Rita Panahi: Vic Libs’ decision to bring back Katie Allen upsets rank-and-file members
The Victorian Liberals’ decision to bring back Katie Allen to contest the seat of Chisholm has upset rank-and-file members and could jeopardise the party’s chances of winning a very gettable seat at the next election.
Rita Panahi
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rita Panahi. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Once the Liberal Party’s federal executive has finished its takeover of the NSW branch they should send a team to Victoria. The quicker the better.
On the weekend the Vic Libs made another questionable decision that has upset rank-and-file members and perhaps jeopardised the party’s chances of securing the very gettable seat of Chisholm at the next federal election.
And, it seems the decision is once again motivated primarily by identity politics; the poisonous doctrine that any conservative or centre-Right party should be rejecting.
The Vic Libs administrative committee dumped its Chisholm candidate, Theo Zographos, and installed Katie Allen, who was the candidate for Higgins, a seat she lost in the 2022 election. The move comes after the Australian Electoral Commission confirmed the electorate of Higgins will be abolished, with about 30 per cent of the seat being absorbed by Chisholm.
The question is did the Libs make the right call by opting for Toorak Katie over Theo, a City of Monash councillor who has been on the ground campaigning since December.
It was a flawed strategy in Aston to shoehorn an outsider from the inner suburbs and it appears another mismatch of candidate and seat.
The Libs still do not comprehend why folks in suburbs like Boronia and Wantirna did not want a candidate from Fitzroy no matter how well credentialed she was, and similarly the voters in Box Hill and Mt Waverley may not want someone from Toorak to be their representative.
Small L Liberal Allen’s values are not aligned with Chisholm with its significant migrant population; many of them with socially conservative views that the Liberals fail to capitalise on. Allen would’ve made a fine candidate for Kooyong, where Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer has underwhelmed a number of serious movers and shakers.
The local members who had no choice in the matter are said to be appalled by Allen’s selection.
In a letter to members, Chisholm Secretary Mei Li wrote: “In my time in the party, I have never seen as much sadness amongst members as I have these last 24 hours.”
Referring to polling released this week showing the seat was “too close to call” Li noted that their campaign was working and they were on track to win before the state president moved a motion to select a new candidate “without any preselection, or member input”.
No one ever said the Vic Libs were quick learners.
Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist
Panahi: Trump showed the way, why won’t Dutton follow?
Why is Opposition Leader Peter Dutton refusing to open his eyes to the political opportunities before him? Playing it safe with the election pending is a recipe for failure.
Panahi: Hard-Left Labor govt has made Victoria the biggest loser
The Business Council of Australia review has revealed South Australia is the best place in the country to do business while Victoria is the worst — and if the Allan government doesn’t cut regulations and taxes, more businesses will shift their investment interstate.