‘I’m not the prettiest bloke on the block’: Dutton returns fire as Anthony Albanese tells Tanya Plibersek Peter Dutton Voldemort jab ‘not acceptable’

Peter Dutton reveals skin condition and says he ‘not bald by choice’, as Tanya Plibersek apologises for Voldemort jab.

Peter Dutton says he’s not “the prettiest bloke on the block” but he hopes he will be “pretty effective” as the incoming leader of the Liberal party.

The former Defence Minister has accepted an apology from Labor MP Tanya Plibersek over comments she made on radio last night comparing his physical appearance to Harry Potter series villain Voldemort – but argued it had crossed a line.

“I just don’t think you need to be nasty and mean and point out people’s deficiencies, in terms of their policies and their decisions if they’re to making decisions in terms of going to help the country fair enough but when you’re going through social characteristics that’s a different story,” Mr Dutton told 2GB.

“And you know, I was diagnosed with a skin condition a couple of years ago which is just a reality of getting older as well. So you know, I’m not the prettiest bloke on the block but I hope I’m going to be pretty effective.”

‘Not acceptable’: Albanese slams Plibersek

It comes as Anthony Albanese says Ms Plibersek’s comparison of Mr Dutton’s appearance to Voldermort is “not acceptable” urging politicians to discuss policy differences rather than referring to people’s appearances.

Ms Plibersek said the former defence minister looked “a bit like Voldemort” in a radio interview on Wednesday night, responding to Mr Dutton’s plan to run for the Liberal party leadership unopposed.

“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 4BC Radio.

Mr Albanese, who promised to change the way politics is conducted during his election campaign, denounced the comments on Thursday and said it was appropriate for her to apologise.

“There are a few comments made by the former prime minister about my appearance, you might recall as part of the election campaign,” Mr Albanese told Sunrise.

“We should not refer to people’s appearance. Let’s discuss policy differences rather than … I want to change the way that politics operates.

“I am dead serious about it. I am dead serious about it. But, you know, people when they make a mistake, they should apologise and we move on.

“That’s one of the ways that we can change the way that politics operates and Tanya has done the appropriate thing here.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Ms Plibersek apologised for the comments saying: “I shouldn’t have said it.”

It’s not the first time that Ms Plibersek has likened a senior member of the Coalition to the Harry Potter villain. In 2017, she accused Malcolm Turnbull of making Tony Abbott the “Lord Voldemort of the Liberal Party” because the then-PM did not dare to speak his predecessor’s name.

Mr Albanese, however, confirmed Ms Plibersek would return to the frontbench when he swears in his ministry next week.

“My government will have its full swearing in of the ministry next week, after the caucus has met to elect the ministry,” he told the ABC.

“Tanya Plibersek will certainly be on my frontbench.”

Mr Albanese also revealed he had a much better relationship with the former Defence Minister than Scott Morrison.

“Peter Dutton has never broken a confidence that I’ve had with him. I think it’s very important that the Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition are able to exchange ideas and information and get co-operation wherever possible. I want to lead the government that gets things done for Australia.”

— with Noah Yim