Shorten steps as Gladys Berejiklian goes MIA

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian speaks during Question Time in the Legislative Assembly at New South Wales Parliament House on Wednesday. Picture: Joel Carrett/AAP

Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday night at a charity event celebrating Reverend Bill Crews and 30 years of The Exodus Foundation where NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was missing in action.

Berejiklian was scheduled as the first speaker but kept organisers at the Sydney Park Hyatt and MC John Mangos waiting for over half an hour, much to their annoyance.

Strewth understands she was busy dealing with her rocky leadership and the “crisis of government”, as her former minister for women Tanya Davies described it, as the upper house debated decriminalising abortion well into the night.

Davies and colleague Kevin Conolly haven’t ruled out quitting the Liberal party over the bill, a move that would kill Berejiklian’s parliamentary majority of two.

When Berejiklian didn’t appear, it was Bill Shorten who stepped in to save the day.

The former federal Labor leader took to the stage to give a heartfelt speech about Crews’ decision to give up engineering (he built the first machine in Australia to grow ultra pure single crystal silicon) for a life helping the homeless and poor with meals, healthcare and hope.

When Berejiklian eventually arrived, audience members say she gave a brief “fluffy” hallmark address before rushing back to deal with the division within the NSW Liberal ranks.

With our friend Bill Crews last night commemorating the 30th anniversary of The Exodus Foundation being established. Thank you Bill for fighting incessantly to lift people out of poverty and homelessness in our city. pic.twitter.com/SJ0vEebrxj

— Darcy Byrne (@MayorDarcy) August 21, 2019