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Michael O'Brien cautions Tim Smith against 'loony' Premier comment
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien has cautioned his frontbench MP Tim Smith against calling the Premier inappropriate names, just weeks after ordering his shadow cabinet to curb the political aggression.
Liberal MPs rallying against the government's strict coronavirus restrictions have ramped up their criticism in recent weeks, with some comparing Premier Daniel Andrews to a communist dictator, and others accusing Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton of being the government's "puppet".
Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien: "I think that term loony was not an appropriate one and I've conveyed that appropriately." Credit: Luis Ascui
National cabinet announced a three-step framework to loosening restrictions on Friday but Mr Andrews refused to commit to any changes until Victoria's state of emergency ended on Monday.
Mr Smith described the Premier's reluctance on Sunday as "loony" and "incredibly cruel".
He said he was "extremely concerned" about the mental health impacts of the strict stay-at-home directives.
"The only people that can't visit their mothers today on Mother's Day across Australia are criminals locked in jail and the good people of Victoria," he told Channel 7's Sunrise program.
"Why? Because Chairman Dan, the premier of Victoria, is obsessed with telling people how to live their lives. Frankly the power has gone to his head and he's acting like a loony."
On Saturday night, upper house MP Bernie Finn posted a meme on his social media account likening Mr Andrews to North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, calling him "Despot Dan" and "Kim Jong Dan".
Mr O'Brien on Sunday said he was focused on the issues rather than playing politics, taking a subtle swipe at his colleagues.
"I've been attacked by Labor MPs and Labor unions - that's part of the business we're in, frankly it's not part of the business I like, I'd rather focus on ideas," Mr O'Brien said.
Mr O'Brien has dealt with an incredibly vocal backbench and shadow cabinet on Victoria's coronavirus restrictions, which has attacked the Premier and ministers, as well as Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton and Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen over her tweets likening COVID-19 to Captain Cook's navigation.
"For goodness sake, people in the community are saying this sort of thing, so let's not pretend that we live in a little bubble and we're isolated from the rest of the community and what the community are saying," Mr O'Brien said.
Victorian Liberal frontbencher Tim Smith.Credit: Rob Gunstone
"Some people will use that term, it's not something that I'm using.
"I think that term 'loony' was not an appropriate one and I've conveyed that appropriately."
However, a Liberal MP pointed to the "hypocrisy" in Mr O'Brien cautioning his frontbench colleague over using the word "loony" to describe the Premier's actions, when late last year he gave a media interview to say "Daniel Andrews' hatred of East West Link is bordering on unhinged".
Mr O'Brien last month directed his frontbench to focus on asking "sensible questions" of the government, in line with research and polling advice indicating there was little political capital to be gained from a combative approach.