Liberal powerbrokers gather at Ottoman restaurant
Peter Dutton was dining elsewhere, but Canberra power restaurant Ottoman Cuisine was crawling with his lieutenants last night.
Were they keeping an eye on Liberal President Nick Greiner’s federal executive, who were dining at the same storeyed Turkish restaurant?
It sure looked that way.
A little after 8:30pm, the shadowy political operator James McGrath — who three years ago helped organise coup that overthrew Tony Abbott but has since busied himself plotting against Malcolm Turnbull — entered the private room where Greiner and his fellow executive members were dining.
Among those inside the room enjoying Greiner’s hospitality were the Dutton-spruiking Queensland Liberal National president Gary Spence, Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger, former federal Liberal president Richard Alston, aspiring senator Karina Okotel (who is close to young Victorian conservative powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan) and Young Liberal president Josh Manuatu (by day a staffer for Eric Abetz).
It’s not clear if McGrath’s brief visit was before or after the Liberals’ peak organisational body resolved that Malcolm Turnbull should be urged to bring on a meeting today, as demanded by the Dutton forces.
Further back in the main dining floor, with a clear view of the comings and goings into the executive’s private room, sat two of Dutton’s more senior supporters: Steve Ciobo (who, to the disbelief of many of his colleagues, has been canvassing votes to be deputy Liberal leader) and Michael Keenan, another erstwhile minister virtually unknown to the public.
Last night, at least, Ciobo and Keenan were all smiles. They even finished their Turkish and red wine feast with a pair of pink French Martinis.
Meanwhile Dutton and Mathias Cormann, who resigned yesterday as finance minister after declaring Malcolm Turnbull no longer had his support, dined together at Portia’s Place restaurant in Kingston — another favourite of the political class.
Not long now until they find out what the voters in their electorates make of their fun and games in Canberra this week.
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