Liberal candidate in Victorian state election dropped for making offensive comments about Indigenous people

Detailed summary

Paul Lindemann was already under scrutiny for comments he made while a junior basketball coach in the state, for which he received a suspension.

The Victorian Liberal Party has withdrawn its endorsement of Paul Lindemann, its candidate for the seat of Williamstown, ahead of the upcoming state election, following comments it says he made online about Indigenous Australians.

In a statement, the party said the decision followed “comments and views expressed by Mr Lindemann about Indigenous Australians that have recently come to light and were not previously known to the Party.”

“All candidates are expected to treat Australians with dignity and respect,” the statement said. “Mr Lindemann’s comments fell short of that standard.”

Mr Lindemann had already been under scrutiny over offensive remarks he allegedly made during an underage basketball tournament, for which he apologised.

Last year, he received a six-week suspension from Basketball Victoria games for bringing the sport into disrepute while coaching junior basketball.

Opposition Leader Jess Wilson addressed the timing of his removal on ABC this morning, defending the decision to retain the candidate after news of his coaching suspension emerged.

Opening of the article, excerpted from SBS News. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.