Formula One ace Mark Webber, who's branded Australia a nanny state, has won support from a philosophical thinktank group but been blasted as a legalised hoon by another.
The Institute of Public Affairs says Webber was spot-on in his blast to race fans before Sunday's grand prix, claiming Australia was a great country but had become a nanny state when it comes to what we can and can't do.
"Webber's comments expose the incremental efforts by government to regulate and tax every part of our lives," said IPA spokesman Tim Wilson.
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"The problem is the government is introducing the nanny state bit by bit so most Australians don't notice how far we're down the
path."
But Liberty Victoria president Michael Pearce says Webber should be looking in his own backyard before criticising others.
He said the Victorian government had been highly intrusive in its legislation surrounding the staging of the grand prix at Albert Park, suspending the normal rights of citizens to enjoy local amenities.
"Mark Webber should become familiar with that legislation before he shoots his mouth off about anti-hoon laws," Mr Pearce told AAP.
"There was a raft of highly contentious legislation which deprived the residents of the surrounding areas of all their normal rights of protest and amenity and this was so people like Mark Webber could engage in legalised hooning."
Earlier on Monday, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Ken Lay said many of Webber's fans were alive today thanks to the work of police.
"I'd be so bold to say, too ... that there's probably quite a few Mark Webber fans still alive today because of the work we do," Deputy Commissioner Lay told ABC Radio.
