Backroom Baz: Kevin Andrews barking up the wrong tree with advertising blitz

Kevin Andrews is fighting for his political life in Menzies, where Labor is having a serious crack at the veteran MP, writes Backroom Baz.

Kevin Andrewsis fighting for his political life in Menzies. Picture: Kym Smith

Kevin Andrews is fighting for his political life in Menzies, where Labor is having a serious crack at the veteran MP.

The Opposition thinks Conservative Kev might be vulnerable to a spot of campaigning, pointing out his role in the downfall of Malcolm Turnbull as PM.

Andrews is trying to counter this with an advertising blitz aimed at local issues such as road funding.

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It looks like he overstepped recently while erecting a billboard in a Doncaster street.

Turns out the land was owned by the council and was a no-go for political messages.

Andrews was quick to act, having contractors remove the offending billboard posthaste — which Baz’s spies say may be a sign his campaign is cashed up.

SHOW US THE MONEY

SOME state MPs have been in a bit of a flap lately.

Not due to any great policy dilemma or a certain election.

No, it’s because of new rules about publicly declaring interests.

The deadline for declarations came and went last week, and some MPs noticed it was causing a bit of strain among a handful of colleagues. Changes include new rules for family trusts, gifts, and how family homes are declared.

Given this was a Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings special, it was no surprise to most MPs that the rules are somewhat complex.

No doubt all MPs closely noted the new statement of values included in the legislation, which demand they act with integrity, accountability, diligence and “respect for the diversity of views and backgrounds within the Victorian community”.

Liberal candidate Meralyn Klein

KLEIN BIDES HER TIME AFTER ALLEGED CRIME

Baz’s phone ran hot this week after he revealed former Liberal candidate Meralyn Klein had been charged over a polling booth assault during last year’s state election.

One of his spies even heard from Klein herself, who had bad news for followers of her controversial political career.

She had been starting to plot a path to Canberra but said the pending court case meant there was “no way” she could pursue her federal ambitions now.

Klein argues that the assault allegations are “rubbish” and a “set-up” that was orchestrated by relatives as part of a messy family dispute, and she had no idea who the alleged victim was.

She also broke her silence about her role in an anti-Muslim video — made by the extremist Right-wing Australian Liberty Alliance’s Avi Yemini — which Matthew Guy said was “grossly inappropriate” when Klein was forced to quit as a Liberal candidate.

Klein said she “foolishly” didn’t know Yemini’s background, even though he only organised to film the video after she showed up at their campaign launch — which she thought was a harmless pub dinner with her daughters.

Baz wouldn’t mind a drink after all of that.

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