Election 2016: Meanwhile in Victoria - Sophie Mirabella’s tears

Sophie Mirabella’s emotional appearance on 7.30 reverberates, a hipster ALP MP’s unique fundraiser and Tony Abbott hits town.

An emotional Sophie Mirabella with the offending article in The Australian on last night’s 7.30 program with Libby Gorr.

There is more than a bit of hand-wringing in Liberal circles this morning as hardheads examined the entrails of Sophie Mirabella’s emotional interview on the ABC’s 7.30 last night.

Meanwhile, in Victoria felt more than a little bit sorry for Mirabella as the week-old interview with comedian Libbi Gorr (why?) showed the candidate for Indi close to tears while reflecting on a story published in The Australian on May 9.

The Australian’s story carried the headline: “All sides agree on Mirabella: she’s cooked.’’

Somehow, Gorr managed to stitch together a news story alleging that Mirabella believed the Victorian Liberal Party HQ was behind a series of leaks undermining her.

It is not clear from Gorr’s reporting whether that is exactly what Mirabella said.

But Mirabella was quoted arguing that, in 90 per cent of cases, she could guess where the story came from by looking at the journalist’s byline.

What a genius.

The story in question actually quoted Labor, National Party and Liberal sources, with the most devastating quote coming from an ALP strategist.

That is, that Mirabella was cooked from day one of the campaign (which you can follow live here in our daily blog).

Privately, Mirabella and Victorian Liberal president Michael Kroger do not get on; but the reality is that she is barely even on the party’s radar during the 2016 campaign.

She has very little to no chance of winning the seat and the hardheads have better things to do than sweat over seats the party doesn’t think it can win.

Perhaps most instructive in the Gorr interview was Mirabella’s response when asked whether she had countenanced a Plan B after the campaign is over.

“We’ll (her family) talk about that later,’’ she said.

A would-be MP who thinks they will win is most unlikely to make this remark.

Mirabella’s career is not yet a political full stop but it certainly looks that way.

How in touch is Tim?

Tim Watts will barely have turned 34 when he hosts a rather hipster fundraiser in his working class seat next month.

Watts is the ambitious (and apparently smart) Labor member for Gellibrand, a seat that hosts some of the largest numbers of battling Labor supporters in Victoria. It is held with a margin of 16.6 per cent.

So what does he do for a fundraising night out in a heartland seat?

Beer and bingo? A BBQ at the Sunshine West Hyatt? Maybe even a night at the local RSL?

No, it’s tapas and wine with hipster Tim.

For the not insignificant sum of $55, attendees get their tapas and a glass of sangria.

You can almost here the punters screaming in anticipation.

Although it’s Meanwhile, in Victoria’s experience that not much good comes of sangria.

Andrews rarely loses sight of his inner punter

Meanwhile, across town, Labor Premier Daniel Andrews is rarely in danger of losing touch with his inner ALP.

Sure, the guy plays golf, likes a good red and loves a Leftie cause.

But when it comes to his rhetoric, it’s all about the Labor base.

“My first car was a red VB Commodore, and it just breaks my heart that my own kids will never be able to drive a brand new Australian-built car off the lot,’’ Andrews lamented on social media yesterday. “We can’t change that — but we can do something real to help Victorians in the automotive industry.

“Generations of men and women dedicated their lives to putting Australian cars on Australian roads. They need a Prime Minister who’s on their side. And in Bill Shorten MP, they’ll have one.’’

Meanwhile, in Victoria was a bit of a fan of the VB Commodore but will be quite happy if his kids can afford, let’s say, a Ferrari or Porsche when they are motoring towards their local Toorak Tapas bar.

An Aussie-made 1978 Holden VB Commodore sedan.

Tony Abbott hits Melbourne

Former PM Tony Abbott was in Melbourne today doing some telephone campaigning for the Liberal Party.

He spent an enormous amount of time trying to win over voters in the southern capital when he was Liberal leader, but the Socialist Republic of Victoria never quite took to him.

Barnaby Joyce, meanwhile, was due to campaign this afternoon in Mirabella’s seat of Indi.

The Nats don’t expect to win the seat but there is a rump of support for the party in northern Victoria that the Nats’ leader will be trying to keep on board.

He might even pop in to see Sophie.

It was good to visit @LiberalVictoria this morning and do some phone canvassing with the team. pic.twitter.com/ITItpInDyJ

— Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) May 17, 2016