Reynolds removal

Whatever happened to the couch at the centre of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations? Strewth is disturbed by the answer.

Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins.

Whatever happened to the couch at the centre of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations?

You know, the one in minister Linda Reynolds’ Canberra office that was controversially steam-cleaned after the former Liberal staffer was found naked in the early hours of March, 23, 2019.

Strewth is disturbed to report the couch was in daily use until very recently, even after Higgins went public with her story. For reasons that remain unexplained, Reynolds decided to hold onto the couch after the 2019 incident.

Staff suggestions that it should be removed and replaced by arm chairs were reportedly ignored.

Following the 2019 federal election, Reynolds moved to another office in the ministerial wing.

The couch remained behind, adopted by Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price, who was unaware of its past. When Higgins came forward in February, it took another month for the couch to finally be removed.

“It was the elephant in the room,” one insider told Strewth. Politicians and staff were understandably uncomfortable about being forced to sit on the sofa during meetings. Witnesses report awkward scenes when visitors to the minister’s office realised there was nowhere else for them to perch.

Despite repeated requests for information, the tight-lipped Department of Finance would admit only that the couch was removed by Price’s request “following discussions with ACT Policing”.

Where it is now? Stored somewhere in Parliament House by the Department of Parliamentary Services. Building occupants beware.

Suggestions that the couch should be removed and replaced by arm chairs were reportedly ignored by Linda Reynolds.

Art A-hack

The #MeToo movement is framing Australia’s richest art prize. Portraits of Australian of the Year Grace Tame and actor Eryn Jean Norvill are on the 2021 shortlist for the $100,000 Archibald Prize. Other famous faces in the final 52: NSW Governor Margaret Beazley, veteran journalist Kerry O’Brien, actor Rachel Griffiths, football fanatic Craig Foster, artist Ben Quilty and Scientologist Kate Ceberano. There are slim picking on the political front, with Tony Abbott receiving the brush-off from the drop-cloth critics. Did Strewth accidentally curse Sydney artist Simon Fieldhousewhen we pointed out hisintricate watercolour featured a mystery man who has been stabbed in the back by a rather large knife? Abbott, Scott Morrison and Kevin Rudd are the only prime ministers since Gough Whitlam who have not been the subject of an Archibald shortlisted portrait. The winner will be announced by the NSW Art Gallery on June 4.

The portraits of Australian of the Year Grace Tame on the 2021 shortlist for the $100,000 Archibald Prize.

Life’s a beach

Things are heating up in Hughes, where locals are looking for a celebrity candidate to take on Craig Kelly at the next federal election. With hopes of emulating the successful grassroots campaigns run by Zali Steggall in Warringah and Helen Haines in Indi, the net has been cast across Australia for a high-profile person to run as a “community-minded independent”. Eagle-eyed locals have spotted Kerryn Phelps spending more time in the beachside town of Bundeena, where she owns a holiday home. The short-lived member for Wentworth was the star speaker at Wattle Grove Community Hall last Sunday, where she and fellow former crossbencher Cathy McGowan offered some wisdom on how to take down the major parties. Earlier this month, Phelps bowed out of the race to become Sydney’s next lord mayor to care for an unwell family member. When Strewth spoke to Phelps, she didn’t rule out a second tilt at federal politics but she emphasised she’s not in a position to make any decisions or plans for the future … yet. If Phelps does decide to throw her hat in the ring, she may have to compete with Craig Foster, whom we hear has been in contact with Linda Seymour, leader of the vocal “We Are Hughes” Group.

Kerryn Phelps is spending more time in the beachside town of Bundeena, where she owns a holiday home

Kelly and co

Meanwhile … Craig Kelly was spotted lunching with Clive Palmer in the Canberra Bubble™ on Wednesday. For those interested in the menu, we’re told Kelly the octopus (salad) and Palmer a chicken (salad), with the pair sharing a side bowl of chips. Between bites, our colleague Greg Brown reports the mining magnate has agreed to bankroll the former Liberal’s legal challenge against Facebook and his independent campaign in Hughes.

Craig Kelly and Clive Palmer in the MP’s office in Parliament House.

Citizen Pyne

Christopher Pyne’s eclectic client list just keep growing and growing. The Business Council of Australia is the latest corporate to sign with the former defence minister’s boutique lobbying shop Pyne & Partners. It’s no wonder the Adelaide-based Pyne is spending more hours at his bricks and mortar store in Barton, a stone’s throw from Parliament House. It’s not just Jennifer Westacott getting in on the Pyne Time. More than 20 clients are listed on the government’s lobbyist register, including Israel’s largest privately owned weapons company Elbit Systems, weapons manufacturer DroneShield, South Australian space company Southern Launch Space, the Adelaide Lutheran Sports Club, medical device company Austofix Australia, Cobham Aviation Services, the city of Burnside, tech company Cocoon Data, Good to Great Schools Australia, asset manager Duxton Capital, Thoroughbred Racing SA and vegetable supplier Zerella Fresh. It’s just over two years since Pyne left politics for a new life in consulting and podcasting. And if rumours can be believed, he may be throwing on an apron soon for a spot of reality TV. We’ve heard The Fixer’s name has been thrown around for the upcoming season of Celebrity MasterChef, airing on Ten later this year. It’s not as unlikely a casting as you may think — he’s a regular on The Project, knows his way around a gin and tonic (with lemon) and once made dumplings at notorious Canberra eatery China Plate with Anthony Albanese during an episode of Annabel Crabb’s Kitchen Cabinet.

Christopher Pyne with his West Highland Scottish terriers, Daphne and Scout.

Correction corner

Strewth offers a most humble apology to Nationals David Gillespie, who this column accidentally included in our list of Wednesday’s question time evictees instead of Labor’s Brian Mitchell. Gillespie is the member for Lyne on the NSW mid-north coast and Mitchell the member for Lyons in Tasmania. The iron fist of Speaker Tony Smith continued on Thursday, with Labor MP Tim Watts gone in 66 seconds (automatically upgrading his membership of the 94a club to platinum). Is that a record? According to Hansard hawks, Watts is tied for the fastest farewell from question time with fellow Labor MP Nick Champion, who left within a minute on November 26, 2014.

Scott Morrison and Tony Smith.

[e-mail]