Police Minister Lisa Neville delivers a fiery foul-mouthed message to colleagues about Left-wing MPs
Victoria’s Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville has delivered a fiery and foul-mouthed take down of one of her Labor Party colleagues in front of stunned MPs at a Right faction meeting. Here’s what she had to say.
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Police and Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville delivered a colourful tirade against colleague Jane Garrett in front of Labor MPs at a Right faction caucus meeting last month.
The rant against Ms Garrett, who resigned as emergency services minister in 2016 at the height of the CFA dispute, was prompted by an application she and fellow industrial Left MP Mark Gepp had made to join the Right faction of the ALP caucus.
Ms Neville “came in off a long run” according to multiple sources — slamming Ms Garrett as disloyal and questioning if the pair could bring major left-wing unions into the grouping.
The personal attacks peppered with swear words were backed by Treasurer Tim Pallas who spoke after the Police Minister, while Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll — a factional ally of Ms Neville — also spoke up.
Other MPs returned fire at Ms Neville, including Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson who said Ms Neville should have supported Ms Garrett when she was a minister and United Firefighters Union chief Peter Marshall allegedly threatened to “put an axe in her head” — a threat Mr Marshall denied making.
Natalie Hutchins, who recently returned to the ministry, also delivered a message against what one MP said was effectively “bullying” of Ms Garrett, while Disabilities Minister Luke Donnellan, Jobs Minister Martin Pakula and Roads Minister Jaala Pulford were also supportive.
Deputy Premier James Merlino, who has also held the emergency services portfolio, urged calm but did not back the change.
Up-and-comer Steve Dimopoulos argued for an evidence-based approach but sided with Mr Pallas over his other senior NUW colleagues such as Mr Pakula, according to one source.
An MP said of Ms Neville and Mr Pallas they hardly ever turned up to meetings unless they are “doing someone else’s bidding”.
The meeting also descended into an argument about Mr Marshall’s ongoing ability to campaign in marginal seats.
It drew to a close when convener Cesar Melhem delivered his own spray at senior ministers and accused MPs of “bullying” him, which one MP said was an attack on Ms Neville.
The MPs contacted by the Herald Sun declined to comment on the record. One said it was “four long years” since Ms Garrett had tried to stand up to Mr Marshall’s demands and she was still copping abuse. “When is it going to end?” the MP said.
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