Union boss Luba Grigorovitch’s link to Sorrento mansion a hot topic

The working class credentials of a wannabe Labor MP for the west are being called into question by her links to a big purchase.

Westbank set a new price record for the Mornington Peninsula when it sold for $30m.

A $30 million holiday home sale in Sorrento, believed to be bought by private equity boss Ben Gray, got tongues wagging in political circles earlier this week and not just because of the price tag.

Some on the conservative side of the fence were speculating if the luxury mansion was a good election-year weapon to attack Gray’s partner, RTBU state secretary Luba Grigorovitch, over her working class credentials.

The union boss has been preselected by Labor for Kororoit and faces a potential by-election in the seat before November.

When contacted by Baz about the commentary, Grigorovitch said she was “proudly a woman from the west” and had a mortgage herself which she was paying on her own.

It is also believed the $30m pad won’t be used as an everyday residence, with Gray seeing it as a once in a lifetime investment opportunity.

Luba Grigorovitch is running for the seat of Kororoit in the west. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The clifftop mansion was a once in a lifetime investment opportunity.

COULD BORIS BLOW THERESA’S TRIP

Former British PM Theresa May is due to land in Melbourne early next month for a whistlestop tour in part to try and give the Libs a bit of a hand in boosting the number of women in their ranks.

May had huge success doing just that with her own Conservative party, and local Libs are trying to cash in on her experience.

Baz understands it’s been quite the job getting May into the country, given Australia’s borders are still shut to most of the rest of the world.

Of course it could all be for nothing, with pressure on May’s Downing St replacement Boris Johnson to resign, she could be catapulted back into a senior gig.

Would that scupper who trip down under?

Theresa May’s bid to increase women in the Liberal ranks could be on hold. Picture: Getty Images

A barefoot and painted Brett Sutton with the Archibald Portrait entry.

SUTTON TAKES HIMSELF HOME

If you’re the Premier you need to wait till your career’s dead before you get your portrait hung in Parliament House.

When you’re the chief health officer, you pick it up on the run.

Brett Sutton was painted by St Andrews artist Vicki Sullivan for an Archibald Portrait prize entry, and as a thankyou was gifted his very own head study.

Baz was quick to notice Sutton’s apparent lack of footwear (cue jokes about the lockdown master having no sole) but was told he had in fact come from a day at the beach with his family to collect the work.

Then home and straight to the pool room, no doubt.

LIKEABLE LIMBRICK

There are only a few on Spring St who pack a punch on social media. Daniel Andrews is king, and remains the easy leader when it comes to online reach. Not just in Victoria, mind, he’s following is bigger than any other politician in Australia. Baz was interested to see this week that Liberal Democrats MP David Limbrick overtook opposition leader Matthew Guy for Twitter followers. Limbrick, who is hoping to make a move to Canberra, has built a following throughout the pandemic and now typically gets 5 to 10 times more likes on any tweet than Guy. According to Baz’s calculations, it now makes him only second most popular Tweeter in state politics to the Premier.

Me: With the severe workforce shortages, surely no one is seriously considering expanding vax mandate requirements.

Victorian Government : Hold my beer…

— David Limbrick MP 🌸 (@_davidlimbrick) January 19, 2022

FOLEY NOTES HIS DISPLEASURE

Eagle-eyed reporters love to get a peek at the notes ministers write themselves before fronting the press pack, even if it’s just to get an idea what groceries they are buying.

But Health Minister Martin Foley clearly had no need for Tim Tams or beer earlier this month when he walked out with some notes showing he was all too keen to have a dig at the federal government.

Pictures snapped from the press conference show Foley appears to have jotted down ‘Prime Minister for No Responsibility’ on his talking points, which came around the time when there was a lot of frustration about rapid testing.

Judging by his handwriting it could also say ‘Prime Minister for No Rapid Testing” but that doesn’t sound half as catchy.

NO ROOM FOR BAZ X 2

Backbench Labor MP Sonja Terpstra has made no secret of her disdain for Baz, and often the media generally.

But now Baz thinks he knows why! And it all makes sense. Terpstra this week took to Twitter to wish her husband of 18 years a happy wedding anniversary.

Her husband named: Baz! Well, Baz truly understands there can only be room for one Baz in anyone’s life. Happy anniversary, you two.

GUESS WHO

Who reported basketball champ Andrew Bogut to the VEC over his social media activity, sparking a warning of prosecution if he doesn’t watch himself?