Odd couple consensus as pollies take a punt

Scott Morrison may not have been at Flemington but the PM managed to back a winner in local hope Vow And ­Declare.

Deputy PM Michael McCormack at Flemington on Tuesday. Picture: Aaron Francis

Scott Morrison may not have been at Flemington for the running of the Melbourne Cup but the Prime Minister backed a winner in local hope Vow And ­Declare.

Admitting he was “a little gun-shy about tipping” following his May election loss, former Labor leader Bill Shorten was another who backed the winning gelding, as he and wife Chloe made the short journey from their Moonee Ponds home to the Birdcage.

Told his best bet was also the PM’s favourite, Mr Shorten protested that he was “a real punter”, whipping out a piece of paper on which he had “done the numbers” to choose his Cup picks as proof.

Deputy Prime Minister Mich­ael McCormack was heard to joke to Urban Infrastructure Minister Alan Tudge following the gelding’s Melbourne Cup win: “Who wants to tell Bill Shorten that the PM backed Vow And Declare?”

It was a bipartisan affair in the Tabcorp marquee, where Mr ­McCormack’s wife, Cath, chatted with Chloe Shorten.

Keen to ensure politicians weren’t the only celebrities on the scene, Mr Tudge brought a “friend of a friend”, former superstar West Indies batsman Brian Lara, as his “date” for the day.

The federal cabinet was well represented, with Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Health Minister Greg Hunt, Education Minister Dan Tehan, NDIS Minister Stuart Robert and Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie also putting in an appearance.

Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Chester, Assistant Minister for Children and Families Michelle Landry, Victorian Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, NSW Liberal backbencher Jason Falinski, Victorian Racing Minister Martin ­Pakula, Consumer Affairs Minister Marlene Kairouz and state ­opposition Treasury spokeswoman Louise Staley were also present.

While internal divisions have been making headlines in ­recent weeks, a contingent of federal Nat­ionals frontbenchers was keen to present a united front.

Senator McKenzie, who has been openly criticised by some of her Queensland colleagues, made a point of bringing Rockhampton-based Ms Landry as her “plus one”.

Although he was in town for what he said was the “biggest event in Melbourne today” — the opening of Dunkley MP Peta Murphy’s Frankston ­office — ­Anthony Albanese was a no-show at the races.