By Kishor Napier-Raman and Tom Cowie
Liberals don’t get much bluer than Philip Ruddock who spent 43 years in federal parliament, was a minister in the Howard government, a former president of the party’s NSW division and until last year, mayor of Hornsby Shire Council.
That is why Ruddock’s latest move has left some Liberals in the leafy upper north shore fuming about a perceived betrayal – He has appeared in a video with wannabe teal Tina Brown, who’s challenging Liberal MP Julian Leeser in Berowra (Phil’s old seat), to have a crack at the local council’s proposed new rules on tree protections.
Perceived betrayal… Liberal veteran Philip Ruddock.Credit: James Brickwood
For a Climate 200-backed candidate trying to make inroads in a blue ribbon seat, it’s about as good an endorsement as you can get. And it’s the latest in a series of deteriorating relationships between Ruddock and local Liberals.
After serving as mayor since 2017, octogenarian Ruddock wanted another four-year term but was dumped in a preselection contest last year, for which he blamed property developer interests.
In response, Ruddock’s wife, Heather, quit the Liberals and is supporting Brown’s campaign. The former minister, meanwhile, has been liking a few of Brown’s LinkedIn posts, and even written for her local newspaper, The Post. That video featured on Brown’s socials was filmed in the Ruddock front yard.
Ruddock told us he’d made the video with Brown because of a deep dedication to protecting Hornsby’s trees.
“I took this position because my father [former state Liberal minister and Hornsby mayor Max Ruddock] initiated the tree preservation orders, and they meant a lot to me as the former mayor,” he said.
“I’ve made it very clear that I remain a member of the Liberal party, not working for Tina Brown or her campaign.”
Brown, meanwhile told CBD that she and Ruddock “shared a deep love for the Bushland Shire”.
“I respect that he’s staying with the Liberal Party; it’s his legacy, but the Liberal Party today is a far cry from the one Philip Ruddock dedicated his life to building,” she said.
None of this has satisfied some ropeable local Liberals, who would be plotting to remove Ruddock from the party if not for his decades of service to the cause.
Phil assured us that once the federal election campaign got under way, he’d be out supporting Liberal candidate Scott Yung in Bennelong.
Would he be backing Leeser in Berowra, the man Ruddock’s supporters blame for last year’s preselection ambush?
Short answer: no.
Round zero
Thanks to the tropical cyclone that wasn’t, the AFL’s PR-led “round zero” was a bit of a flop, with the Queensland games cancelled ahead of time.
But the two games that went ahead in Sydney had a bit of the celebrity razzle-dazzle you’d expect from the harbour city. At the official AFL function on Friday night for the Swans’ loss to Hawthorn, CBD’s spies spotted British singer Melanie C (better known as Sporty Spice) with Australian model boyfriend Chris Dingwall. And while the NRL might have Las Vegas, the AFL has Brian Austin Green of Beverly Hills 90210 fame, also spotted at the Swans game.
On Sunday, Sarah Murdoch, wife of News Corp mogul Lachlan, trekked out to Homebush for the GWS Giants season opener with Suzi Carp, wife of new Collingwood president Barry Carp.
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