Brad Battin: Difference between revisions

 

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==== MP’s Daniel Andrews comparisons ====

==== MP’s Daniel Andrews comparisons ====

As per a policy introduced by former Victorian Liberal Leader [[Jeff Kennett]], every [[Premier of Victoria|Victorian Premier]] who served over 3,000 days in office is mandated to have a [[statue]] made of them.<ref name=”:2″>{{Cite news |last=Hannaford |first=Patrick |date=28 August 2025 |title=‘Disappointed and very angry’: Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin unloads on own party’s MPs over Daniel Andrews ‘Stalin’, ‘Nuremberg trial’ comments |url=https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/disappointed-and-very-angry-victorian-liberal-leader-brad-battin-unloads-on-own-partys-mps-over-daniel-andrews-stalin-nuremberg-trial-comments/news-story/1e522093f576cbc2cb0b5fd711c6528d |url-status=live |access-date=19 October 2025 |work=[[Sky News Australia]]}}</ref> [[Daniel Andrews]] is the first Premier to meet the requirements of the mandate, and will hence have a statue made of him.<ref name=”:2″ /> However, this attracted criticism from Liberal Party members [[Moira Deeming]] and [[Ann-Marie Hermans]], both of whom compared him to [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian]] [[Dictator|dictators]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-28 |title=Dictator comparison sparks criticism |url=https://dandenong.starcommunity.com.au/news/2025-08-28/dictator-comparison-sparks-criticism/ |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=Dandenong Star Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> Deeming created a petition to stop the statue from being built, and said “[[Authoritarianism|authoritarian regimes]]” erect statues of living leaders as a “tool of political dominance, of intimidation, like with [[Vladimir Lenin|Lenin]] or [[Mao Zedong|Mao]] or [[Saddam Hussein|Hussein]]”, referring to Victoria’s strict [[COVID-19 lockdowns by country|lockdown laws]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kolovos |first=Benita |date=2025-08-28 |title=Moira Deeming criticised for describing police as Daniel Andrews’ ‘personal army’ in statue debate amid manhunt for alleged killer of two officers |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/aug/28/moira-deeming-criticised-describing-police-daniel-andrews-personal-army-amid-victoria-shooting-dezi-freeman-manhunt |access-date=2025-10-18 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Both Deeming and Hermans attracted criticism, with Battin describing himself as “disappointed and very angry”, yet refused to condemn either’s comments, himself being criticised for this choice.<ref name=”:2″ /><ref>{{Cite web |last=White |first=Rachel Eddie, Daniella |date=2025-08-28 |title=Liberal leader ‘angry’ at colleagues but won’t condemn Daniel Andrews-Stalin comparison |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/liberal-leader-angry-at-colleagues-but-won-t-condemn-daniel-andrews-stalin-comments-20250828-p5mqix.html |access-date=2025-10-18 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>

== Electoral history ==

== Electoral history ==

Australian politician

Bradley William Battin (born 12 December 1975)^[1] is an Australian politician who has served as the leader of the Victorian Liberal Party since 27 December 2024,^[2] and as member for Berwick in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2022. He was previously the member for Gembrook from 2010 until the seat was abolished in 2022 following the 2021 redistribution.

Battin joined Victoria Police in 2001 and was posted to Dandenong Police Station.^[1][3] During his time as police officer, he obtained a Diploma in Public Safety (Policing) with the Victoria Police, and a Graduate Diploma in Adolescent Health and Welfare from the University of Melbourne. He transferred to Prahran Police Station in 2005.^[3]

In 2007, Battin purchased a Bakers Delight bakery in Wheelers Hill: operating it for three years.^[1][3]

In 2020, Battin completed a Graduate Certificate in Business, he went on to complete his Master in Business Administration at Victoria University.^[4]

Battin was first elected as the member for Gembrook at the November 2010 state election and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018. Following a redistribution causing the seat of Gembrook to be abolished, Battin was elected to the new seat of Berwick at the 2022 election.

In 2014, following the defeat of the Napthine government, Battin was promoted to the new Shadow Cabinet under Matthew Guy as the Shadow Minister for Emergency Services and Environment.^[5] In 2017, he was appointed the first Victorian Shadow Minister for the Building Industry while retaining the Emergency Services portfolio.^[6] During his time as Shadow Minister for Emergency Services he made an inaccurate statement to Parliament regarding a supposed lack of “career firefighters” on the ground during the first hours of the Black Saturday bushfires. His statement was unsupported by the findings of the Royal Commission that investigated and reported on the events and his comments were roundly criticised as offensive by firefighters who had participated in defending against the fire, with Battin later apologising for his mistake on social media.^[7][8]

In 2020, Battin moved to Shadow Minister for Youth Justice, Shadow Minister for Crime Prevention, Shadow Minister for Victim Support, Shadow Minister for Roads (Metro), Shadow Minister for Road Safety and the TAC.^[9]

In March 2021, Battin attempted to oust Michael O’Brien as leader of the state Liberal Party, but was defeated in a 22–9 vote, following which he resigned from his shadow ministry positions.^[10]

After the Liberal Party lost the 2022 state election, Battin ran in the subsequent Liberal Party state leadership election after previous leader Matthew Guy resigned. He was endorsed by two of his former election challengers Ryan Smith and Richard Riordan, but lost the vote 17–16 to John Pesutto, the member for Hawthorn.^[11]

