Senate sayonara for Scott Ryan
Victoria is down to 11 senators! Strewth can confirm that Senate president Scott Ryan has fled Dictator Dan Andrews’ Bleak City and permanently relocated to the Canberra Bubble™.
That sure would cut down the sitting-week commute time!
“After spending much of the second half of last year in Canberra due to state and territory travel restrictions, and following the further imposition of them over summer, Senator Ryan relocated to Canberra in January,” Ryan’s spokesman told this columnist.
Does that make Ryan the third senator for the ACT, alongside Liberal Zed Seselja and Labor’s Katy Gallagher? We’ve often spotted the keen cyclist riding around Lake Burley Griffin like a typical Territorian.
The 47-year-old has already announced his plan to retire, after 14 years in office. He was first elected in 2007 and, after a brief stint in the outer ministry, became Senate president in 2017 when dual-citizen Stephen Parry was section 44-ed out.
Ryan was living in Carlton North and working out of Treasury Place in Melbourne’s CBD, having recently closed his electoral office. Like many Victorian MPs, the Senate president based himself in the ACT from August, as borders closed during Victoria’s second lockdown. Politicians were not allowed to skip the two-week quarantine imposed by ACT Health officials.
“As president of the Senate, Senator Ryan is required in Canberra when parliament sits, he cannot participate in parliamentary proceedings remotely,” Ryan’s spokesman noted.
We also understand that Ryan’s wife, Canberra native Helen Stitt, has taken a senior role in the federal Education Department as an assistant secretary for mental health in schools.
But back to Ryan. What does his move mean for the nightly travel allowance, Comcars and other taxpayer-funded entitlements for interstate politicians? The Department of Finance and independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority refused to answer questions on whether a deal had been struck.
However, Ryan’s office informed us: “Appropriate advice regarding various office expenses has been sought and will be complied with, including that no travelling allowance will be claimed for nights spent in Canberra.”
Melbourne push
Ryan is resigning at the end of his term, which technically falls on June 30, 2022.
Liberal contenders are currently battling it out to be named as his replacement, with preselections opening in June.
In the running are Simon Frost, the former Victorian Liberal director and current deputy chief of staff to Josh Frydenberg; Melbourne City councillor and lawyer Roshena Campbell; Greg Mirabella, husband to Sophie; Andrew Asten, former chief of staff to Education Minister Alan Tudge; former Vic Young Liberal president Jess Wilson; and Megan Purcell, the former Liberal candidate for Bendigo.
Whoever wins will have to face off against Sarah Henderson for the No 1 spot on the ballot at the next election, due between August 2020 and May 2021. The second spot will go to Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie.
Leave your hat on
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg thanked Scott Morrison during the Coalition’s partyroom meeting for not replicating what the Greek Prime Minister did during his COVID-19 jab.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis became an instant sex symbol when the 52-year-old unexpectedly ripped off his shirt to receive his second dose.
Pot kettle! Remember the two topless shots Frydo supplied this august organ with from his semi-pro tennis days?
Our “netball dad” PM simply rolled up the sleeve of his custom ScoMo Diamonds T-shirt for his Sunday shot.
A bicep strategy followed by Anthony Albanese and Greens leader Adam Bandt on Tuesday.
The Labor leader told his caucus room the original plan was for ScoMo, Albo and Banto to get the vaccine together. He only found out on ABC Insiders that wasn’t the case. “There is nothing this bloke won’t micromanage,” Albo complained to colleagues.
A novel idea
Could we soon be referring to Nationals MP Craig Kelly?
“I’d love him to join the Nationals, I think it’s a decision Craig would have to make, but I certainly wouldn’t stand in his way,” Barnaby Joyce said after appearing at Kelly’s door within minutes of news breaking. “I’d do what I could to encourage it.”
We understand it’s Nats leader Michael McCormack who is hesitant. Bean counters suggest that if the member for Hughes joined it would give Joyce a 50-50 split in the partyroom.
As for Kelly — who has claimed masks are a “form of child abuse”, compared Victoria to Nazi Germany, accused the CMO of “crimes against humanity” and equated the World Economic Forum’s COVID plan to Pol Pot’s genocide — his current intent is to contest the next election as an independent … “but I can’t predict the future”.
Never say never.
The Kelly Gang
“Just saying …” Liberal senator James McGrath tweeted, alongside a screenshot of a parliamentary report into the 2019 election.
It recommended the government investigate “the viability and ramification of determining a seat to be declared vacant when the sitting MP resigned or leaves the party under which they were elected”. Spicy!
Just saying... pic.twitter.com/jhjq2cSZlm
— Senator James McGrath (@SenatorMcGrath) February 23, 2021
Kelly quitting came only a few hours after the Parliamentary Friends of Making Social Media Safe was launched by National MP Anne Webster and Labor’s Sharon Claydon. It was the words of Labor frontbencher Michelle Rowland that caught our ear.
“Some people may be here because they feel there isn’t enough control of content by or on social media (for example in relation to misinformation); whereas others may feel there is too much control (for example, in relation to deplatforming),” Rowland told the breakfast crowd. “Some may think we need mandatory rules, while others may prefer voluntary rules or even think that law is futile here. The reality is somewhere in between. As internet law academic Kim Weatherall said: ‘the future is neither one of perfect control nor of powerlessness’. What is important is that we become less reactive, and more responsive.”
Electronic graffiti
Among the pages inadvertently wiped by Facebook last week was that of Defence Minister Linda Reynolds. Convenient timing, given the public ire after the rape allegations aired.
“Facebook has re-friended Australia,” Frydo declared following Mark Zuckerberg’s about face(book) on the news ban.
Will Reynolds’ page be restored before her Sold Out grilling at the National Press Club on Wednesday at 12.30pm?
strewth@theaustralian.com.au
Libs should be-Ware what they say about JWH
Could things get any worse for the Liberals in Hughes? Well, strap in. Diary can reveal that Liberal candidate Jenny Ware once called John Winston Howard ‘out of touch’.
Believe in your selfie, Andrew
Kevin Rudd appears to have met his selfie match in Andrew Charlton.
Victoria is down to 11 senators! Strewth can confirm that Senate president Scott Ryan has fled Dictator Dan Andrews’ Bleak City and permanently relocated to the Canberra Bubble™.