Latest news with #Labor-aligned
Herald Sun
18-05-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
Backroom Baz: Dan Andrews' team throws city gath without him
Time flies when you're having fun. It's already been a year since the mighty team behind Daniel Andrews joined forces to start a new consultancy, and what a party they threw to celebrate. Andrews' former chief of staff Lissie Ratcliffe, her deputy Jessie McCrone, ex strategy guru Ben Foster, and one longtime spin doctor formed FMRS Advisory last year to flog their corporate and government knowledge to cashed up clients. After what Baz is told was a slow start to get up and running they must be doing OK, given the swish party at QV's No Vacancy Gallery on Wednesday. It was a who's who of Labor-aligned politicos from Lord Mayor Nick Reece to MPs Danny Pearson, Michaela Settle and Belinda Wilson. VCCI boss Paul Guerra was there as were a slew of former advisers to top ministers including Lisa Neville, Tim Pallas and Martin Pakula. Royal Children's Hospital comms boss Kog Ravindran was among the crowd as was current staffers from Jactina Allan's office. One person noticeably absent from the do? Dan himself. Which made Baz feel better for not getting an invite. Maybe next year. Jaclyn goes green for maiden budget When she delivers her first budget this week, Jaclyn Symes will be only the second of our top bean counters to be granted permission of the lower house to appear in its glorious green chamber to do so. Symes is just the second upper house MP to hold the position, following Brumby government treasurer John Lenders. Manager of government business, Mary-Anne Thomas, said she was looking forward to welcoming Symes. 'I will reflect that I am a person that normally does not really welcome those from the other house into this place,' she said. 'I think that this is the people's house and that we are the engine of government here in the Legislative Assembly. 'The house of review does its job, but seriously we are the people on the ground every day responding to the needs of our constituents. However, in this case, I want to make an exception because I do very much look forward to welcoming our Treasurer.' Baz is told it's still to be decided whether Jac will be allowed to bring her knife in, or be forced to leave it at the door. Watch this space. Unearthing the past The federal election might be over, but Baz couldn't let this one go. First-time Labor candidate Tully Fletcher ran a troubled campaign in the Bass Coast seat of Monash, which led to a rare swing towards successful Liberal candidate, Mary Aldred. But why? Could it have been locals unearthed some of his controversial statements: like publicly describing Hillary Clinton's personality as being akin to a mythical creature renowned for its unpleasant stench, comparing Julia Gillard to a character from TV show Yes Minister and sternly criticising the party's factional system? The comments were made in newspaper editorials he co-authored when he was a law student and co-editor of the Australian National University student newspaper, Woroni. Mr Fletcher declined to comment this week, including on whether his comments about Ms Clinton were sexist. 'It's a no comment from me,' he said. Mr Fletcher and his co-editor also called for Australia to dump the Royal Family, calling the Monarchy 'patently ridiculous'. Mr Fletcher's view on the monarchy was in stark contrast to the people he sought to represent on the Bass Coast, who in 1999 voted overwhelmingly in favour of retaining the monarchy. Mr Fletcher was, until the campaign, working as a director at consultancy firm Deloitte. Before that he worked as a staffer to Andrews government minister Martin Pakula. He declined to comment on his future plans. $600k annual pay salary up for grabs It's been a couple of weeks since Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss, Paul Guerra, announced he was moving on to greener pasture with Melbourne Football Club. So it begs the question, who will fill the big shoes and flash jackets he'll leave at VCCI's Collins St headquarters? Former Property Council head turned podcaster Danni Hunter's name keeps getting mentioned, as does that of Committee for Melbourne boss Scott Veenker. Long running VCCI chief of staff, and sometime acting boss, Chanelle Pearson, is also considered a contender, if only an outside chance. Baz is told the field of candidates is growing slowly, but among the small grouping there is some fierce competition for the coveted job which boasts access to Melbourne's top movers and shakers, and a $600,000 annual pay packet to boot. Nice work if you can get it. Great debate back for more Spring St's newest and greatest annual event is back. After the huge success of the inaugural Great Debate between pollies and journalists last year, it's back for a second go in what has become one of the Victorian Parliament's most anticipated nights. Baz can hardly think of a better way to raise money for charity. Last year more than $15,000 was raised for the Lions V District Skin Cancer van which provides a free skin testing service across the state. This year all funds will go to Need for Feed to support drought-stricken farmers. The question? That AI politicians would be better than real politicians. The Australian Financial Review's Sumeyya Ilanbey, ABC's Raf Epstein and 3AW's Tom Elliott will take on minister Gabrielle Williams, the Liberal Party's David Hodgett and Jade Benham from the Nationals. Baz reckons the debate is fast on its way to becoming Spring St's own entertainment and networking opportunity with charity the big winner. Tickets here. Credlin: Why didn't the Libs call out Labor's super tax? Read related topics: Daniel Andrews
The Advertiser
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Liberal, Nationals leaders nutting out power share deal
After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia." After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia." After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia." After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia."
