New Australian republic movement head Isaac Jeffrey’s secret side hustle
The new head of the Australian Republic Movement has a ‘saucy’ secret. Libs are split in two over the Voice. And where there’s a will there’s some cash for the Liberal Party. It’s all in The Sauce.
NSW
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The new head of the Australian Republic Movement has a “saucy” secret.
Former Coalition staffer Isaac Jeffrey was recently appointed the chief executive officer of the organisation, following in the footsteps of Malcolm Turnbull, Greg Barnes SC and former WA premier Geoff Gallop.
While most know Jeffrey from his time in Canberra as the principal private secretary to former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack — to whom he also once worked as a chief of staff — The Sauce can reveal it was not his only job.
Jeffrey, we can reveal, is also “Xavier Wallace”, an author of rather saucy gay spy thrillers starring “Australian Intelligence Service” agent Max “Prince” Shaw.
While The Sauce has not read the five published books, Jeffrey, aka “Wallace”, has posted excerpts on his pseudonym’s Instagram page.
“A pure white sheet hung loosely over his toned naked body,” a snippet from Chapter 1 of “Vengeance” reads.
“The room was a mess of clothes leading a trail to the bed. Two empty wine glasses sat near the bedroom door stained from the red wine they had been drinking. He tried to remember the night that was.”
Further in, Max recalls seeing a “tall handsome blonde” walking over to the bar, and remembers “a surge of adrenaline”. (You get the drift)
Jeffrey, who does disclose on his CV that he is a “writer”, told The Sauce he began writing while working for McCormack as a “side hustle”.
“I found it therapeutic after working 12-14 hours, just to come home, have a glass of red and be creative,” he said.
He strenuously denied any suggestion that “Max” was based on anyone in Canberra.
“Not at all,” Jeffrey said.
“He is named after my great-grandfather, but his character is not based on anyone.
“He is a gay Australian spy. Something a little bit different.”
As well as working for McCormack, Jeffrey has also worked on designing marketing and recruitment campaigns for Defence, and running political campaigns.
While the new role is a full-time gig, we hear Jeffrey hopes to still pursue more adventures with “Max”.
YEAH NAH
Liberal MPs in NSW will receive an email from the party’s head office early this week on the Voice to Parliament, indicating that they will be able to support either the Yes or No campaigns.
With state Opposition Leader Mark Speakman backing the Yes campaign, and his federal counterpart Peter Dutton in the No camp, the NSW office is issuing information to members on how they can support either.
“Because we are split in NSW, we are going to send an email which will say if you want to volunteer for the Yes campaign, here is a link, if you want to vote No click here,” a Liberal source said.
However, the source noted that “90 per cent are voting No”.
The split in the party is causing some argy-bargy, with No backers accusing some of the Yes supporters of refusing to use their printing and mailing allowances for the party mail-outs.
Meanwhile, The Sauce hears the No movement is set to receive a significant boost, with billionaire Clive Palmer contemplating opening up the coffers.
Palmer had not responded at the time of press.
WILL YOU DONATE?
So grave are the finances of the Liberal Party that officials are urging members to bequeath some of their assets to the party.
Targeting its Libs, including younger members, the party’s “director of generosity” — yep, someone has that title — recently sent an email to members to urge them to consider writing a will.
In the email to Young Liberal members, the director wrote how they were “the future” of the party.
“It is only together that we can fight back against Labor and make sure the Liberal Party remains a force to be reckoned with for years to come,” the email said.
“Young Liberals are the future of our Party, so in thanks, I’m sharing a special free offer to help you get your affairs in order.”
The letter outlined how the party had joined forced with a will-writing organisation, with the partnership enabling members to write their will “free of charge from 4-10 September 2023”.
Given most Young Liberals are under 30, the party is clearly playing the long game.
BATTLE READY
He may be on the way out, but NSW Liberal state director Chris Stone is not done yet.
After being granted special “campaign powers” by the NSW state executive a few weeks ago, Stone moved swiftly to expel Liberal powerbroker Christian Ellis from the party, while suspending four others.
Ellis’ alleged misdemeanours included trying to unseat deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley through expelling branch members.
Ellis is understood to deny any wrongdoing and has engaged lawyers.
We are told there may be more expulsions and suspensions to come as Stone sweeps through the party’s branches as it prepares for the next election.
The party this week opened up the seats of Werriwa, Eden-Monaro, Parramatta, North Sydney, Bennelong, Paterson and Macarthur for nominations as part of its push to have candidates selected and in the field early.
One source noted how Robertson was omitted from the latest tranche of seats to open, prompting speculation that former member Lucy Wicks may be considering a tilt.
Wicks is still waiting to learn the outcome of a complaint she filed against former staffer and lover Upper House MLC Taylor Martin — as is he.
No word on ScoMo’s seat of Cook either.
TRUCE TALKS
Arch rivals in the recent battle for a Senate spot made vacant by the death of Jim Molan, former NSW cabinet minister Andrew Constance and ex-Liberal Party state president Maria Kovacic have called a truce.
Despite Kovacic somewhat rudely thwarting Constance’s Canberra tilt (he had already had a crack at the seat of Gilmore), The Sauce can reveal he will be among the guests of honour at her maiden speech and party this week.
FOOD MISSION
Invited to a meeting of “food ministers of Australia and New Zealand” in New Zealand, NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty not only learned about what her counterpart was up to in relation to food safety standards and protocols, but also got to sample some of Wellington’s finest restaurants.
While meals were on the house, the rest of the trip cost NSW taxpayers $6322.
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