In December 2024, following internal party fractures over the banning of Moira Deeming from the Liberal party room, and the loss of a defamation case by then-leader John Pesutto, Battin called for and won the leadership spill succeeding Pesutto as the leader of the Victorian Liberal Party.^[12]

On 7 January 2025, Battin unveiled the whole of his Shadow Cabinet, with former leader John Pesutto notably excluded.^[13]

As leader, he has emphasised the issues of crime, given the rise in violent crime in the state and his police background.^[14] He has focused on crime prevention and youth engagement, as well as strengthening police abilities to scan people without a search warrant.^[14][15] Additionally, he has introduced a “break bail, face jail” policy, along with a proposed ban on face coverings at protests and increased police powers at protests.^[14]

On 8 February 2025, following a by-election the resignation of incumbent MP Sam Hibbins, the Victorian Greens member for Prahran, the Liberal Party won the seat from the Greens with their candidate of Rachel Westaway.^[16]

Battin has campaigned on cost of living issues,^[15] and attributed his party’s victory at the Prahran by-election on ‘listening to locals’ on the cost of living crisis.^[17]

On 19 August 2025, Battin defended politicising a fatal stabbing when he diverted from his morning commute in order to hold a press conference at the scene of the crime where the body of the victim was still being processed by forensic analysts, prior to the circumstances of the man’s death being established and before the victim had been formally identified with next of kin notified.^{[citation needed]} Detective Inspector Dean Thomas from the Victoria Police homicide squad declined to comment when asked if it was appropriate for Battin to hold a press conference at an active crime scene. Victorian Government minister Colin Brooks requested that Battin apologise to the family of the man; Battin rejected this, saying he had “no regrets” over the incident.^[18] In the wake of the crime scene issue and resurgent Labor Party polling, conservative media outlets reported that members of the opposition party room had leaked to the media about his significant loss of support within the party room, with one saying that a leadership change was inevitable.^[19]

In March 2025 a political scandal erupted when Battin was absent from the Parliament during the introduction of high-profile crime reform legislation by Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan.^{[citation needed]} The criticism erupted from within his own party over a lack of leadership when he explained his week long absence as “visiting his parents” who were impacted by Cyclone Alfred, only for it to be revealed that he had actually spent 4 days on the luxury cruise liner Quantum of the Seas. Battin latter admitted that he was “not upfront” about taking an luxury cruise but that he “did not regret” his failure to appear in Parliament to take a holiday.^[20][21]

The scandal was compared by many Liberal Party members to former Prime Minister Scott Morrison taking an overseas holiday in Hawaii during a bushfire crisis in Australia in 2019. In a press conference, Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny criticised Battin for his absence, saying “While the Liberal leader was living it up on a cruise last week, the Allan Labor Government was announcing Australia’s toughest bail laws ever”.^[22]

In July 2025 Battin attended and gave a speech on top of a firetruck at a protest in Werribee held by a small number of rural farmers, Country Fire Authority volunteers and Peter Marshall, the National Secretary of the United Firefighters Union of Australia. The protest regarded Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen and government changes designed to increase funding for emergency services including the CFA, Victoria State Emergency Service and the 000 emergency telephone number. The protest included CFA firetrucks that had been emblazoned with various anti-Government protest slogans alongside Liberal Party branded advertising posters, with one of the vehicles having the phrase “ditch the bitch” featured prominently. His appearance was viewed in the media as reminiscent of Tony Abbott‘s 2011 appearance at a protest against the Julia Gillard government carbon tax where he and a number of MPs from the Liberal party gave speeches alongside signs saying “Ditch the Witch” and “Bob Brown‘s Bitch”. Battin refused to apologise for his appearance at the protest or state whether he had seen the slogans during his attendance.^[23]

The slogan was criticised by anti-domestic violence organisations including Respect Victoria. Acting Premier Jaclyn Symes described Battin as “turning a blind to sexist slogans at rallies he attends”, as well as referencing ongoing issues within the wider Liberal Party regarding their perception among women in the country. In the wake of the issue, CFA leadership issued a warning over participating in partisan politics and urged the organisation’s members to remain apolitical.^[24][25]

Electoral history of Brad Battin in the Parliament of Victoria

Year	Electorate	Party	First Preference Result				Two Candidate Result
			Votes	%	+%	Position	Votes	%	+%	Result
2010	Gembrook	Liberal	18,427	47.93	+7.77	1st	21,926	56.75	+7.35	Elected
2014			20,646	54.7	+1.2	1st	22,324	59.0	+0.2	Elected
2018			21,202	48.26	−6.42	1st	22,313	50.79	−8.16	Elected
2022	Berwick		20,031	45.2	−2.6	1st	24,230	54.7	+3.4	Elected

Battin is considered to be factionally conservative within the Liberal Party,^[26][27][28] although he has disputed this, saying in January 2025 that there is “zero evidence of the fact of me being a conservative”.^[29]

In 2021, Battin supported increasing the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14.^[30]

On his website, Battin has a petition to stop the construction of the Suburban Rail Loop,^[31] though has said he will support it if tunneling starts for the project.^[32]

Battin opposes pill testing,^[33] and supports further gas exploration.^[34]

Battin is an atheist,^[35] and a supporter of Geelong in the Australian Football League.^[36]

Media related to Brad Battin at Wikimedia Commons