Backroom Baz: Could Daniel Andrews soon be working for Lindsay Fox?

Rumours are swirling that Dan Andrews and Lindsay Fox could be discussing his post-premier life. Victoria’s hottest political gossip has all the week’s news.

Could Daniel Andrews be about to pass up an offer at Linfox? Picture: David Geraghty

Could Premier Daniel Andrews be about to pass up an offer at Linfox?

Spies say the Premier has been seen out and about regularly with trucking magnate Lindsay Fox of late.

Of course, the pair are old mates and have spent many a whisky-sipping session together over the years. So their meetings are not unusual.

However, it has been suggested the two could be talking about Dan’s post-premier life, if you can imagine it. Ask around Spring Street and his premiership has either hours left, or will never end.

But when it comes, is a job offer from Fox on the table?

Bob Katter with mysterious scribblings on his hand.

BOB’S KEEPING HIS NOTES CLOSE AT HAND

Would someone buy Bob Katter a notepad? Or a napkin on which to jot down his thoughts?

Baz suspects even if he got either in his Santa stocking, Katter would still use his hand on which to write down his most important notes.

He’s been doing it for years, despite being publicly lambasted after he was busted doing it in a TV interview. Still, whatever works for you. Studies show writing things down is the best way to commit things to memory. Given the tome on his hand, Bob needs some help.

New acting Commissioner of COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria Emma Cassar. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

QUARANTINE COMMISH

New acting Commissioner of COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria Emma Cassar takes control of the state’s quarantine program when it kicks back into gear on Monday.

Cassar is no slouch, having worked in the state’s corrections system for more than 20 years in a range of roles, starting as a forensic psychologist after she finished her clinical doctorate and then moving to the custodial environment where she’s managed several prisons.

So Baz reckons the program is in good hands. And good luck trying to escape! However, it can’t be forgotten that the last program failed largely because of rogue staff who couldn’t follow the rules. Baz was reminded this week of former general manager of Marngoneet prison, Wayne Harper, who,under Cassar’s watch, was busted with child pornography material on his work phone.

Baz’s prison spies say Harper was apparently reported as promoting a toxic culture at the prison, but complaints fell on deaf ears. Presumably there have been some learnings from that episode.

For Harper’s part, he’ll have until 2023 to think about it behind bars.

Richard Riordan in parliament.

RICHARD’S SPRAY ON DISPLAY

There have almost as many good parliamentary performances as there have been sitting days this year — that’s to say, not many.

One rare standout was a display a few months back from former opposition leader Matthew Guy that went gangbusters.

However his colleague, member for Polwarth Richard Riordan, nleashed a noteworthy spray in parliament back in October that was completely missed by Baz.

Alas the video only made its way to Baz’s desk this week and my, oh my. Only two minutes into the 10-minute tirade Baz hoped there was a defibrillator on standby lest the honourable member run into a spot of bother. But he made it through — just. It’s been seen more than 400,000 times on social media, with one well-placed observer noting “I reckon It’s the best spray I have seen in parliament since Julia rounded up Abbott a few years ago”.

But in the next breath said observer highlighted the very problem with the modern Liberal Party, telling Baz: “I’d never heard of the bloke but his bio says he is back bencher for the Libs ... I didn’t know they had enough numbers to make a front bench!”

Former Victorian Premier Steve Bracks.

THERE’S A FRACTION TOO MUCH FACTION FRICTION

Baz was getting worried for a second when it started to look as though Labor’s factional issues were going to fade away once the pubs reopened.

Thankfully he can report that it’s not just everyday life going back to COVID-normal.

The latest factional power test came at a national executive meeting that hammered out the findings of the Bracklin (Jenny Macklin and Steve Bracks) report into branch stacking and reform.

There was a big push for the new-look admin committee to have only four positions in a move that would have meant the Industrial Left were unrepresented. Needless to say this did not go down well and the IL and Right-aligned groups combined to make sure the Socialist Left didn’t have the numbers to get it through.

The committee will instead have five seats to accommodate the IL, with WhatsApp groups lighting up with the phrase “Albo was rolled” within minutes of the vote.

A sign of things to come?

SEEKING DREAM TEAM

Speaking of the Liberals’ relevancy issues, perhaps that’s why Victorian Libs are calling for expressions of interest to be part of its campaign team for the 2022 election.

State director Sam McQuestin is seeking a “creative team to help us highlight the positive plans of the O’Brien Liberal National team and the damage being inflicted on the state by the current government.”

They will need to “understand political advertising is different to product advertising ... and work collaboratively in a high-pressure campaign environment”.

Tough gig, that’s for sure.

Got any political scuttlebutt for Baz? [e-mail]