Former Liberal staffer Terry Barnes let it rip in the Fin Review this weekend, describing the Victorian Liberals as a “political circus run by clowns” and calling for “underperformers, time-servers and extinct volcanoes” to be disendorsed.
“To be honest, it’s a good thing I only had 800 words to say what I said,” Barnes told CBD.
Victorian Opposition Leader Brad Battin. The Coalition needs to pick up 16 seats to form government.Credit: Wayne Taylor
The Coalition needs to pick up 16 seats to win government at next year’s state election, which suggests it needs to recruit 20 to 30 good candidates. Preselections are to be completed by Christmas, so it’ll be one hell of a recruitment process.
The pool of defeated federal candidates is one rich source of potential hopefuls for the Libs. Amelia Hamer, who narrowly lost to Monique Ryan in Kooyong; Jason McClintock, who ran for the seat of McEwen; Darcy Dunstan (the seat of Corangamite); Nathan Conroy (Dunkley); and Manny Cicchiello (Aston) are being touted as possible state MPs. That’s if they can stomach the prospect of years – perhaps a decade? – in opposition.
Outside the party, Barnes says, people in the major law firms, big-four consulting houses and business schools should be targeted, and former federal MPs Michael Sukkar and Keith Wolahan ought to be tapped for advice.
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett declined to stick his head above the parapet on this issue. Describing himself as a “very mature young man”, Kennett told CBD he had no idea who the Liberal Party should or would preselect.
OnlyFans content creators might be hit with a tax bill shock.Credit: Michael Howard
Death, taxes and OnlyFans
The end of the financial year approaches, for all those who celebrate. And few celebrate EOFY harder than the Australian Taxation Office and accounting body CPA Australia. CPA Australia has a special message for gig economy workers who put their bodies on the line to deliver hot food (for Uber) or spicy content (via OnlyFans).
It is warning OnlyFans content creators they could be in for a shock tax bill this financial year as income generated from “side hustles” becomes a major focus for the Tax Office.
Bjorn Olsen of “talent agency” Your OnlyFans Empire says creators are becoming aware of the new reporting requirements.
“The learning curve in the OF creator space is still steep relative to the nature of the platform. Many people dive into platforms like OF without fully understanding the business side of it, especially tax.”
Olsen says his business helps creators with setting up an ABN, paying tax and “then collabing with an accountant as they scale”.
The good news is content creators can still claim for tools of the trade, such as video cameras, editing software and professional lighting.
Legal drama
Former Seven producer Taylor Auerbach, best known for his explosive cameo in Bruce Lehrmann’s failed defamation trial, has clearly developed a taste for legal drama.
Taylor Auerbach leaves the Federal Court in April 2024 with lawyer Rebekah Giles, who is now his boss.Credit: Janie Barrett
In evidence before the Federal Court last year, Auerbach alleged the network had paid for Lehrmann’s cocaine and sex workers in an attempt to land an exclusive interview with the former Liberal staffer. The case would conclude with Justice Michael Lee finding on the balance of probabilities that Lehrmann had raped his then colleague Brittany Higgins in a ministerial suite.
Since then, Auerbach hasn’t been far from the courts. In March, he kicked off defamation proceedings against Seven over allegedly disparaging comments made by the network before his appearance in the witness box.
Meanwhile, the part-time tenor has been busy studying for a law degree and has picked up a bit of part-time paralegal work, which will no doubt be the envy of his classmates.
CBD hears he’s been working for Giles George, the firm run by colourful defamation solicitor Rebekah Giles, who’s been ably representing Auerbach in all his various legal matters.
It sure beats acting as Lehrmann’s “babysitter”, as Justice Lee described Auerbach’s role in his epic judgment last year.
More mushrooms
Live blogs, podcasts, news crosses – dozens of Australian reporters plus some from overseas have been sent to the Victorian town of Morwell to cover the triple murder trial of Erin Patterson.
The trial is coming to an end shortly, but the reports will no doubt continue, with some of Australia’s best-known authors spotted in chilly Gippsland. Among them: Chloe Hooper, Sarah Krasnostein and Helen Garner – the latter, CBD hears, not for any specific project.
Helen Garner has attended the mushroom murder trial in Morwell.Credit: Darren James
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