Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin is under fire for following Labor and condemning anti-immigration March for Australia protests planned for Sunday August 31.
Mr Battin said on Friday that his party was “seriously concerned by the anti-Indian sentiment in some of the promotional material for the events” – referring to a statement by organisers that Australia has taken more Indian immigrants in the last five years than Greeks and Italians over the last 100.
He went on to use similar statements to those by Labor’s Tony Burke and Anne Aly, saying “there is no place in Victoria for the politics of division and hate”, and calling for new anti-protest laws.
My joint media release with @evmulholland on the need to back our multicultural communities in Victoria. pic.twitter.com/ZsnSnYZdww
— Brad Battin MP (@BradBattinMP) August 29, 2025
But the post sparked a high backlash from conservative and right-wing Aussies, who labelled Mr Battin “anti-Australian”, asked why he was defending immigrants over White Australians, and pointed out that 85% of Indians vote for the Labor party.
“What a vile, hateful and anti-Australian diatribe to push onto Victorians. The purpose of the march is SINGULAR. To end MASS Migration as a tool for government to hide gross negligence. Who ever your media adviser is, sack them or kiss your hopes as premier good bye,” said popular political commentator Aus Integrity.
“Sounds like your policy for next year’s state election is to ban all protests you don’t like. Protesting is a right, for those we agree with and most importantly for those we don’t agree with,” wrote Unshackled Editor Tim Wilms.
“The ‘Indian-Australians’ voted 85% for the ALP. Sacrificing Australian votes to chase Indians is jaw-droppingly inept electoral politics,” wrote another Australian.
“The Liberals are determined to copy the UK Conservatives’ self-immolation,” read another comment.
“There are only two politics in Australia ‘far-right’ and ‘not far-right’,” wrote commentator Dr. J Walyer Sparkey.
“The most militant left wing unionist and a pro-big business conservative will immediately recognise themselves as brotherly comrades once infinite immigration is on the line. Nothing else matters.”
Victorian Liberal MP Evan Mulholland also condemned the August 31 rallies on Friday, joining Queensland multiculturalism minister Fiona Simpson and federal immigration spokesman Paul Scarr, who made his X account private due to an avalanche of criticism earlier this week.
Labor MPs Mr Burke and Ms Aly said on Thursday that the Albanese government “stands against the events” and Mr Burke said “there is no place in our country for people who seek to divide and undermine our social cohesion”.
Ms Aly said: “This brand of far-right activism grounded in racism and ethnocentrism has no place in modern Australia.”
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has supported the rallies and Queensland Senator Malcolm Roberts has said all One Nation MPs will be attending, while Bob and Robbie Katter and Libertarians John Ruddick and Lachlan Lade have also said they will be marching.
Mr Battin’s comments comes a month after he promised to make India Victoria’s “number one partner” during a special meeting with “multicultural” media organisations.
Header image: Left, right, Mr Battin panders to Indian voters (Facebook).
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