The Sauce: Labor MP Greg Donnelly apologises after corridor photograph
A Labor MP has apologised for taking a picture of a door of another MP and who turned up at Joe Hockey’s shindig for 300 people. Don’t miss The Sauce.
NSW
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A long-serving Labor MP accused of secretly taking a photograph of the door of another MPs’ parliamentary office before sharing it with journalists has apologised for his behaviour.
In a long-running saga that has made its way into Budget Estimates hearings and a formal complaint to the parliament, Labor MP Greg Donnelly last year photographed Nationals MP Bronnie Taylor’s door.
Donnelly, who regularly locks horns with Taylor in the chamber, is believed to have wanted to show journalists the “#BOSSLADY” sticker on the door.
Upon being informed of the photo by a journalist, Taylor fired off a complaint to the parliament with a request for CCTV footage to find out the identity of the mystery photographer.
“I had staff working in my office last week and they feel quite concerned that people were lurking around taking photographs of our door, I find it concerning and intimidating behaviour that I imagine is to harass me or my staff,” she wrote.
An email from Parliament NSW’s corporate services division declared that an investigation would occur immediately.
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However, a follow up email from the division stated how “strict and narrowly defined parameters” around accessing and using CCTV footage meant the investigation could not proceed further.
Unhappy, Taylor escalated the matter, requesting an “independent legal arbiter” to review the decision. Eventually, she learned that Donnelly had been the photographer with the veteran MP last month offering a “sincere” verbal apology for his behaviour, according to a source.
It is not the first time Donnelly has apologised to his rival, with the veteran MP accused of sexism in 2022 after claiming Taylor was “howling” and “screaming” in the chamber and should “tone it down a bit”.
Taylor claimed Donnelly would never say that to a man.
Donnelly later apologised for using the word “howling”.
Alleged comments made by the Labor MP to Animal Justice MP Emma Hurst and Greens MP Dr Amanda Cohn are also understood to have been the subject of a conversation between the women and Labor minister Penny Sharpe. Neither Ms Hurst nor Dr Cohn would comment on the matter.
A spokesman for Donnelly denied the photo of Taylor’s door had been taken “secretly”, and claimed he had made at least two earlier attempts to apologise.
YESTERDAY’S HERO
The who’s who of politics, business and media gathered at the sandstone Gatsby-esque Hunters Hill property complete with pool and hydrangeas owned by former Liberal treasurer Joe Hockey last Sunday for a knees-up.
Held to promote his new business Bondi Partners, Hockey apparently made a joke how he would have to clean up before his investment banker wife Melissa returned from NY.
The 300 or so guests included former senators Marise Payne and George Brandis, new NSW Liberal Party president Don Harwin, Liberal MPs Matt Kean, Natalie Ward and Kellie Sloane, former Liberal MP Victor Dominello, lobbyist Michael Photios, former Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan, Buildcorp principal Josephine Sukkar and ex-Leighton chief executive Wal King.
Distance was no obstacle for some guests such as Will Hodgman, who is the High Commissioner of Australia to Singapore, and former Turnbull government minister Steven Ciobo, who is also based in Singapore.
And far from a Liberal-only affair, veteran Labor adviser Eamonn Fitzpatrick – who now heads up Fitzpatrick Advisory Principal – and Labor political strategist and campaigner Bruce Hawker also scoring an invite.
Former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian was invited, but we’re guessing stayed at home to catch up on the latest MAFS drama with partner Arthur Moses SC away.
However, her ex-private secretary Peta Demery, who has now joined Bondi Partners, was among the guests.
As for the highlight of the night, we hear it was a rousing rendition of John Paul Young’s hit Yesterday’s Hero led by former Sunrise host David Koch and Hockey himself with the guest band The Big Hitters, featuring ex-cricketer Mike Whitney and footy legend Wayne Pearce. We hear Hockey had planned on hiring a jazz band until bumping into Pearce in Las Vegas.
BRIGHT LIGHTS
The NSW Upper House is known for housing some of parliament’s more “colourful” characters.
And so when Greens MLC Cate Faerhmann strolled in to the chamber at 4am during an all-night sitting wearing shades, independent MLC Rod Roberts – who was in the chair – decided to turn a (cough) blind eye.
However, when Faerhmann’s party colleague Sue Higginson wandered in with what he described as a “cowboy hat”, Roberts asked if she was referring to a parliamentary rule where members must cover their heads if they wish to a point of order during a division.
“It is just that the lights are so bright,” Higginson replied.
Roberts said he sympathised given how late it was, but declared hats in the chamber to be a no-no.
Still on the Greens, it appears Faerhmann has vetoed Easter. MPs and a parliamentary staffer had been exchanging Easter greetings when a reply-all email from Faerhmann was received, with the word “unsubscribe”. Ouch
LOCAL BREW
A local brew with some kick – that’s how the latest ale released by Bondi Brewing Co honouring Vaucluse MP Kellie Sloane has been described.
And kick it has, with the craft beer containing 6.4 per cent alcohol content.
With alcohol wreaking havoc in Canberra recently – hello Barnaby Joyce – one might question why a politician would willingly associate themselves with a beverage.
But it’s all about raising funds for charity with a dollar from every glass to go towards a critical response trailer for the Bondi Surf Club.
NEW TEAM
High profile former western Sydney mayor Steve Christou could soon be joining the One Nation team.
Christou, Cumberland City Council mayor, recently joined the troubled party’s newly-appointed national director former federal MP Craig Kelly at a community forum held at Guildford Leagues Club where the pair discussed issues ranging from “excess migration at record levels”, “sky rocketing electricity prices” and “housing affordability”.
It is understood One Nation view Christou, a member of the Labor Party until quitting in 2019 amid claims it no longer representing his values, as a way of gaining support from the multicultural community.
Christou, who unsuccessfully ran for the federal seat of Parramatta in 2022, is believed to be open to the idea.
As for Kelly, many believe the former Liberal MP is building his profile ahead of transitioning from the party office role into politics in 2027.
Whether this will be at the expense of sitting MP Tania Mihailuk is the question.
Got a some Sauce? Email linda.silmalis@news.com.au
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