The Sauce: The Reverend Fred Nile disagrees with Pope Francis
The Sauce: Why The Reverend Fred Nile doesn’t completely trust the Pope; former foreign minister Julie Bishop’s new diplomatic post; and the reason there was a lack of love at The Nationals love-in.
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He may be a proud Christian, but not even Upper House MLC The Reverend Fred Nile completely trusts the Pope.
During a parliamentary debate on climate change, Greens MLC David Shoebridge accused of the Christian Democratic Party’s Mr Nile of making “ridiculous assertions”.
These included declaring that the “majority of scientists” did not agree climate change was occurring.
“Even the Pope is against you, Fred,” Shoebridge exclaimed, noting Pope Francis’ well-known views on the matter.
Nile’s response? “The Pope is not a scientist.”
NOT MUCH LOVE AT THE LOVE-IN
It was supposed to be a bonding session but a Nationals love-in held on Friday has left some MPs unimpressed.
An invitation to MPs flagging the event in the Victorian town of Nagambie allegedly included a suggestion that everyone bring their partners and wives so they could take advantage of the Derby Day races being held the next day.
A Nationals insider told The Sauce correspondent Linda Silmalis the message sent MPs into a spin, with some questioning whether it was appropriate to be attending the races during one of the nation’s worst droughts.
Among Nationals who didn’t attend the sessions were former party leader Barnaby Joyce, Llew O’Brien and George Christensen.
Joyce uploaded a Facebook video of himself talking about the big dry, captioning the post: “Unfortunately the drought doesn’t take weekends off.”
It’s not yet clear if any MPs decided to attend Derby Day.
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As for the love-in itself, The Sauce was given intricate details on how the party comes up with its key policies.
“A butcher paper was rolled out with all would-be policies and priorities written on it,” the source said. “These were cut into little squares and put into a container.
“Everyone then pulled out a paper and read out the would-be policy to see how popular it was.” The source claimed five bits of paper were left in the pile “thereby setting the agenda for next year”. “It is laughable.”
IT’S ALL BLACK AND WHITE FOR JULIE
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop was practising a different kind of diplomacy yesterday, judging the Fashions on the Field competition at Flemington’s exclusive Birdcage enclosure.
On-trend in a black and white boater hat, pussy-bow shirt by Husk and polka dot pants from Torrance (who said The Sauce doesn’t know fashion!), she said she was hoping for an elegant look, keeping to the race day’s dress code.
“I’ll be looking for people who may bend the rules a little but no colour. That’s non-negotiable, it has to be black or white,” she said.
DAMAGE CONTROL
They are the traditional “sleeper” portfolios, but a cladding crisis, drought and a sidelined minister has put Better Regulation and Innovation Minister Kevin Anderson, Water Minister Melinda Pavey and Skills Minister Geoff Lee into active combat.
Anderson is grappling almost weekly with a new building crisis, while Pavey has become responsible for the lack of rain.
Meanwhile, Lee is brainstorming all things sport after taking on the portfolio from Drummoyne MP John Sidoti, who has stood aside pending an ICAC inquiry into building purchases. Sidoti denies any wrongdoing.
With many of the offices only having one media adviser, The Sauce was not surprised to hear a call went out to the Premier’s office for extra resources.
It is understood recruiting began almost immediately.
Originally published as The Sauce: The Reverend Fred Nile disagrees with Pope Francis