Backroom Baz: Tim Smith heads to London and leaves by-election talk in his wake

Eyebrows were raised among the Jag-deprived Member for Kew’s colleagues when he suddenly left the Coalition’s MP WhatsApp group.

Without a car or a licence, it’s no wonder Tim Smith has hopped on a plane and headed to London.

Bizarrely no one in the Liberal Party has any idea, because he’s stopped speaking to almost all of them.

And despite formerly being a regular caller to Baz, he’s stopped taking calls from this columnist, too.

Eyebrows were raised among the Jag-deprived Member for Kew’s colleagues when he suddenly left the Coalition’s MP WhatsApp group.

Does he not want to know the day’s political strategy any more?

The Hawthorn crash scene. Picture: Olivia and Charlotte Neish

It’s over and out for Tim Smith in the group chat.

He’s also been granted special leave from attending parliament.

Is this all a sign of an early departure from the green leather of the Legislative Assembly?

An early (and expensive) by-election is the last thing Tim’s frenemy Matthew Guy needs.

Baz is assured any prospective by-election will depend on the result of the Kew preselection. If his pal, and one of the only colleagues he speaks to, David Davis gets up, prompting a move down from the upper house, Smith will hold off.

That way Davis keeps the plush benefits, including the driver, that go with being Leader of the opposition in the upper house.

But if up-and-comer Jess Wilson wins, well, by-election time.

THE POLI’S DRAFT

It really is like draft night on Spring Street right now. It happens in the run up to every election, to be sure, and it’s never dull.

But the mass exodus of senior MPs is guaranteeing a proper parliamentary makeover in 2022. This week alone Labor’s Dustin Halse, member for romance, and Danielle Green called it quits.

As did the inimitable former Attorney-General Jill Hennessy and 22-year veteran Richard Wynne.

Jill Hennessy was among the MP exodus in the last week. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

On any measure those two alone will be a huge loss to Labor.

There’s talk minister for fun Martin Pakula will move to the upper house, and speculation is rife treasurer Tim Pallas may yet have an announcement to make. Add to that the incomers.

Long time parliamentary hopeful Asher Judah has confirmed he’s thrown his hat into the ring for preselection in Ashwood, and a raft of candidates are lining up to run for new political outfit the Victorians Party.

Entry of the party might prove to be the biggest Spring Street shake-up in years, with some high-profile names already being bandied about.

YES, YOUR HONOUR

Two matters of interest concerning allegations of government interference in the judiciary crossed Baz’s desk.

Each has posed some interesting questions about just how our finest legal minds are being appointed.

Specifically, the seeming insistence from the current mob of stacking the bench with women. Baz is reliably informed that the upcoming appointment of a well respected male judge, to the reserve bench, was made conditional on the announcement containing a balancing number of women.

Court of Appeal president Chris Maxwell.

So, watch in coming weeks for the appointment of a couple of female reserve judges who Baz is told “don’t want the job, and neither of them will ever sit”.

While Baz is sure they are deserving of the new appointments, it may seem like pure window dressing to some.

Then there’s the much anticipated departure of Court of Appeal president Chris Maxwell, which has been long rumoured.

Baz is told it will happen in or about April 2022, giving the government a chance to reappoint before the election. Watch this space.

SNAIL MAIL

A bizarre postage stamp scheme that allegedly rorted thousands of taxpayer dollars seems to have stuck to Labor MP Tim Richardson since they were recently aired at IBAC.

The way it works, allegedly, is that electorate office staff would spend thousands of taxpayer dollars, to buy up thousands of stamps, which could never be used because frankly no one sends that much mail anymore.

The stamps are then diverted to support a Labor re-election campaign.

A Parkdale resident makes their feelings on the matter well known.

Adam Sullivan, a former electorate officer and ministerial adviser, told IBAC’s Labor corruption probe that he splurged thousands on stamps that were then re-routed and distributed to Tim Richardson’s re-election campaign for Mordialloc.

That then would explain this sign on Beach Rd, Parkdale, suggesting Richo get, err, licked.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Baz got a great chuckle this week at the some Liberal Party promo material spruiking an upcoming education forum, but misspelling Attorney-General.

That’s Attorney, not Atterney.

Not to mention the other crimes against good grammar.

Intriguingly it seems the person organising the event appears to be a teacher! Heavens above. Baz wonders if she’s breaking education department regulations by using her work email to arrange this little shindig?

The promo material that makes it look like Matthew Bach needs to go back to school.

LACKLUSTRE LODGE

We like to think we’re the Lucky Country, and you won’t find Baz arguing.

But when it comes to our most famous home, The Lodge, it seems we could be doing a whole lot better.

A recent Uswitch survey has found the official residence of the Prime Minister has ranked 13th in the overall most-attractive residence worldwide study.

With 40 rooms, and costing more than $2m when it was built in 1927, it’s no slouch! But it was no competition for the UK’s 10 Downing Street, with 100 rooms and more than 300 years old, which took out top spot. Jubilee House in Ghana, and the Royal Palace of Amsterdam in the Netherlands took home the silver and bronze.

The official residences of the US, Denmark, Kazakhstan, Japan, Russia, Canada and the Czech Republic all came in before ScoMo’s house.

GUESS WHO

Which MP was this week fingered as a dead ringer for one of Victoria Police’s most wanted?