State government Minister Shaun Leane sparks outrage with Anzac Day comments

A feud has erupted over Shaun Leane's controversial Anzac Day comments — and acting premier James Merlino has come to his defence.

Acting Premier James Merlino has defended Veterans Minister Shaun Leane despite calls for the minister to apologise over comments made in Victorian parliament.

Mr Leane was asked on Wednesday about reports in the Herald Sun that RSL sub branches were cancelling their Anzac Day events because of difficulties setting up CovidSafe plans.

But the parliament erupted after Mr Leane dovetailed his response with comments about MPs publicising their support for the day.

“I’d say to the Coalition members, you will get a chance to get your selfie looking all sad when you are putting a wreath in front of there,” he said.

“When you push the war widows, when you push the veterans out of your way, when you get there first you will get your chance.”

The opposition and some members of the crossbench on Thursday reiterated calls that Mr Leane say sorry over statements about Coalition MPs pushing veterans and war widows out of the way to get a selfie on Anzac Day.

Veterans Minister Shaun Leane. Picture: Richard Serong

Opposition veterans spokesman Tim Bull labelled it “one of the most disrespectful things” he had ever heard.

The back and forth continued overnight when Mr Leane responded to criticism from Kew MP Tim Smith by posting a photo of Mr Smith where he appeared to be covered in makeup.

When asked if his minister should apologise, Mr Merlino on Thursday said the comments had already been withdrawn.

“The point Shaun Leane was making .... Is that we need to serve veterans and their families every day of the year, not just on Anzac Day.

“That’s the point Shaun is passionate about and he is an outstanding minister.

“There are some people who are active on Anzac Day but are silent every other day of the year.”

This is ⁦@TimSmithMP⁩ (I think)
Going on one of his recent tweets he still thinks that Liberal MPs are more important than Veterans and their families on ANZAC day
after I called them out on that today
He also doesn’t support a Royal Commission into Veterans suicides pic.twitter.com/0quFJpse47

— Shaun Leane (@ShaunLeaneMP) March 17, 2021

It comes two weeks after there were calls for the Liberal party leadership to rein in online behaviour after James Newbury tweeted about Reason Party MP Fiona Patten having “more positions than the kama sutra”.

But Mr Merlino said that was not a fair comparison to Mr Leane’s comments.

“The tweet from James Newbury was incredibly insensitive at a time when communities around the state, and around the nation, are marching in terms of justice and rallying against sexual harassment and abuse,” he said.

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien called for Mr Leane to either apologise or resign.

“This is a test for James Merlino as Acting Premier,” he said.

“Are you going to stand by those comments or are you going to force an apology?

“If you don’t, then you’ve just lost your credibility with veterans and all the Victorians who support our veteran community.”

INSTANT OUTRAGE OVER COMMENTS

The comments sparked instant outrage from the rest of the house, with Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier labelling them “insulting”.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Bull slammed Mr Leane’s statements as disrespectful.

“To get up and say in the parliament that MPs go to Anzac Day to shoulder veterans and war widows out of the way is one of the most disrespectful things I have ever heard,” he said.

“Possibly the most disrespectful thing I’ve heard in 10 years in parliament.”

The minister was asked to withdraw his comments and agreed to do so.

But Mr Bull said a fully apology was needed.

“That simply doesn’t cut it,” he said. “I can assure you as the grandson of someone who served in Egypt and Palestine, had a father who served on the HMAS Canberra when it was sunk at Guadalcanal and lost an uncle in bomber command over Germany weeks before the end of the war.

“I certainly do not go to Anzac Day to shoulder veterans and war widows out of the way to lay a wreath.

“I go to Anzac Day to pay my respects to my family.

“I take deep offence of what this fool said in parliament today (and) he needs to address it.”

Independent MP Catherine Cumming also demanded an apology from Mr Leane.