The Sauce: Liberal Party rebellion mounting against Premier
IT seems the Liberal Party is not content to sit back and capitalise while its political opponents implode. Just days after Luke Foley sensationally quit as the NSW Labor leader, a political mutiny against Gladys Berejiklian is gathering pace.
Our best state and federal political reporters reveal all the latest news and gossip in The Sunday Telegraph’s The Sauce column.
LIBERAL REBELLION
IT seems the Liberal Party is not content to sit back and capitalise while its political opponents implode.
Just days after Luke Foley sensationally quit as the NSW Labor leader, a political mutiny against Gladys Berejiklian is gathering pace.
Liberal Party members are “kicking” the NSW Premier for the peace deal she orchestrated in September to guarantee NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet the seat of Epping.
The payback became evident on Friday night after the current member for Epping, Damien Tudehope, who will make way for Perrottet, lost his preselection battle for the upper house — and he didn’t even have an opponent.
A Liberal source said preselectors were “pissed off at having Tudehope put on them” and wanted to punish Perrottet and the Premier.
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The Sauce also understands Tudehope made no phone calls to lock the deal in place, which did him “no favours”.
Liberal members outside of Sydney were also sent an email on Friday, which begged preselectors to “vote no” to endorsement of Perrottet and Tudehope, and “save our party before it’s too late”.
It should be an interesting few months.
GUNS LOADED
BESIEGED Liberal MP Felicity Wilson may have reeled in NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, but The Sauce can reveal the key challenger for her prized seat of North Shore has also pulled out his own big-gun backers ahead of one of the most highly anticipated preselection battles tomorrow.
Among those providing written references for former lawyer, Howard electorate staffer and ex-ministerial chief-of-staff Tim James include ex-NSW Liberal leader Kerry Chikarovski and Macquarie Bank managing director Nicholas Moore.
Along with his old boss John Howard, the 43-year-old has also received endorsements from Energy Minister Angus Taylor, Crown Prosecutor Margaret Cunneen SC, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and NSW Mental Health Minister Tanya Davies.
Wilson, who won the seat in a by-election last year after the retirement of former health minister Jillian Skinner, had a rocky start to her political career after being accused of lying on her nomination form over where she lived.
In her camp is North Sydney Mayor Jilly Gibson, who curiously ran against Wilson as an independent in the by-election.
While the Right believes James will scrape over the line, the moderates-backed Wilson appears unfazed. With a baby on the way, Wilson’s staff recently made up “Felicity Wilson — Liberal for North Shore” jumpsuits ahead of the upcoming federal election.
KEATING MEETING
AMONG the more interesting meetings to be revealed in the recently disclosed ministerial diaries include that between Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and former prime minister Paul Keating.
The entry for the September 6 get-together states “architecture, culture and heritage”.
It is understood the meeting was about the future protection of heritage buildings amid the rapidly changing face of Sydney.
It is not clear who initiated the meeting, but a parliamentary source said both the Treasurer and Mr Keating shared a passion for good architecture.
CUP LOVE
IT’S a race that stops the nation and had pollies on both sides of the fence downing spears last Tuesday.
Sighted in the Tabcorp marquee was NSW Fair Trading Minister Matt Kean helping Chloe Shorten — wife of federal Labor leader Bill Shorten — put on a bet for her mother, former governor-general Quentin Bryce.
The show of bipartisanship followed Shorten photobombing Kean during a group selfie with Chloe. Mrs Shorten was also seen talking to Liberal MP Julia Banks while her husband spent at least half an hour chatting to deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack before the big race.
Earlier, Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Photios was also seen talking to Shorten.
“He was a really nice guy, not how he comes across in the media,” a Liberal spy reported.
HELP FROM FRIENDS
FORMER ABC reporter Nick Lucchinelli has been called up to field journo inquiries for the new Labor leader Michael Daley.
The Unions NSW media adviser, who also provides training for new Labor recruits, has been manning the phones for the past few days.
The Sauce also understands former Labor leader John Robertson was advising Kogarah MP Chris Minns during his failed bid to take the leadership from Daley.
Got SOME SAUCE? Contact linda.silmalis@news.com.au, miranda.wood@news.com.au, or annika.smethurst@news.com.au
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