself a former police officer, lashed out at Leyonhjelm’s comments during his weekly interview with Macquarie Radio host Rad Hadley. The shock jock has waged war against the senator for saying that police must “un-earn” a reputation for being bastards.
“It’s just hard to understand what he based his argument on,” Dutton told Hadley. “When you hear comments like this, I think it’s just a slap in the face [for police].”
Dutton said Leyonhjelm was “grandstanding” and “attempting to make a name for himself” by criticising police, many of whom were still recovering from the trauma of losing civilian colleague Curtis Cheng during a shooting outside Parramatta police station last month.
“If you’re just after a headline, well I think people should just park that in their memories,” Dutton said. “People will pass judgment on that kind of behaviour at the ballot box.”
Leyonhjelm made the comments on Tuesday, to coincide with a parliamentary inquiry into so-called nanny state laws. He was critical of curbs police had intended to put on fans of the Western Sydney Wanders football club, which were later dropped.
The proposed ban included prohibitions on fans clapping with their hands above their head, marching to the ground together, flying banners, letting off flares and jumping.
Leyonhjelm stood by his words.
“My advice to Ray Hadley and anyone concerned about being called a bastard, including coppers, is don’t be a bastard,” he tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.
My advice to Ray Hadley and anyone concerned about being called a bastard, including coppers, is don’t be a bastard.
— David Leyonhjelm (@DavidLeyonhjelm) November 4, 2015
The New South Wales Police Association has criticised Leyonhjelm. Its president, Scott Weber, called on him to be removed from a parliamentary committee into law enforcement.
Members of the Coalition defended the work carried out by police.
The father of the house, Philip Ruddock, called anti-police sentiment “appalling” on Twitter.
The anti-police sentiment is appalling. How soon we forget images like below. @nswpolice @PoliceAssocNSW pic.twitter.com/bSvLyRbQ9P
— Philip Ruddock (@philipruddockmp) November 4, 2015
His fellow Liberal, backbench senator Zed Seselja, said Leyonhjelm’s comments were “a disgrace”.
@DavidLeyonhjelm comments suggesting that police had earned a reputation as bastards is a disgrace. Our police deserve better @2GB873
— Zed Seselja (@ZedSeselja) November 3, 2015
