Tanya Plibersek says sorry for stinging insult of Peter Dutton

Labor MP Tanya Plibersek has apologised to Coalition leadership candidate Peter Dutton for comparing him to a Harry Potter villain.

Senior Labor MP Tanya Plibersek has apologised for comparing Liberal leadership candidate Peter Dutton to a Harry Potter villain.

In a live radio interview on Wednesday night, Ms Plibersek said Mr Dutton looks “a bit like Voldemort” – the much feared villain in the Harry Potter series.

Both are bald and tall.

“I think there will be a lot of children who have watched a lot of Harry Potter films who will be very frightened of what they are seeing on TV at night, that’s for sure,” Ms Plibersek told Brisbane radio 4BC.

Peter Dutton is widely tipped to take over as leader of the Liberal Party. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Tanya Plibersek suggested he looks somewhat like feared Harry Potter villain Voldemort – played by Ralph Fiennes. Picture: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

When pressed on what she was referring to, Ms Plibersek didn’t hold back.

“I am saying he looks a bit like Voldemort and we will see whether he can do what he promised he would do when he was last running for leader which is smile more,” she replied.

On Thursday morning it was being widely reported that Ms Plibersek had apologised to the man likely to become the new opposition leader.

New Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the ABC that Ms Plibersek’s was “not acceptable”.

“I think that in politics we need to treat each other with respect,” Mr Albanese said.

“Tanya recognises that which is why she apologised and I’m sure Peter Dutton accepted that and we move on.”

Ms Plibersek was beaten to the Voldemort comparison by many on the internet who have been using the perceived resemblance for years to express their dislike of Mr Dutton’s policies.

This week the front cover of the West Australian newspaper featured a cartoon of Mark McGowan as Harry Potter and Peter Dutton as Voldemort following scathing criticisms by the WA Premier who called Mr Dutton an “extremist” and “not that smart”.

The page featured the headline splash, “Mark McGowan And The Not That Smart Absolutely Crazy Extremist”.

Ms Plibersek was forced to back-pedal on the comments after being pressed if she was attacking Mr Dutton based on his appearance. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Following her comments, Ms Plibersek was pushed by 4BC host Scott Emerson on whether she intended to attack her political opponent based on his looks, prompting Ms Plibersek to back-pedal on the comment.

“I am just saying he is not the warm and friendly face of the Liberal party and if this last election taught us anything, it taught us that the Liberal party has moved too far to the extremes of politics,” she said.

Originally published as Tanya Plibersek says sorry for stinging insult of Peter Dutton