‘Divisive’: Greens MP pits Puffing Billy against live music venues

A Victorian Greens MP has been blasted on social media for her “trainwreck” post about the government forking out insurance for the coal-powered tourist attraction but not live music venues.

Gabrielle de Vietri has come under fire for taking a swipe at one of Victoria’s most iconic tourist attractions in a bizarre social media post. Picture: Ian Currie

A Greens MP has taken a swipe at one of Victoria’s most iconic tourist attractions in a bizarre and “divisive” attempt to promote live music venues.

Richmond MP Gabrielle de Vietri took to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday to seemingly question the Victorian Government’s insurance of beloved railway train Puffing Billy.

“Just found out that the Vic gov insures the Puffing Billy. Not saying they shouldn’t necessarily … but they can’t cover a private coal-fired tourist train and let small live music venues go under – can they?,” she said in a post that linked to a Save Live Music in Victoria petition.

Just found out that the Vic gov insures the Puffing Billy.

Not saying they shouldn’t necessarily… but they can’t cover a private coal-fired tourist train and let small live music venues go under - can they?https://t.co/NjFJHMeQKy

Add your name to SAVE LIVE MUSIC

— Gabrielle de Vietri (@GabrielledeVie) March 30, 2024

Commenters slammed the post and were quick to correct Ms de Vietri, pointing out that the Puffing Billy Railway Board is a statutory authority and not a private entity.

“Not a null-sum game. Why pit the two against each other?” one commenter said.

“It’s a nonsensical comparison and overly hostile,” another user said.

“You can say music is good without steam train bad.”

“This is a terrible take. Probably best to delete this and just post the live music stuff rather than trying to be divisive,” another man wrote.

pic.twitter.com/1wwlJudnYq

— Super Jimtendo Chalmers (@Krispy_nachos) March 30, 2024

“This tweet is a trainwreck,” wrote another.

“I always knew the answer to save live music was to kill Puffing Billy.”

While another wrote: “It’s like making a point by shooting Bambi”.

Five hours later, Ms de Vietri was forced to apologise for her bizarre comparison, admitting the post had been “clunky”.

“There’s a lot of love out there tonight for Puffing Billy! Just to clarify, my comparison was a clunky way to say that the state gov should insure our live music culture too. Wasn’t meant to be a dig at Billy,” she wrote.

Gabrielle de Vietri wearing a keffiyeh at the Bring Me Home Now event. Picture: Supplied

Ms de Vietri hit back at the criticism on Sunday.

“Our local live music scene is struggling under obscene insurance hikes. That’s why I’ve asked the state government to step in and provide insurance for Victoria’s small live music venues, just like they do for Puffing Billy. Our living culture and the live music community is at risk of collapsing if we just stand by while more venues close forever,” she said.

No stranger to controversy, Ms de Vietri made headlines in February after being booted from parliament alongside three of her Greens colleagues for holding up signs that read: “Vic Labor Stop Arming Israel”.

She has also been criticised for wearing the traditional Palestinian keffiyeh to an event organised by Jewish groups and MPs calling for the immediate release of Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza.

In November last year Ms de Vietri was also banned from parliament for two days without pay after she posed for a selfie with student climate activists who disrupted Question Time.

And in September 2022, when a City of Yarra councillor, Ms de Vietri came under fire for slugging ratepayers almost $7000 for an in-house nanny during Melbourne’s Covid-19 lockdowns.