Backroom Baz: Victoria’s big names swoon over the Taylor Swift of politics

As big names flocked to see Alastair Campbell this week, senior members of the Libs’ parliamentary team were notably absent at a speech by the mastermind behind three Tony Blair election wins. Have they given up all hope?

Alastair Campbell with deputy premier Ben Carroll, Steve Bracks, and Wayne Swan.

Alastair Campbell, the former adviser to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, proved his rock-star appeal this week.

To say he is the politicians’ Taylor Swift would be an understatement, as politicos beat the door down to listen to him speak and get a picture with the mastermind behind three successive Blair election victories.

In Melbourne this week he charmed an audience of nearly 200 in a Q&A session at KPMG, where you only had to look over your shoulder to see some of the biggest names from the Labor movement and local business community.

Alastair Campbell with Jacinta Allan

Lord Mayor Sally Capp, her deputy Nick Reece, former minister for fun Martin Pakula, former ALP secretary Chris Ford, John Faine, Labor lobbyist Ryan Liddell, pollster turned ABC election pundit Tony Barry, members of premier Jacinta Allan and Deputy Premier Ben Caroll’s private office, and a handy complement of former Napthine advisers were all tuned in to hear Campbell regale tales of his time in politics, dinner with Vladimir Putin, the rise of fringe politics and the fall in support for major political parties. Which is why Baz was so surprised not to see senior members of the Victorian Liberal Party’s parliamentary team jumping at the chance to learn a lesson or two from a bona fide election-winning machine. Perhaps they think they’ve got it in the bag, or perhaps they’ve just given up all hope.

Campbell later met with Jacinta Allan and her staff, and had dinner with a raft of Labor luminaries, including the deputy premier, former premier Steve Bracks and ALP national president Wayne Swan. He also met with, and praised, republican Governor Margaret Gardner. Baz is sorry he missed out.

Alastair Campbell with Jacinta Allan and staff.

Fuss over fergie

Campbell wasn’t the only British tourist visiting our fine city this week. Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson was in Melbourne, but unlike the former communications tsar, wasn’t so open to answering questions.

Spies dutifully reported said the on-again-off-again royal had a long list of demands ahead of scheduled interviews with local journalists, including that all questions be submitted well in advance for approval, and strictly no mention of the royals, royal family, Queen, ex-husband Andrew or family members in exile Harry and Meghan were to be asked. A bit rich for a woman who’s spent the better part of four decades trading of her royal connections.

Still, those who got up close and personal with the Duchess said she was no princess, but instead warm, engaging, easygoing and relaxed.

Baz reckons her minders might like to take a leaf out of her book.

Former premier Daniel Andrews, now replete with a Brent-esque goatee, has been spotted circling the Treasury Place precinct. Picture: Josie Hayden

Tough to let go of the job

The hardest part about retirement, especially early retirement, is working out how to fill one’s day, Baz is reliably informed. Especially so for those who have made a career of working around the clock.

Those familiar with British TV series The Office will recall that, upon leaving paper company Wernham Hogg, David Brent continued to show up unannounced and uninvited to his former employer. Eagle-eyed observers still occupying the Spring St precinct have noticed a recently departed colleague doing the same thing. Former premier Daniel Andrews, now replete with a Brent-esque goatee, has been spotted circling the Treasury Place precinct (where he has an office) every Monday just prior to the weekly cabinet meeting.

“You can set your watch to it”, one still employed former colleague said. “The clock strikes 11.45am and Daniel is out there looking for members of cabinet and members of the press gallery”.

Dan struck gold last week, bumping into a press pack who chased him to his car. Hard to know who was more excited.

While the former Premier is no doubt more welcome in the office he once occupied than Brent, Baz wonders if, like Brent, Dan’s presence is starting to wear thin?

Bracks the dog with Labor MP Sonja Terpstra

Has pup ban been beaten?

When Sprite the wonder dog was banned from parliament last year, it caused an uprising, the likes of which has not been seen inside Victorian borders since the Eureka Stockade.

Furious MPs from across the political divide called for an immediate overturn of the ban, but the elderly rescue pup remains out in the cold.

However, has Baz stumbled upon some preferential treatment for partisan pups?

Enter Bracks, the newest parliamentary pooch, who was spotted within the halls of power this week.

Baz is told Bracks is the pampered pet of a staffer of Labor MP Steve McGhie.

But it’s not his political allegiance, or the fact he’s named after former premier Steve, that has given him a pass into parliament.

Instead it’s an odd rule that let’s dogs into the modern annex that houses the offices of MPs but not inside the parliament building proper