The Sauce: Phil Donato considers independent run amid party turmoil

Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Phil Donato is considering whether he’ll quit and run as an independent amid ongoing turmoil over the party’s leadership.

He was the first member of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party to win a lower house seat but Orange MP Phil Donato will decide over the weekend if he will quit and run as an independent amid ongoing turmoil in the party over its leadership.

The move followed the party’s AGM in Singleton on Saturday where the party’s executive was voted back in — a decision-making body whose majority is aligned with Shooters leader Rob Borsak.

Both Donato and Barwon MP Roy Butler have urged Borsak to leave politics after comments he was recorded making in parliament when he suggested his former colleague Helen Dalton should be “clocked” after a heated debate in parliament.

Shooter, Fishers and Farmers Party MP Phil Donato at his electorate in Orange. Picture: Grahamn Schumann

Rob Borsak is under pressure to leave politics after making comments in parliament suggesting a female ex-colleague should be “clocked”. Picture: David Swift

Donato noted earlier how Borsak did not apologise for the comments, nor withdraw them.

With the executive remaining in place, both have told The Sauce they are contemplating their futures with a decision to be made as early as Monday.

“I’ll have a think over the weekend,” Donato said.

Mr Butler also said he would consider his options.

Mr Borsak declined to comment.

SOLE LIB CANDIDATE FOR PITTWATER REJECTED FOR ‘NOT BEING A WOMAN’

All is not well on the sandy shores of Sydney’s northern beaches where the sole candidate for the Liberal seat of Pittwater claims he has been told he cannot be the candidate because he is not a woman.

Despite nominations having closed in early October, the party office has refused to open a ballot to endorse lawyer and Northern Beaches councillor Rory Amon as the Liberal candidate for Pittwater.

According to his supporters, Amon has fallen victim to Treasurer Matt Kean’s campaign to bolster women in the party, as evidenced by the ill-fated attempts to install fellow lawyer Claire Longley, despite a membership lapse.

Frustrated with the party office, the local Pittwater branches took it upon themselves last week to “endorse” Amon, despite the move being symbolic and not having legal status.

The move follows a “push poll” — where questions are loaded — conducted by unknown individuals in the electorate, which Amon believes was an attempt to try to get him to withdraw his nomination.

Liberal candidate for Pittwater Rory Amon. Picture: Adam Yip

At least that’s what he has told Liberal Party president Maria Kovacic in an explosive email he sent off to her last week – one of a flurry of emails sent to the party office by angered Pittwater branch members.

In his email – obtained by The Sauce – Amon reveals how Kovacic had advised him how he had “two options” with regards to his bid to become the candidate, which included an electronic ballot being undertaken for his endorsement, or for “research” to be conducted first.

“During our call, I indicated to you that I would proceed with Option ‘1’ and requested the electronic ballot for my endorsement be issued immediately,” Amon wrote.

“After I informed you of my nominated Option ‘1’, reference was made that you were being pressured by the parliamentary party to hold off issuing the ballot for my endorsement and reference was made and I understood that the parliamentary party were seeking to impose a female candidate in Pittwater.

“It was also made clear to me that if I proceeded with Option ‘1’ that persons unknown may seek to call members of State Executive to pressure them to vote “no” to the endorsement … You indicated that you would not personally be engaging in that conduct.”

Treasurer Matt Kean is campaigning to bolster women in the party. Picture: Britta Campion.

Amon wrote how the “research” he had indicated was not necessary had been undertaken anyway, with various Pittwater voters telling him how they had been polled on December 7.

It is understood the questions included whether voters would prefer a male or female candidate.

Amon warned that if the state executive blocked his endorsement – and reopened nominations for the seat – he would simply renominate.

Comment was sought from the party.
The Sauce later sighted a terse email Kovacic had sent back to Amon, in which she refuted his claims while accusing him of misrepresenting or “misunderstanding” their conversation.
Kovacic said there had been a “relatively minor administrative delay” with Amon’s endorsement and urged him to consider the “massive task” being undertaken by the party in preparing for the election.

GLOVES OFF

She is not yet elected but that didn’t stop Liberal candidate for Holsworthy Tina Ayyad from turning up to a NSW government-funded event at Lurnea High School last week where she even gave a speech.

Ayyad apparently was standing in for her Covid-stricken husband who happens to be Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun.

Tina Ayyad.

Ned Mannoun.

Among the surprised onlookers included the elected member for Liverpool Paul Lynch and elected local councillors.

Absent was sitting MP for Holsworthy Melanie Gibbons who was defeated by Ayyad at a preselection held last month.

Gibbons is on a promise from Premier Dominic Perrottet for a ministry after she reluctantly pulled out of the federal seat of Hughes – but first he must find her a seat.

Both the left and right factions are fiercely protecting their own in the upper house where it is most likely an MLC will be sacrificed to free up a spot.

Those arguing for Gibbons to be installed point out how the current ticket is all-male.

IT’S A DUMP

While Labor is outraged at $22m of taxpayer dollars being spent on refurbishing NSW Parliament House, other inhabitants of the old Rum Hospital say the reno is well overdue.

“It’s a dump!” one staffer exclaimed, when The Sauce told him of the planned works.

Another staffer said the chambers looked fine from afar, but a closer inspection revealed threadbare carpets and a serious mould issue.

The staffer said he also observed One Nation MLC Mark Latham yelling at the security gates last week, after they apparently failed to open. “Nothing works in this joint,” he was overheard saying.

“The building is totally dysfunctional,” Latham later told The Sauce. “The more they spend, the worse it gets.”

And with all the upper and lower house chamber chairs removed for the revamp, the question remains where MPs would sit should parliament be recalled to pass the mooted coal cap laws.