Backroom Baz: Dan’s ‘secret’ advisers pop up at F1 Grand Prix breakfast

Dan Andrews’ closest advisers kept themselves largely anonymous for almost a decade, but two former staffers popped up at a high profile event this week as they launch a new venture.

Two of Dan Andrews’ former advisers popped up at a Grand Prix breakfast this week as they launch a new venture.

For almost a decade Daniel Andrews’ closest advisers kept themselves largely anonymous, so much so that former chief of staff Lissie Ratcliff was known to demand her name and image be removed from published media articles.

So Baz had to do a double take when he saw former deputy chief of staff Jessie McCrone and director of strategy Ben Foster pop up at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual Grand Prix breakfast this week.

Truly one of the highlights of the corporate circuit, it was well attended. Former governor Linda Dessau and her son Ollie Howard, AFL great James Hird, Avalon Airport boss Tony Brun, and celebrity sports doc Peter Larkins were among those out to hear from special guest David Croft, the voice of Formula One.

Ratcliff, McCrone and Foster have teamed up with former government media director Adam Sims to establish a new corporate advisory firm that will shake-up the parliamentary precinct on Spring Street. Foster, McCrone, Ratcliff & Sims – or FMRS Advisory as it will be known – draws on a combined 50 years of experience advising state and federal politicians and business leaders. And schmoozing is now central to the job.

Baz just wonders if anyone of the fab four whacked FMRS into the urban dictionary before settling on a name?

Former Labor Party MP Richard Wynne was handed a media release at recent press conference after a junior staffer failed to recognise him. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Remember me? Respected MP quickly forgotten

How quickly some forget. Labor Party elder Richard Wynne served 23 years in state parliament before his retirement ahead of the 2022 election, and was a hugely respected figure within the party.

But memories appeared to run short on Friday when Wynne turned up at a press conference being held by Housing minister Harriet Shing as an interested onlooker.

Baz’s spies say he was taken aback when a junior government spinner tried to hand him a press release.

Did they not recognise their old comrade? Baz is told most definitely not.

Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell was sheepish after winning the lucky door prize at the Quills, but it was the absence of Opposition Leader John Pesutto which had people talking. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Valeriu Campan

Sheepish Liberal MP not the talk of the night

No one was more surprised than Baz last week to see shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell score the lucky door prize at the Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards for Journalistic Excellence.

A sheepish Rowswell had to collect the prize then scurry past a table of Premier’s office staffers to get back to his seat.

Baz was less surprised to see Rowswell promptly auctioned off the prize, a night’s accommodation at Crown, for $700 to be donated to one of the schools in his electorate, St Agnes Primary in Highett.

But Rowswell’s win wasn’t the main Liberal Party talk of the night. Instead, it was the absence of Opposition Leader John Pesutto who, for the second year running, was a last minute no-show.

Baz wonders if his invite might get lost in the mail next year. For a man used to doing things in threes, maybe it will be three strikes and out?

Premier Jacinta Allan boasted that never in her time in parliament had she seen the leader of a political party face one, let alone three, defamation actions. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Premier’s boast proves what short memories we have

Talking about threes, Premier Jacinta Allan gave Baz a chuckle this week when she boasted that never in her time in parliament had she seen the leader of a political party face one, let alone three, defamation actions.

True as that may be, what short memories we have. Because it wasn’t long ago we saw our Premier involved in not one, but four, corruption inquiries including the top-secret investigation Operation Richmond into the dealings between the powerful United Firefighters Union and the government which is still yet to be released.

He was also called to appear before inquiries probing allegations of corrupt land deals, the misuse of political staffers, and union grants. And they’re just the ones we know about.

One of Michael O'Brien’s happiest moments in the parliament this term was all thanks to a Labor MP. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Labor MP keeps long tradition alive

Baz wouldn’t have expected one of shadow attorney-general Michael O’Brien’s happiest moments in the parliament this term being all thanks to a Labor MP. But here we are.

Labor MP Sheena Watt is the driving force behind the current iteration of the Spring Street Blues, a club of Carlton- supporting politicians who were joined this week by president Luke Sayers and players Patrick Cripps and Zac Williams.

The Blues have a long tradition of political backing, with prime ministers Robert Menzies and Malcolm Fraser fervent supporters. Menzies even watched games from the comfort of his Bentley.

O’Brien was a part of the inaugural club which launched in 2007, when dual Carlton premiership player Justin Madden was in the Legislative Assembly. Baz reckons if there’s anyone who knows about the Spring St blues, it’s O’Brien: ousted from government after one term, backstabbed while leader, and languishing in opposition for nine years.

At least in Melbourne, there’s always footy.

Guess Who?

Which senior government adviser had ALL the fun at last week’s Melbourne Press Club Quill journalism awards?

Overheard

“At some point, yes, I would like to be part of the leadership of this party.” Liberal MP Sam Groth does his best to kill speculation of a leadership challenge.