The Sauce: Dutton’s campaign trail photo brings the Libs’ Helloworld woes back into focus

In The Sauce: Peter Dutton unwittingly reminds everyone of the government’s Helloworld woes with a campaign trail photo, while Premier Gladys Berejiklian meets with some unlikely coffee companions.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton hands out flyers outside a Helloworld outlet — the same travel agency that has kept the Liberals in the news this week.

Peter Dutton faces an uphill battle to hold his north Brisbane seat of Dickson at the next election, so it was good to see the Home Affairs minister campaigning at a local shopping centre yesterday.

He probably could have chosen a better spot though.

A photo quickly emerged showing him handing out flyers outside a Helloworld travel agent in Eatons Hill.

Considering the Morrison government has spent the past week trying to distance itself from the travel agency run by federal Liberal Party Treasurer Andrew Burnes (amid claims Helloworld was given access to US ambassador Joe Hockey while bidding for a contract) you could say it’s a case of bad timing.

THE SECRET COFFEE CLUB

A former lobbyist, a dumped Labor mayor, a sitting MP and the Premier of NSW — not your regular group of people to be hanging out together in an inner-west cafe.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, seen here at a different meeting over a cuppa. Picture: Kym Smith

But there they all were, sipping coffees with Premier Gladys Berejiklian, at a cafe last October, causing more than a few raised eyebrows.

Fairfield City Mayor Frank Carbone, a former Labor member who was expelled for running against an endorsed candidate (he won anyway), said the meeting, which also included lobbyist-turned-government adviser Neil Harley, was organised to discuss “local issues”.

MORE FROM THE SAUCE

PREMIER’S STAFFER RAISES EYEBROWS POSTING PHOTO WITH SHAMED MP

PM’S STAFF LAID UP AFTER TRIP TO FIJI

MP’S ROOKIE ERROR POSING IN FRONT OF THE REJECT SHOP

However, a Liberal source suggested a more sinister intention, alleging the group met to discuss a deal to apply to three Western Sydney Labor-held seats.

Under the alleged agreement, the Liberals would “run dead” in the seat of Cabramatta to give Carbone’s council colleague, independent candidate for Cabramatta Dai Le, a clear run against Labor MP Nick Lalich.

The party would also run dead in Prospect, where Carbone would be running as an independent, with the Liberals also directing him their preferences to help bump off Labor MP Hugh McDermott.

Discussions were also allegedly held about Fairfield, held by Labor MP Guy Zangari. Carbone, who laughed off the suggestion of any deal, said the meeting was organised by Liberal MP John Sidoti.

“We discussed refugees, how Fairfield has resettled a lot of these people, and not to overlook the seat for funds because it is Labor,” he said. “Sidoti comes out to festivals in Fairfield so that’s why I lobbied him for funds and he organised it. The coffee was good too.”

The Sauce was told the meeting was in vain, with Ms Berejiklian rejecting the deal.

TESTING THE RELATIONSHIP

Life just got a little tricky for one of Gladys Berejiklian’s staffers.

Elizabeth Daniels and Beau Mitchem.

Channel 9 has announced Chris O’Keefe, the state political reporter for the past four years, is moving on from Macquarie St after the March 23 election, and will be replaced with Ben Fordham’s radio producer Elizabeth Daniels.

But the new hire might make things awkward for Beau Mitchem, a media adviser for the NSW Premier — he’s the long-term partner of Daniels.

The Sauce can only imagine how uncomfortable work would be for Mitchem if Daniels smashes his boss on Sydney’s highest-rating TV news bulletin.

As for O’Keefe, the rising network star is heading to Canberra

Federal politicians be warned: get ready from some very early morning phone calls

LABOR SEND-OFF

After demanding she quit politics amid allegations of bullying and misconduct, the ALP still invited NSW MP Emma Husar to a party for outgoing MPs in Canberra last week.

Labor Member for Lindsay Emma Husar declined to attend an ALP celebration last week. Picture: AAP

Unsurprisingly, Husar, who feels her retirement has been thrust upon her, wasn’t too keen to celebrate her career cut short.

Instead the first-term MP skipped the festivities and sent a text message to Bill Shorten which she asked him to read out. According to those in the room, her leader obliged.

“Thank you to those who’ve been welcoming and supportive, there are some precious memories there,” Husar wrote.

Labor MPs are hoping her valedictory speech, booked in for Budget week, will be just as kind.

RYDE RUMBLE

Skulduggery seems rife in the Ryde election campaign.

Australia’s richest property developer, Harry Triguboff, is persona non grata in the northwest Sydney electorate, where the major parties are blaming each other for expediting a proposed 42-storey tower on Talavera Rd in Macquarie Park.

Ryde Liberal councillor Jordan Lane went to Halloween dressed as a Meriton apartment tower, which he dubbed ‘Laxale Towers’.

Ryde MP Victor Dominello and Ryde Mayor-turned-state election candidate Jerome Laxale are tripping over themselves to avoid being blamed for overdevelopment.

According to Sauce correspondent Jack Morphet, the latest dirty tactic is to create fake websites with Laxale’s name in an attempt to convince voters he’s in bed with property developers.

The websites all redirect to Triguboff’s Meriton site spruiking new apartment towers.

“It shows what depths the Liberal Party will sink to in order to hold on to power,” Laxale said.

While there’s no suggestion Dominello is involved in creating the fake sites, you can definitely tell it’s election time.

Got some Sauce? Contact

[e-mail]

[e-mail] or

[e-mail]

Originally published as The Sauce: Dutton’s campaign trail photo brings the Libs’ Helloworld woes back into focus