Victorian Young Liberals Catholic faction’s defection proposal beyond belief

In worrying news for the Messiah from the Shire, the Victorian Young Liberals Catholic faction considered defecting to Labor.

In worrying news for the Messiah from the Shire, until very recently the Victorian Young Liberals Catholic faction was considering defecting to Labor. Strewth has confirmed the idea was circulated among senior members of the young conservatives and a few even met in good faith with Victorian Labor senator (and practising Catholic) Kimberley Kitching. The walkout was shelved after the Catholics concluded there wasn’t a natural home for them within Anthony Albanese’s ranks. The faction, based in the southeast of Melbourne, say their concerns centred on Liberal economic policy but also admit there’s tension over the social ideas advocated by the newly progressive Institute for Public Affairs. Kitching was the obvious port of call for the crestfallen Catholics. She voted Yes for same-sex marriage but is anti-euthanasia and calls herself a “Labor conservative”. Kitching recently formed the Parliamentary Friends of Democracy with Liberal MP Andrew Hastie to defend “Judaeo-Christian” and “Western-liberal democratic values”. She told this paper’s Greg Brown in October it was part of her job to fight “smug elitism” and she would ensure the views of “inner-city elites” didn’t prevail over the “quiet wisdom of working people”. Kitching quipped that the rise of the Greens in Melbourne’s latte laneways had been good for Labor, as it helped create a “Corbyn-proof fence” to protect the party from the “more extreme and out of touch” parts of the Left.

Leader in action

The Queensland Liberal National Party also is having growing pains, suspending three members of its Gold Coast youth arm after they posted a racist video filmed at Schoolies. LNP leader Deb Frecklington skipped like a broken record when asked for her response at a press conference on Tuesday. First: “Look, this is inappropriate and the party is taking action.” Second, when asked what she thought: “Personally, it is inappropriate and the party are taking action.” Third, on whether it should be internal action or more public: “Well, it is inappropriate and the party are taking action.” Fourth, on what exactly the action might be: “The party is taking action, the party has put out a statement, and I’ll say it again, this is inappropriate and the party is doing the right thing and taking action.” Finally: How does it fit with party views? “Well, the party has made a very clear statement — this is inappropriate and the party are taking action.”

Seeker revenge

Turns out Tony Burke wasn’t too happy when Strewth revealed that his secret special guest for Thursday night’s Labor Christmas party in parliament is GANGgajang lead singer Mark ‘Cal’ Callaghan. We know because he whinged about it at the opposition’s final caucus meeting on Tuesday morning. Burke said we’d disrespected his musical choice by pointing out the band’s best-known tune, Sounds of Then (This is Australia), was written on the patio of former Nationals MP Paul Neville. We hate to burst Burke’s bubble (not really) but we hear he has a second surprise singer scheduled to make an appearance: Keith Potger from the Seekers. Will he and Burke belt out The Carnival is Over?

Passion play

Power and the Passion could be the new Nationals theme (if you ignore Midnight Oil singer Peter Garrett’sLabor ties). Leader Michael McCormack was shirt-fronted by placard-carrying Murray-Darling Basin Plan protesters (“National F..king Farmers” and “Barnabribe a baby won’t fix this affair” were our favourites), who accused him of being a passionless poker player. Kyabram farmer John Russell told MickMack his party “is not going to exist after the next election unless you grow some spine and stand up”. Labor continued the theme in question time, heckling: “Where’s the passion?” and “Fire up!” Without warning, MickMack transformed from Bruce Banner to The Hulk (although the only Green thing about him was his tie). Albanese interjected: “It’s Christmas, calm down.” And Speaker Tony Smith reminded the shouty Deputy Prime Minister that his microphone was “in perfect working order”. MickMack replied: “Indeed it is, just like the Liberal Nationals government.” Labor senator Glenn Sterle continued the gibes, asking Nationals deputy Bridget McKenzie if she was “invited to participate in the meeting (between protesters and her ministerial foe Water Minister David Littleproud) and, if not, why not?” McKenzie shot back: “Well, there’s a lot of meetings that happen, Senator Sterle. I’m not invited to a lot of them.” Joel Fitzgibbon tweeted: “No one is surprised!”

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