The Sauce: MPs share isolation stories on social media and Scott Morrison finds fame on TikTok
A former NSW premier and his wife seen scurrying to get a flu jab; a close COVID-19 shave for one Liberal powerbroker; state MPs take to social media to share isolation stories; and, the PM’s first foray into TikTok fame – political juice from The Sauce.
NSW
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When former NSW premier Bob Carr was spied walking briskly across Martin Place in mask and gloves last week, it was thought the well-known fitness fanatic was simply doing his paces given the closure of gyms amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Not so.
When The Sauce contacted the ex-Labor leader, Mr Carr said that he and wife Helena were on their way to get a flu jab.
“Our doctors are in Pitt Street and we had parked near my office,” he said.
“I strongly recommend people get a flu shot.
“One would be very vulnerable to come down with seasonal flu and then pick up this virus.”
As for a photo, our source said the pair were walking so fast it was not possible to get a shot.
CLOSE SHAVE
For the past few weeks, Liberal powerbroker Joseph Tannous has been in the fight for his life.
Diagnosed with COVID-19, the Sydney lobbyist became seriously ill with virus after initially only experiencing mild systems.
At one stage, Tannous, 50, was being ventilated in the intensive care unit of St George Hospital with close friends of the Maronite Christian praying for his life.
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However, the Cornerstone Group founder and executive director is understood to have finally turned a corner, with friends saying he was last week sitting up in bed.
After his diagnosis, it was speculated that Tannous may have contracted the virus from Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton whom he had contact with two weeks early at a Liberal Party fundraiser.
Given Tannous had to postpone his 50th birthday bash to fight the virus, will be interesting to see if Dutton gets an invite.
NANNA CHATS
Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean has become king of the nannas in Hornsby where the Liberal MP has been spending the past few weeks “calling everyone over 90”.
The welfare checks have resulted in Mr Kean hearing the life stories of many, with some also offering the left-wing powerbroker a piece of their mind.
“I had a 96-year-old on the phone for 40 minutes, telling me her life story,” she said.
“But then she said she wouldn’t vote for me.
“Another 91-year-old said I was doing wonderful things, ‘even that thing in parliament where people were upset with you’. I said, ‘climate change?’ And she, ‘that’s it love’.
In another conversation with a 98-year-old, Mr Kean said he learned about a great show on SBS about the Hungarian Empire with “fabulous costumes” which he had to watch.
With 342 constituents aged 90 and over in the Hornsby electorate, Mr Kean has his six months cut out.
COOPED UP
Cooped up in their houses like the rest of us, our federal pollies appear to be transforming into fitness influencers as they find innovative ways to keep entertained within the new rules. Fresh from a stint in self-isolation after coming into contact with coronavirus-positive Liberal senator Andrew Bragg, Labor’s Jenny McAllister listened to Spotify’s “Dance Party” playlist to keep motivated.
“It’s surprising how much you can do with a yoga mat, four square metres and some hand weights,” she said.
While Labor backbencher Anika Wells swapped weights for her daughter Celeste to boost her workout this week.
In a daring move, NSW MP Dave Sharma posted a video message while riding his bike through Centennial Park.
PRESS CONFERENCE
When Scott Morrison had a crack at the ABC’s Andrew Probyn during one of his regular coronavirus updates, it took just hours for it to be turned into a meme on video-sharing social networking platform TikTok. Confined to their homes, Millennials and Gen Z have followed the trend of lip syncing the PM (and even a former PM) and posting the videos online.
The Sauce has confirmed the Prime Minister’s staff showed their boss the original remix of his press conference over the beats of Duke Dumont’s Red Light Green Light.
He is also aware of a second video, by Melbourne art director Jeff van de Zandt that has also gone viral on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
It’s understood the PM may have even enjoyed his foray into TikTok fame.
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