Project presenter labels co-star ‘petty’ over disagreement

Monday night’s episode of The Project descended into a row about Dan Andrews’ controversial golf membership application in the Mornington Peninsula.

The Project stars Waleed Aly and Sam Taunton sparked a disagreement with their co-star Steve Price on Monday’s show over a golfing scandal.

Dan Andrews has become embroiled in a backlash over his potential membership application to join the Portsea Golf Club on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Price and his Golf Club were labelled "petty" over the drama that's played out recently. Picture from Channel 10.

A letter from more than 100 members demanding he be rejected has been sent to the club, and another club appears set to follow suit.

Radio shock jock Price threatened to “tear up” his Portsea Golf Club membership if Andrews was approved, and Waleed probed the star on Monday night about his remarks.

“I think it is really sad that he wants to come and play down there given what he did to us for two years,” said Price sternly.

“We were the only place in Australia that you weren’t able to play golf during Covid. I’m teed off about this! Sorry to use a golfing pun. I was genuine when I said if he’s allowed to become a member, I’m not going to play there.”

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was set to hit the golf course after his retirement from politics, but his request for membership has hit a rough spot, with multiple clubs and their members trying to block him from playing. pic.twitter.com/ODqEwQng6b

— The Project (@theprojecttv) November 20, 2023

Waleed then questioned Price, asking: “But why is it a big deal? If he gets admitted, you don’t have to walk around the golf course,” to which Price replied: “I have to go into the bar and he might be having food.”

Waleed then appeared to scoff, saying: “And he might be somewhere in Melbourne!”

Sam Taunton quickly interjected, and was about to call the debacle “petty” before biting his tongue. However, Price urged him to finish his remark saying: “You were going to say it was …”

Price butted heads with his co-stars on Monday night. Picture from Channel 10.

“No, I was going to say it is petty,” confirmed Taunton. “It was years ago and at some point, don’t you move on? Why?”

Price added that he wouldn’t be backing down, insisting: “No. Because we don’t want him there!”

During the Covid pandemic, golf enthusiasts in the metropolitan Melbourne area and parts of the Mornington Peninsula were banned from the fairways and greens – a rule that was only mirrored by the Northern Territory. While clubs were allowed to re-open from September 2021, toilets were forced to remain closed, sparking the ire of enthusiasts.

Price previously told Sky News Australia: “This is the premier who stopped us playing golf for two years during Covid.

“This is the premier who locked down this community even though we’re 120km out of the city.”

“The same premier who let people on the other side of the bay play golf. No way that should that man come into the golf club,” he added.

Originally published as Project presenter labels co-star ‘petty’ over disagreement