Federal Government
THE WESTERN FRONT: Liberal preselection fight for blue ribbon seat of Wannon ready to rumble
The Liberal party owns Wannon lock, stock and barrel and it gifts selection to it once in a generation. In conservative politics, the stakes rarely get higher. While the current incumbent David Hawker was considered a bit of an oxygen bandit, he rose to the level of Speaker. His predecessor Malcolm Fraser was the most politically successful Victorian Liberal since Menzies, whatever his current ideological failings may be now that he has moved well to the left of Labor in his dotage.
There is a big field and VEXNEWS has obtained the entire secret slab of biographical details as supplied to Liberal party preselectors ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
DAN “THE MAN” TEHAN
They tell quite the story. One candidate, Dan Tehan, a multiple preselection candidate over the years, perhaps demonstrates his sense of humour by listing his occupation as “Preselection Candidate.” This also reflects the fact that he showed a certain sense of integrity by giving up his post at 104 Exhibition Street in order to contest Wannon without having a conflict between his party duties and his private ambitions. We were critical of him potentially doing that so credit where it’s due to him for making that tough and presumably expensive call.
Tehan came out with a highly professional direct mail campaign that has impressed quite a few locals. He’s been calling around pretty avidly too and is said to have made a reasonably favourable impression. Also in his corner has been local MP and powerbroker Dr Denis Napthine, who has been spruiking in favour of Tehan and is thought to be a substantial influence on a number of voters.
LOUISE STALEY
The most prominent female candidate is the IPA’s Louise Staley. Strongly linked to the Baillieu faction, whose forebears presumably once owned most of the Western District as squatters, Staley unlike some is technically a local. We say that because as a number of locals corresponding with VEXNEWS have made all too clear, they regard Staley’s stint living in the electorate as not sufficient to qualify as a local. A bit harsh perhaps, but this is the Western District.
One made a number of particularly biting criticisms, which we introduce to the debate with some hesitation because VEXNEWS thinks she’d actually be quite a strong candidate for the Liberals and a much needed woman in their ranks:
Louise, once a very influential State Metro Vice President, has never admitted her role in the downfall of the Kennett Government as Joy ‘still in denial’ Howley’s closest urban ally. She was quite happy to be Kennett’s and Baillieu’s stalking horse at pre-selections, admin committee meetings and State Councils, Staley supported Howley to divert resources from metro marginal seats in favour of three cornered contests with the Nationals.
She lost a bitter pre-selection 2000 battle for the Menzies electorate against cool hand Kevin Andrews after it was revealed that Staley had lost her drivers licence for drink driving – a fact she concealed to pre-selection delegates. At the time Staley and allies employed a grubby whispering sectarian campaign against Andrews who had been successful in overturning the euthanasia laws in the NT. This actually galvinised many of non-Catholics throughout the byzantine world of Menzies’ Liberal branches.
The pre-selection vote was evenly split. Brian Loughnane, the then State Director of Victoria and now the current Federal Director – cast his deciding vote in favour of Andrews. Andrew was, of course, a Howard-backed incumbent and future Cabinet Minister who had carriage of Workchoices, Welfare to Work and famously withdrew Dr Haneef’s working visa in 2007 after an attempted terrorist outrage in the UK.
There is no doubt Staley’s lack of disclosure and candour lost her crucial votes as well as respect. Few thought she would try for pre-selection again.
She had another crack in Casey and ran into the Tony Smith phenomenon, as he himself describes it.
Devastated by these blows she moved to the emerald paddocks of the WD, to be groomed by Howley for the moment former Speaker of the House, David Hawker, decided to retire.
Out of the corners of their mouths, Staley and Howley have long peddled sectarian views against active members of the Party who are committed Catholics, Jews and Evangelical Christians. They even supported the Party’s former foremost anti-Israeli baiter, Adrian Jackson, in positions of authority. Ken Aldred now holds that title.
Both Staley and Howley have also long enjoyed their roles as Victoria’s in-house Howard and Costello haters.
It is as if Staley is opposed to both people with values and people who are successful in politics – an perplexing daily double in public life.
Staley’s tortuous party involvement is bound to be scrutinised very closely. Couldn’t the Baillieu faction find a Sara Henderson type candidate?
There is a feeling in the Party that Baillieu has lost support of the rank and file as expressed in the Kooyong preselection battle that elevated Josh Frydenberg and the solid backing of pro-Krogerites for the Admin Committee. This pre-selection is as much as anything a test for Baillieu’s authority.
