Backroom Baz: Pesutto’s internal wrangles ahead of major test

Tension is growing within the Pesutto camp and Baz can sense it. One business figure suggested those inside should spend “less time looking in the mirror”.

Opposition leader John Pesutto. Picture: Josie Hayden

Opposition Leader John Pesutto is limbering up for another electoral test in the coming weeks with the crucial Mulgrave by-election.

After the somewhat unexpected positive result in Warrandyte, Baz would have thought things would have been smooth sailing for Pesutto and his office.

Alas, all is not well as grumbles continue to build among senior business leaders and party stalwarts about the quality of advice being provided to the leader and the office’s engagement with key stakeholders.

A lawyers’ picnic is how one half jokingly described the situation to Baz this week.

“A little less time spent looking in the mirror and more time hitting the phones to key allies wouldn’t go unnoticed,” one disgruntled business leader said.

Now, if your traditionally rusted-on allies are getting grumpy, what does that mean for the rest of the electorate?

Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that much of Pesutto’s office have eyes elsewhere.

As one politico quipped this week, “someone grab a bucket, the office is leaking staff”.

Two current staffers have put their hand up to fill two seats in Melbourne’s east this month. Ex-Ripon MP and Pesutto adviser Louise Staley has joined the 11-horse race for Northeast Metro preselection, while fellow adviser Courtney Mann has been preselected to contest Dan Andrews’ former seat of Mulgrave.

Former JP campaigner Chris Kounelis, 26, who is also running for NEMR, has the OL’s office behind him as well.

The Young Lib’s number one supporter, girlfriend Natalie Litsas, has been running Pesutto’s social media, while his close friend and Menzies YL president, Dean Dell’orso, works as policy adviser for the OL.

Louise Staley, Victorian Shadow Minister for Government Scrutiny. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Kiwan returns

While some are getting cranky with the Opposition Leader’s office, across the aisle there’s been plenty of praise for the Premier’s new office.

Matt Phelan has now had his first week as Jacinta Allan’s new chief of staff with Jess Lindell and Declan McGonigle his two deputies.

With McGonigle from the Left, and Lindell from the Right, it’s a clear sign Allan is focused on keeping the factional peace.

But it is latest recruit Mounir Kiwan, appointed director of parliament and stakeholders, who has impressed the business scene.

He will be tasked with spearheading the legislative agenda and building ties with external parties.

Sources say Kiwan becamea solitary force of rational common sense when leading the government’s engagement with business through Covid.

Business figures connected to Spring St were breathing a collective sigh of relief.

Welcome back, Mounir, don’t forget one of your most important stakeholders, Baz!

Beans brouhaha

The federal Opposition has been holding the Prime Minister’s feet to the proverbial fire over his priorities following the failure of the Voice referendum.

So Baz was surprised to see the ambitious Member for Flinders complaining on social media recently about her lack of European coffee beans!

Given the Opposition’s attacks, maybe this was best left off social media.

The MP was one of many so-called “Liberal moderates” who happened to lose their voice in the referendum and fled to Europe while the vote took place.

Surely she could have restocked while traipsing through the continent.

Foster on his way

Speaking of valued members of the Premier’s Private Office, another long-serving Andrews staffer departed this week.

After Lissie Ratcliffe and Jessie McCrone, Ben Foster was probably the former Premier’s most valued member of staff.

Known as key Mr Fix-It, Foster was responsible for parliamentary tactics and caucus liaison, delivery of Bills and as a point of contact for “grumbling MPs”.

Before that he was an adviser to Tanya Plibersek and Bill Shorten, where he was part of a “dirt unit” that discovered former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s infamous “Choppergate” rides.

Those who worked alongside the hardened political operative say he will be sorely missed.

Go well, Ben.

Cold shoulder

Care Leavers Australasia Network campaigners, better known as Clannies, would be the most peaceful protesters going around.

Fighting for people who grew up in and were abused in orphanages, children’s homes, missions, foster care and other child welfare institutions, they are known for their regular, but peaceful, protests.

So they were out of sorts when faced with locked doors after advising the office of Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus they would be stopping by for a protest.

The AG’s staffers tells Baz it’s standard practice to shut up shop as a security measure when aware of protests, but in the case of the peaceful Clannies, they just want someone to listen.

Guess who?

Which failed Liberal preselection candidate is putting more than a few noses out of joint in her party with her media campaigning?

Overheard by Baz

“It’s nonsense. I don’t believe you and I’m putting it on record that I don’t believe you.” David Davis gives a running commentary of Minister Harriett Shing’s evidence to the parliament’s Commonwealth Games inquiry.