Liberals turn on Brad Battin for ‘appalling lack of judgment’ with timing of cruise holiday

Brad Battin says he should’ve been more open with his Liberal colleagues about taking a four-night cruise in Queensland, as they dubbed his vacation at the height of the state’s crime crisis as his “ScoMo moment”.

Questions have been raised about Opposition Leader Brad Battin’s evasiveness over his trip. Picture: Diego Fedele

Brad Battin is facing a party backlash after claiming he was visiting cyclone-affected family as Victoria’s crime crisis boiled over but now admitting he also took a four-night cruise.

Furious Liberal colleagues have slammed the Opposition Leader – a former police officer – for “an appalling lack of judgment”, dubbing it his “ScoMo moment”.

Questions have also been raised about Mr Battin’s evasiveness.

Asked at a press conference on Saturday where he had been last week – when the Allan government was finally launching a tranche of reforms to tackle the crime epidemic – Mr Battin initially refused to say.

When pressed, Mr Battin said he had been in Brisbane, saying: “I saw my parents who had the impact of the cyclone.”

But the Herald Sun on Monday learnt that Mr Battin and his wife had spent several days on a cruise from Brisbane.

Scott Morrison on holiday in Hawaii in 2019 during the bushfire crisis.

Questioned about the cruise, Mr Battin’s office stonewalled until late on Monday, when he issued a statement saying: “I took a couple of days of pre-planned leave to spend time on a cruise with my wife. I also visited my parents, who were impacted by the recent cyclone.”

On Monday night, his office confirmed Mr Battin had actually been on a four-night cruise, flying up to Brisbane and boarding the ship on Monday, then ­returning to the city’s port on Friday morning.

The Herald Sun understands the cruise was on Royal Caribbean’s showcase ship Quantum of the Seas, sailing to Airlie Beach.

Mr Battin then visited his parents in Queensland on Friday, before jetting home that night, his office said.

“Like every Victorian, I believe family is important, and I make no apologies for that,” he said.

“What’s far more important is that while Jacinta Allan is scrambling to clean up Labor’s mess on crime, Victorians are still feeling unsafe in their own homes.”

It’s understood Mr Battin was on the Quantum of the Seas, sailing to Airlie Beach. Picture: Michel Verdure

Speaking outside parliament on Tuesday, Mr Battin conceded he could have been more upfront about his trip.

“Was I upfront about it? No, lesson learnt,” he said.

“I did go on a cruise. I can’t deny that … Now I’ve got to start to focus on what I’m supposed to do here in Victorian parliament.

“I wasn’t trying to be evasive. I could’ve been a bit more upfront with it. It wouldn’t have been as big a story as it is today. I have to take a lesson from that.

“Was it poor judgement? I wasn’t aware that the Allan Labor government were going to be introducing laws last week.”

Mr Battin said he should have communicated with his colleagues.

“There hasn’t been a history in the party room of talking about who’s going on leave and when. I think that’s probably one of the lessons learnt from today that we do need to make sure we do have a better and open discussion in the party room about that,” he said.

Mr Battin said he didn’t regret spending time with his family.

“Whilst I was up there I did visit my parents,” he said.

Mr Battin has said he has “learned his lesson”. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Former opposition leader John Pesutto had a subtle dig at Mr Battin on Tuesday.

“I didn’t get a chance to take any leave. I worked pretty hard but I’ll let Brad handle that,” he said.

“He’s doing a good job and he’s holding the government to account.”

But he defended Mr Battin’s decision to holiday, saying: “Everyone needs a break,” he added.

Premier Jacinta Allan also took aim at Mr Battin’s decision to have a secret holiday.

“When I go on leave, I’m transparent about it,” she said.

“When I go on leave, we do share with you that not only am I on leave, but who is acting for me and performing the duties as acting leader in my absence.

“That is a practice that I absolutely intend to continue.”

Colleagues fume at ‘ScoMo’ moment

But the cruise revelation has angered colleagues from both the moderate and conservative flanks of the Liberal Party’s parliamentary team.

Several said they had no idea Mr Battin had taken leave, and were stunned to learn he had been on a cruise.

Premier Jacinta Allan last week unveiled “get-tough” ­reforms including banning ­machetes and tightening bail laws after the Herald Sun’s Suburbs Under Siege campaign highlighted policy failures fuelling the state’s worsening crime scourge.

Liberal critics of Mr Battin, also a former prison guard, said he had squandered an opportunity to showcase his leadership in his area of expertise during a pivotal time.

“People are looking to him for answers and an alternative, and on such a serious issue he was nowhere to be seen,” one MP said.

Some likened Mr Battin’s trip to former prime minister Scott Morrison’s Hawaii holiday that was also cloaked in ­secrecy.

“This is his ScoMo moment. It is far less serious given he is in opposition, but he needs to learn from this,” one senior Liberal said.

“It shows an appalling lack of judgment.”

Latest polling has the Victorian Coalition in an election-winning position, leading Labor 55.5 to 44.5 on a two-party preferred basis.

The Coalition’s primary vote is 20 points ahead of Labor’s, 42 to 22.

But with 20 months until the Victorian election, frustrations are growing within the party about the lack of policy development and messaging.

Former Liberal Party strategist Tony Barry said the trip showed bad judgment, adding: “Ask yourself what Liberal MPs would have said off the record if Michael O’Brien or John Pesutto had gone on a cruise.”

Mr Battin won leadership of the party during the Christmas break in a coup against Mr Pesutto in the aftermath of his court loss in the defamation case brought by MP Moira Deeming.

A victorious Mr Battin said it was time for the party to step up and “put forward policies that will allow us to rebuild this state” ahead of the 2026 election. “This is a moment for action, not just words,” he said.

Originally published as Liberals turn on Brad Battin for ‘appalling lack of judgment’ with timing of cruise holiday