The Sauce: Premier Gladys Berejiklian holds press conference 11 hours from ICAC

If the Premier wanted to get away from Sydney journalists asking questions about the latest in the ICAC investigation into her former lover, she’s found the right spot.

If Premier Gladys Berejiklian wanted to get away from pesky Sydney journalists asking questions about the latest developments in the investigation into her former lover Daryl Maguire, the small NSW town of Menindee is about as far as you can get from Parliament House.

The Sauce, along with other media outlets, was alerted to a “media event” in far-western NSW shortly before 9am one day this week.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian: See you in Menindee! Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Dallinger

The alert stated Ms Berejiklian would be joining Agriculture and Western NSW Minister Adam Marshall to “give an update on the NSW Government’s Fish Rescue Strategy”.

In the interests of the Premier’s personal security, The Sauce will withhold the exact time and the location co-ordinates of where the event will be held — suffice to say it would be an 11-hour drive from Macquarie St by road.

A quick check of flights showed a round-trip taken on Monday would cost around $1000.

Just when the Premier decided to join Marshall on the trip is unclear, although government sources say it was locked in on Friday — the same day the ICAC informed witnesses in Operation Keppel that the draft submissions they were to have received on Monday had been “delayed”.

The Menindee Lakes area — an 11-hour drive from Sydney. Picture: Toby Zerna

“On Friday 4 December 2020, the Commission advised the parties that submissions from Counsel Assisting in Operation Keppel have been delayed,” the watchdog said.

“The Commission will provide further information in due course.”

Is the corruption watchdog continuing its investigation? The statement gave no clues.

“The Commission will be making no further comment at this stage.”

The Sauce asked Ms Berejiklian’s office if there would be seats on her plane.

“Media need to make their own way there,” we were told.

Road trip it is then.

CASH SPLASH

Skills Minister Michaelia Cash really wants to ensure the community is aware of the federal government’s JobTrainer program.

According to a tender notice, the Department of Education, Skills and Employment is spending up to $5.8 million over three months on the “JobTrainer” campaign.

With $10,000 the average cost for an apprenticeship, that’s a lot of bickies.

Skills Minister Michaelia Cash wants to get the word out about JobTrainer. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

We asked Cash’s office what the campaign will involve.

A statement from the minister said it would involve advertising on television, “as well as digital channels such as online video, display, mobile, social and search optimisation”.

The advertising was expected to reach millions of Australians over the course of the six-week campaign, she said.

“The Skills JobTrainer campaign is an important initiative which is designed to promote awareness of the new training and upskilling opportunities available as part
of JobTrainer, which is a key part of Australia’s skills-led recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Cash explained.

“JobTrainer will provide around 320,000 free or low-fee places to people who are out of work, or young Australians aged between 17-24, regardless of employment status, allowing them to learn a new skill and increase their chances of securing employment.”

So there you have it.

SURF’S UP

The “winning back Warringah” campaign has begun, with the Liberals last week launching a raffle to boost its coffers as part of its fightback.

Among the prizes was a surf lesson and breakfast with none other than former member Tony Abbott, with the raffle brochure estimating the value of the “experience” at $2500.

You could win a surfing session and breakfast with former PM Tony Abbott. Picture: Lachie Millard

Other prizes include a tour of Taronga Zoo with NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean, “valued at $1500”, followed by a “beer-tasting tour” of the Four Pines Brewery in Brookvale with Manly MP James Griffin, valued at $1000.

Among the most expensive experiences — valued at $3000 — is a morning tea with former talk show king Alan Jones “at either his Sydney or Fitzroy Falls Home”, the brochure states. “This prize is for two people.”

Other prizes include a tour of Sydney Harbour, a weekend away at the Four Seasons, dinner and drinks with Senator Andrew Bragg for eight people, and a day at the rugby with Mackellar MP Jason Falinski to watch either the Manly Sea Eagles or Warringah Rats.

The raffle will be drawn on February 24.

CONSULT ON THIS

Outsourcing work is nothing out of the ordinary, but Opposition Treasurer Walt Secord says $155 million on consultants is a new record.

The figure was contained in a NSW Auditor-General Internal Controls and Governance report, which calculated the cost for the 2019-2020 financial year.

“With NSW set for a record debt, the Berejiklian government should be using the NSW public sector to carry out this work instead of funnelling it away to consultants,” Secord said. “Consultants has become a glorified term for giving contracts to mates under the Berejiklian government.”

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