Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken a swipe at teal MP Monique Ryan over her strong track record voting with the Greens and Labor.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has called for an honest discussion around Australia’s energy supply, fearing Labor is on track to “destroy the country.”
“I believe we have to have an honest discussion about energy,” Mr Dutton told media in Kooyong on Friday.
“We can’t allow the lights to go out here in Victoria or elsewhere.
“Otherwise, businesses can’t succeed; if they can’t succeed, then they don’t employ people; they don’t pay taxes, they don’t contribute to the expansion of the economy, and that is a disaster for our country.”
Mr Dutton made the remarks during a media conference in the Melbourne seat on Friday alongside the Liberal Party’s preselected Kooyong candidate Amelia Hamer.
According to Sky News data, Ms Ryan has voted with the Greens nearly 70 per cent of divisions in the Parliament, Labor about 50 per cent and the Coalition just under 25 per cent.
When it comes to Labor divisions, the teal MP has voted with the party just over 65 per cent of the time, voted against about 26 per cent of the time, and abstained under ten per cent.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called out teal MP Monique Ryan over her track record of voting for Labor and the Greens. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images.
Meanwhile, Ms Ryan has voted against Coalition divisions nearly 60 per cent of the time, with the party just under 40 per cent of the time, and abstained about five per cent.
Mr Dutton said he does not believe Ms Ryan’s voting history “reflects the values or the aspirations” of her Kooyong constituents.
“We want somebody that’s not going to side against her community or against the interests of Victoria, which is what we’ve seen with the current member for Kooyong,” he said.
Mr Dutton said Ms Ryan’s voting history does not reflect the values of her community. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman.
The Opposition Leader went on to tout Ms Hamer’s suitability as local member for the electorate, saying she is “accomplished in her right”.
“I think she’s demonstrated that she will stand up to anyone if it means fighting for her community in representing this community in the federal parliament, so I’m really pleased that Amelia is part of our campaign,” he said.
“She will be a wonderful local member but we’ve got a lot of hard work to do between now and then.”
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It comes after former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg shut down speculation he might contest the next election.
Mr Frydenberg lost the formerly safe Liberal seat of Kooyong to Ms Ryan at the 2022 election.
He put rumours to rest when he said he was not “rushing back to politics” and declared his support for Ms Hamer in a social media post on Monday.
“I will continue to support the Liberal Party and our local candidate Amelia Hamer,” he said.