By Bonny Burrows
Gembrook MP Brad Battin has backed his Liberal colleague Matthew Guy in the wake of news the State Opposition Leader shared a lobster meal with alleged mafia figures.
Mr Battin’s name has been floated as a possible replacement Opposition Leader, after Mr Guy’s restaurant dinner with the alleged underworld identity came to light on 8 August, throwing Mr Guy’s leadership into question.
But Mr Battin, who also holds the shadow emergency services portfolio, has dismissed media claims he could soon up for a promotion.
“I’m 100 per cent behind Matthew Guy,” Mr Battin told the Gazette, adding that Victorians were “sick of politicians talking about politicians”.
“Victorians are more worried about what’s happening in their homes,” he said.
Mr Guy has maintained the May dinner was an “error of judgement” and insisted he did not know who would be at the dinner.
He later told media he would refer himself to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission for investigation.
The Victorian Labor Government has demanded Mr Guy not only hand over all correspondence and other records about the meeting to the IBAC, but to also make them public.
Mr Guy has not responded to the government’s request.
