Backroom Baz: Liberal MP Craig Ondarchie’s trip to Sri Lanka raises eyebrows

While his Liberal colleagues prepare for the upcoming state election, Craig Ondarchie is raising eyebrows in more ways than one.

With less than 100 days to the election, most Victorian MPs are focused on one thing: re-election.

Not so for Victorian shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Craig Ondarchie.

So relaxed is Ondarchie, who lost preselection for the Liberal Party’s Northern Metro region ticket ahead, is on holiday.

But his destination of choice, Sri Lanka, has raised more than a few eyebrows.

Ondarchie, who is of Sri Lankan descent, posted a video on social media begging people to visit the troubled country.

Nevermind the shortage of fuel, cooking gas and medicines.

“The news reports in Australia say this is an unsafe place to come,” Ondarchie says.

“That is not true. I’m here, I’ve been to the market today, I’ve been out visiting people - it’s safe.

Victorian shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs Craig Ondarchie.

“If you’re living in Australia and you’re thinking about a holiday, there is no better place in the world to come to than Sri Lanka.”

Not so says the Australian government.

Indeed the Smart Traveller website is urging any travel to the country be avoided.

It’s official status: reconsider your need to travel.

“A Public Emergency can be declared and curfews may be imposed at short notice. Demonstrations continue to occur in Colombo,” the warning says.

“Several violent incidents have taken place during large demonstrations. Avoid areas impacted by demonstrations.

“Carry relevant travel and identification documents with you at all times. Follow the advice of local authorities and monitor the media for updates.

“We continue to advise you reconsider your need to travel to Sri Lanka due to the security situation.”

Liberal spies, speaking to Baz anonymously of course, slammed Ondarchie’s trip as “disgraceful”.

DAN PLAYS FAVOURITES WITH HEALTH MINISTERS

At the most recent Labor caucus love-in Baz is told more than one eyebrow was raised when Premier Daniel Andrews publicly declared Mary-Anne Thomas the “best” Health Minister he had ever worked with.

Given MAT, as she is affectionately known by her friends (which we would like to think includes old Baz), has only been in the job for little more than two months, it would appear she has made some impression on her boss!

Under his watchful gaze, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has made an impression on Daniel Andrews. Picture: Ian Currie

Seems out of sight, out of mind to Martin Foley, Jill Hennessy and poor old Jenny Mikakos.

Of course, Baz wants to take this opportunity to send our thanks, and the thanks of a lot of the Labor caucus members he’s sure, to them for their service as health ministers.

It’s been quite the ride.

Sidenote: Has the boss ever been in touch with his old mate, Jenny, since her abrupt resignation?

Zooming it in

Speaking of out of sight, it has reached Baz that since the new cabinet was sworn in, after a quarter of the cabinet suddenly quit Dansworld to party on, they are yet to all meet in person. Baz is told this means the Premier is controlling all cabinet meetings remotely and can mute people when he has had enough of them.

Of course, Baz isn’t saying that’s happening, but the potential is there.

And some cabinet ministers aren’t happy at all. Surely a Covid-safe measure …

No doubt Thomas stuffed up

Labor fingers were wagging hard last week after their newest colleague went missing on his first day.

Thomas McIntosh, who was sworn in to replace the late Jane Garrett in the Legislative Council on Thursday, was spotted enjoying yum cha with colleagues at lunch, but couldn’t be found in the chamber a couple of hours later when a legislative vote was on.

The vote was about strengthening offensive public conduct laws, created after Richard Pusey filmed dying police officers on the Eastern Freeway rather than going to their aid.

One MP said it wasn’t a good look just hours after McIntosh was sworn in – especially when Legislative Council veterans are pretty clear to backbenchers their one job in the upper house is to turn up to the chamber.

A licence to be daggy

Anything goes in an election year.

Even posting daggy photos of yourself from decades ago to spruik a flash new policy.

Which is presumably why neither Daniel Andrews or Ben Carroll had a problem posting their very first licences for the world to see when boasting about the abolition of learner and probationary licence fees, as well as online testing fees, for new drivers. Buckle up.

A fresh-faced Daniel Andrews on his first licence.

Does Ben Carroll still have the same haircut?

Give social a spell

It’s been a long running joke that the Libs just can’t nail their social media.

So much so that after much ribbing in this column, the party launched a hunt for a social media whiz to bring it into the 21st century. Whatever happened with that, no one knows.

Well, the online gremlins were back this week, spoiling ever so briefly a social media post by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy attacking the government over its cruel playground ban.

But when launching attacks, one should always remember to hit the spellcheck. Or is that remeber?

“Remeber” November, or maybe just remember spellcheck.

John Pesutto watching it all go wrong in 2018.

A nasty TV surprise

When former Liberal frontbencher John Pesutto accepted an invitation to appear as part of the ABC’s 2018 state election coverage, he had no idea he was going to lose his job live on TV.

Alas, that’s exactly what happened to the former Attorney-General, who graciously watched voters in his blue-ribbon seat of Hawthorn back in ALP candidate John Kennedy in a shock defeat.

With Pesutto attempting to make a comeback, Baz got to wondering just who will be brave enough to put their hand up to join the TV coverage this year.

Whisper is that Liberal stalwart Georgie Crozier will appear in some capacity.

But Baz reckons she should have no such worries about losing her seat. Should she?

Silver lining

They say every cloud has a silver lining.

Sources close to Liberal Party HQ tell Baz that a staffer recently departed, in the fallout of the bizarre Mitch Catlin secret donor affair, may have walked straight back into a party job – as a campaign manager.

If stories are to be believed the rusted-on Liberal was glad to be gone from the office, but gladder still to continue to be involved in the party.

One wonders if after three chiefs of staff, and as many media directors, over the past 12 or so months, things can now settle down in the land of the Liberals.

At least until the election.

Guess who

Which former minister is considering writing a book about their time in politics aptly titled “The Truth Teller”?