Western Australia Labor MP Madeleine King responds to Mark McGowan’s assessment of Peter Dutton as ‘extremist’

A senior federal Labor MP said “you can see why” Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan lashed out at Peter Dutton amid the former defence minister’s likely leadership bid.

Incoming resources minister Madeleine King has defended Peter Dutton but accepted it was understandable why Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan “lashed out” at the former defence minister.

The Premier launched another blistering attack on Mr Dutton on Monday after being asked about the senior Liberal’s leadership aspirations.

Mr McGowan said the former defence minister was an “extremist” who did not fit with “modern Australia” after previously lashing Mr Dutton over comments in relation to China.

“He doesn’t seem to listen and he’s extremely conservative. I actually don’t think he’s that smart. I don’t pick up that Peter Dutton is fit to be prime minister,” Mr McGowan said.

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Ms King – who is the most senior Labor MP from Western Australia – admitted Mr Dutton had made some “unusual announcements” during the campaign.

A Chinese war ship was caught off the coast of Western Australia in the final weeks of the campaign, with Mr Dutton holding a press conference to draw attention to the “aggressive act”.

Ms King criticised the announcement and said it looked like a “cynical act of the government to try and scare people”.

“You can see why mark perhaps lashed out at Peter Dutton,” she told Sky News Australia.

“Personally, I’m not going to get into those kind of character assessments – Peter Dutton’s been a minister of the commonwealth government for a number of years.

“And I don’t agree with a lot of what Peter says but by the same token I do appreciate that he actually does act and always did in the interests of Australians.”

Mr Dutton is considered the frontrunner for the Liberal Party leadership after Scott Morrison confirmed he would resign following his government’s massive election loss on Saturday.

Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg was considered a favourite and a potential counter to Mr Dutton’s right faction, but he lost his blue-ribbon seat of Kooyong to teal independent Dr Monique Ryan.

Multiple potential contenders such as Dan Tehan and Angus Taylor have ruled themselves out for the party’s top job leaving Mr Dutton as the heir apparent.