Backroom Baz: ALP faction unimpressed by Dunkley candidate Jodie Belyea
Fractures in the Labor Party have emerged as it heads into a pivotal Dunkley by-election, with many left unimpressed by ALP candidate Jodie Belyea.
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With one week to go before the Dunkley by-election, has it exposed some fractures within Victorian Labor? It’s always difficult for a government to retain a by-election seat.
But the degree of difficulty compounds when supporters of your own party refuse to help the campaign. Baz has been told that the ALP’s Socialist Left faction has been less than enthusiastic in their support of ALP candidate, Jodie Belyea, because of a perceived bias towards Israel from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
It’s said that Socialist Left figures expected a more “empathetic” approach to Palestinian concerns.
It’s suggested that some younger Socialist Left members have refused to help campaigning, from door knocking and phone banking, and that those doing the work on the ground are from the party’s right.
The March 2 by-election, prompted by the death of the ALP’s Peta Murphy, is considered a must win for both major parties. Repairing the factional infighting might be even more important especially for prominent MPs Andrews Giles, who is said to be losing support of Turkish members in the north, and Julian Hill, who is losing support among Afghan members in the southeast.
Gloves off, cheque books out
The never-ending defamation fight between Opposition Leader John Pesutto and the exiled Moira Deeming is shaping up to be a clash of cheque books.
As is so often the case with these matters, it is the lawyers who are the only winners. There has been much speculation about how Pesutto would fund the case, given the Liberal Party have refused to so: a move akin to sending him into a knife fight armed with a toothbrush.
So it was with much triumph that it was revealed the three living Liberal premiers, Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine, had decided to throw some money in a fighting fund.
But Baz has learnt this week the move was more a supporting gesture than anything seriously substantial. While it’s impossible to know just how much they have contributed (at least until Pesutto makes disclosures this coming week) sources familiar with the case say the contributions won’t make a dent in the mounting costs.
Estimates have ranged as low as $1000 a piece. With legal fees expected to be in the hundreds of thousands, and rising, Pesutto might need to shake the tin a bit harder to make sure he’s covered. Still, there’s plenty of money floating around the party that could come his way. For her part, Deeming looks like she’s sorted, with a key backer being none other than Anna Palmer, the wife of billionaire Clive.
Baz reckons any hope the Pesutto camp had of Deeming running out of money, and dropping the case, might be well and truly dashed.
Napthine’s a winner
Speaking of Pesutto’s fighting fund, the Opposition Leader might be desperately hoping Napthine’s form backing winners on the racetrack can translate to the courtroom.
Baz recently learned Napthine is a part-owner of Warrnambool gelding Aurora’s Symphony, who charged home to win the Hobart Cup this month in track record time.
It was good timing, given the event has a $300,000 prize attached and his horse was at generous odds of $8.50 for owners having a flutter.
The win resulted in a Liberal love-in, with Premier Jeremy Rockliff presenting the triumphant owners with the trophy and another former premier, Will Hodgman, among those celebrating the win.
Premier’s social game needs work
She’s been in the job almost six months, but who is the Victorian Premier?
This was the question asked by Ash Williams – the brother of Jacinta Allan’s Director of strategy Xavier Williams – in a video that did the rounds on TikTok this week.
The question proved tough on the streets of Richmond with many answers – or non answers – featuring long pauses, umming and ahhing and interesting if not concerning guess.
“She’s a lady and she’s got blonde hair … Laura?” one woman says.
“Aldo Albanese,” says another.
And after racking her brain, one woman yells: “Dan Andrews.”
It seems Allan is missing the mark with the public. And on social media, too, she is failing to land a punch.
On X, formerly Twitter, the Premier has just 20.9k followers, on Facebook, 26k and on Instagram 12.4k, by comparison, Daniel Andrews left the job with more than 1.6 million social media followers.
Allan is, however, thumping Opposition Leader John Pesutto who has just a fraction more support on social media than insiders say he has inside his own party room.
Baz has noted one person getting well and truly behind the Premier’s social media efforts: her husband, Yorick.
While he keeps a fairly low social media profile, Victoria’s first bloke is an enthusiastic re-tweeter of all things Spring St, none more so than the efforts of his wife.
Every little bit helps.
Purple romance
Tongues were wagging in Canberra when two prominent members of opposing political tribes were confirmed to be dating.
Baz has been told by reliable sources that Sebastian Zwalf, who was assistant national secretary of the ALP between 2015 and 2020, is in a relationship with former Liberal adviser Jordi Procel.
Procel most recently worked for Scott Morrison, after stints with Michael Ronaldson and Andrew Robb, but left politics to work in the private sector.
Zwalf is also out of the political bubble, and works in government relations.
While cross-pollination between Labor red and Liberal blue (a purple romance?) is by no means unheard of, no doubt there would be some lively policy debates over a glass of vino at Italian and Sons.
Overheard
“Over the years I’ve seen Queen, Springsteen, Stone Roses, Dire Straits, Elton, Billy Joel, Fleetwood Mac, Chisel, Pixies, Oils, Crowded House, Dylan & many other live gigs.
Loved them all.
“Taylor Swift is the best live show I’ve ever seen.
“And I’m not a Swifty.
“And it’s not close.”
Former minister for fun, Martin Pakula, jumps on the Taylor Swift bandwagon.
Guess Who
Which state minister is getting a reputation around town for being a late no show to important engagements?
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