West Australian
15-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Liberal, Nationals leaders nutting out power share deal
After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia."
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Liberal, Nationals leaders nutting out power share deal
After a bruising election defeat, Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals leader David Littleproud will meet to chart a different course for a depleted coalition. The pair will hold their first formal talks on Thursday to set up a coalition agreement between the parties, which is renewed after every election. Mr Littleproud is travelling to Ms Ley's home in Albury, in regional NSW, for the meeting. The coalition agreement will help to determine how frontbench positions are carved up between the parties in the next parliament, as well as positions on policy. Issues over where the coalition goes on its nuclear policy or its net-zero emissions targets by 2050 are also set to feature in discussions. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has called for the junior coalition partner to have a bigger seat at the table. "(The coalition) is a very successful partnership over a long period of time, but it shouldn't be taken for granted," she told Nine's Today program. "The National Party, proportionately, did incredibly well. We haven't had this amount of political clout within the coalition since the '70s." While the Nationals retained nearly all of its lower house seats at the election, it lost the NSW seat of Calare to Andrew Gee, a former National who defected from the party to serve as an independent. The coalition have won 43 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives, while the opposition has 26 seats in the Senate with counting still continuing. Senator McKenzie said the Nationals needed to have a bigger say in the frontbench make up of the party. "We want to see see a whole raft of not just number of portfolios, but the way the coalition operates, and indeed, the type of portfolios that we hold," she said. Elsewhere, Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has expressed his desire to one day lead the party. The West Australian was touted as a contender in the recent Liberal leadership contest, but did not put his hand up. In a podcast interview, Mr Hastie said while family reasons prevented him from standing for leadership, he wanted to one day lead the party. "I'd be foolish to say I don't have a desire to lead, I do have a desire to lead," he told the Labor-aligned Curtin's Cast. "The timing was all out for personal reasons." Just days into her role as opposition leader, Ms Ley said the coalition needed to listen to the message it received from voters at the ballot box. "We must listen, change and develop a fresh approach," she wrote in an opinion piece. "To all Australians, those who did vote for us and those who didn't, we will work day and night to earn your trust over the next three years. "Now more than ever, the federal Liberal Party must respect modern Australia, reflect modern Australia and represent modern Australia."
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Vote rigging in local election voids result, as councillor vows to run again
The result of a council election in Melbourne's north has been declared void due to ballot paper rigging, which will send voters to a byelection. Veteran Labor-aligned councillor Stevan Kozmevski has lost his position on Whittlesea City Council after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) nullified the result in the council's Lalor ward due to 'attempted and actual interference with the election'. Kozmevski was successful in October's council election with a margin of just 39 votes, but electoral officers later discovered 81 suspicious returned ballots. The interference might have affected the result, VCAT found in its judgment, handed down on Thursday. Neither VCAT nor the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have suggested that Kozmevski was involved. The perpetrators of the vote-rigging scheme have not been found, despite a police investigation. Kozmevski said he intended to run again when a byelection is held. No date has been set. Loading 'It is disappointing to have to return to a byelection due to the behaviour of a small group. The attempted fraud by person or persons unknown on behalf of a candidate whose platform was simply anti-Labor Party is disturbing,' he said. 'Their attempt failed miserably as the preferred candidate for the fraud ran last in the ballot and the flow of preferences directed against me was not enough to change the result.' The VEC submitted that the scheme was designed to elect Nicholas Hajichristou, who ultimately polled third out of three candidates in Lalor ward.
