A Teal Party MP who posted a cruel meme calling Peter Dutton a “toxic potato head” has accused him of making “personal attacks” and “insults”.
Monique Ryan, an independent member for the Kooyong district in inner Melbourne, posted a photo of mashed potatoes on Facebook in 2018 with the caption: “Peter Dutton reveals his softer side.”
She also wrote in the post: ‘Toxic potato head’.
Mr Dutton was immigration minister at the time but was trying to soften his public image ahead of a leadership change by then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull.
The post was part of a series of anti-liberal memes uploaded to Dr Ryan’s Facebook page featuring politicians she disliked, but were removed when she was elected to Parliament in 2022.
Mr Dutton and Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley have since singled out Dr Ryan and other Teal Party MPs, accusing them of “betraying” their traditionally conservative constituencies by aligning themselves with Labour and the Greens.
Dr Ryan, in particular, previously described herself as a “small-L liberal” and a “clean-skinned person” in political terms, before it was revealed she had been a member of the Labour Party since 2010.
On Monday, Dr Ryan told the Today Show the Coalition would not win back its Kooyong seat by resorting to “toxic negativity” and “name-calling”.
Peter Dutton (pictured on Monday) and Coalition members accused the Teals of aligning themselves with Labor and the Greens.
“I don’t mind Peter Dutton insulting me, it seems to be his preferred way of doing it,” he said.
“With Sussan Ley and Peter Dutton getting into these personal attacks all the time, this toxic negativity, it just doesn’t work.”
He said his constituents were concerned about the cost of living, affordable housing and education, and accused the Coalition of failing to adequately address those issues.
“If all Peter Dutton has is sticks and stones, he’s not going to win backbench seats like Kooyong,” he said.
Dr Ryan uploaded a clip of their interview to all her social media platforms, with the caption: ‘Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley are good at insulting people.
‘I’m not that good at making policies on how to address the cost of living crisis and housing affordability and availability.
“Australia deserves better than your relentless negativity.”
Pictured is the meme Teal MP Monique Ryan shared about Peter Dutton in 2018. She called him a “toxic potato head”
Some social media users pointed out that Zali Steggall, Teal Party member for Warringah in Sydney, called Dutton a “racist” during question time in early August.
She was responding to his call to ban Palestinian refugees from seeking asylum in Australia.
“The pot, meet the teapot,” said one X user.
Former Liberal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg held the seat of Kooyong until he lost to Dr Ryan in 2022.
The insults from all political sectors are coming ahead of the upcoming elections, which will be held before next May.
The Coalition will try to regain the seats it lost to the Teals.
Dr Ryan declined to comment when contacted by Daily Mail Australia.