Singer Darryl Lovegrove says Tony Abbott not in tune with Warringah voters

The man who co-founded what he described as ‘the world’s number one corporate entertainment act’ is taking on Tony Abbott at the next federal election.

Darryl Lovegrove is a successful singer and corporate events producer who wants to topple Tony Abbott from his seat of Warringah.

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THE man who co-founded what he described as “the world’s number one corporate entertainment act”, The Three Waiters, is taking on Tony Abbott at the next federal election.

Now a successful corporate events producer, Darryl Lovegrove, believes he is more in tune with the electorate on issues such as climate change than the former prime minister.

“The growing anti-Abbott sentiment among the community is just extraordinary — and it’s mostly coming from traditional Liberal supporters,” Mr Lovegrove said.

Darryl Lovegrove, an independent candidate for Warringah at the 2019 federal election, said Tony Abbott is out of touch with his electorate.

Tony Abbott. Picture: Gary Ramage

“It could easily be argued there isn’t a politician more out of touch with the core values and beliefs of the majority of their constituents than Tony Abbott.”

As well as helping start up The Three Waiters, where opera singers pose as squabbling waiters at corporate dinners, Mr Lovegrove has also appeared in major musicals such as Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Miserables.

Darryl Lovegrove with the cast of musical Let It Be, a tribute to the Beatles, in 1997. (L to R) Glenn Shorrock, Doug Parkinson, Mark Williams and Sharon O'Neill.

He now lives in Mosman, but has lived in Seaforth and Belrose.

In his campaign material Mr Lovegrove said he wanted to offer himself to the voters as the “small L’ Liberal centrist that most constituents wish they had” and described himself as a “sensible centrist” who was “socially progressive”.

“The fact that 75pc of the electorate voted in favour of same-sex marriage while Mr Abbott led the ‘No’ campaign was extremely telling,” he said.

“The pain and anguish to the LGBT community caused by the 2017 plebiscite was a disgrace and our representative was one of its chief proponents.”

“Most people here believe climate change is real and that Australia must honour its commitments to massively reduce carbon emissions,” he said.

Darryl Lovegrove with singer Casey Donovan at the opening of a A Night at The Rock Opera at The State Theatre in Sydney.

“Among other things, this means investing heavily in renewable energy sources which will inevitably help safeguard our environment.”

On Monday, Mr Abbott cautioned voters against casting their ballots for independent or Greens candidates, saying this could potentially undermine “serious government”.

“If you want a credible parliament, if you want serious government, don’t vote independent,” Mr Abbott told Sydney radio 2GB.