Another was scathing about Staley’s preselection bid:
Louise appears to going backwards; she has been in the area ten years and the locals still do not consider a local. Her personal style and sense of entitlement has pissed people off. Joy Howley is still respected but her judgment in this case is seriously questioned. Known by her enemies as Joyless Howler ….. They are also running a campaign against Tehan, Marie Tehan’s son and loyal Kennett Minister, as the Catholic candidate. This is galvanizing a lot of God fearing Celtic people in the south of the electorate behind Tehan. Staley also put out an eight page A4 rambling mess of a direct mail piece which her camp are running away from. [VEXNEWS: Click here [pdf]to see the piece, we don’t think it’s too bad actually]
One Krogerite strongly opposed to Staley for factional reasons perhaps summed it up best:
It is a shame she is quite smart. Just too close to Ted.
ROD NOCKLES
The Kroger faction’s official choice is Rod Nockles, who has risen to the occasion with impressive referees in the form of former minister and employer Jocelyn Newman and the increasingly vocal former Howard COS Arthur Sinodinis.
A local voter told VEXNEWS that they were quite impressed with their interaction with Nockles and were strongly inclined to vote for him:
‘Wannon is seen as seat for front bencher and Nockles aims to seek office higher than Speaker of the House. Of all the candidates, Nockles has the kind of CV– strong in the business world and in politics – that merit him as the strongest candidate. Locals don’t necessarily want a yeoman farmer; they want a candidate with clout. After all it is around the Cabinet table where real change happens. With Arthur’s imprimatur, that has already boosted the perception that Nockles is the favourite. Louise is taking a gambit in reinventing herself as ‘of the Western District’ – pre-selectors are more sophisticated than wanting ‘a local’
The old bugger Stewie McArthur and his good lady of the manor Bev are not without influence in Wannon, from their former reign as the King and Queen of neighbouring seat Corangamite, temporarily occupied by out-of-town savage Socialist Leftard Darren Cheeseman. Cheeseman won the seat after personally making many thousands of phone calls to punters, based on ACTU data of swingers. Stewie preferred politics when not everyone had a phone.
But anyway Stewie hates Rod Nockles and wants to do his best to destroy him after Nockles was impertinent enough to challenge him for preselection back in the day.
SIMON PRICE
Speaking of the McArthur clan, Simon Price is also having a crack too with the McArthur’s imprimatur and has also attracted some good press as being the most pro-agriculture candidate.
Price is an ex-staffer to Liberal MP John Vogels and also used to work for Old Man Stewie, Ol Man Winter Dr David Kemp and the VFF. He even abandoned his Uni degree to work for Kemp, himself a former academic and federal education minister.
We were quite surprised to see Price present with a reference from a National Party MP Peter Walsh. This wouldn’t be greatly different from Andrew Giles claiming he had the Greens party numbers-man Greg Barber’s backing for Labor preselection in Batman.
But locals tell VEXNEWS it’s considered quite a good move by most players as the local Libs are always concerned about three-cornered contests and are keen to have the Nats on-board.
Price ran unsuccessfully for Corangamite before being beaten by the impressive Frank Costa backed ex-newsreader now lawyer Sara Henderson who will give the lefty Cheeseman a big run for his money but will be battling against changing demographics.
STEPHEN MITCHELL
Perhaps our favourite candidate on paper is the mining entrepreneur and Western District farm owner Stephen Mitchell.
While a highly successful businessman, he clearly has the political bug, having run as a Liberal candidate years ago and staying active in the party ever since.
A former investment banker, he founded Molopo Australia, a natural gas explorer that has enjoyed tremendous success and is now an ASX 200 company, one of the stock exchange’s biggest companies by market capitalisation, with a value that’s been nearly $400 million.
Not too shabby.
Will it impress the Party members who get to vote on the weekend? That will largely depend on how Mitchell presents in the flesh.
A reference from Eda Ritchie, of the well-known Liberal family of the Western District, won’t hurt with the blue bloods as well his recent inheritance of his family’s rural seat.
Other candidates include the impressively named Hugh Koch who promotes local tourism for the South Grampians Shire, house husband and farmer David Clark, vet Matt Makin, Ballarat based university researcher Elizabeth Matuschka and the local councillor who enjoys a high profile in the local press Cr Katrina Rainsford.
May the best patriot win.
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Price did not “abandon” his degree. He was asked to leave. By the time he left he was on first name terms with every member of the Faculty Unsatisfactory Progress Committee.
Dan the Man would make a great MP.
Go Dan!
WANNON THIS WEEKEND! Can’t wait! Nev, Dan’s biggest threat is himself. He keeps stumbling when asked about his leadership skills. Telling slightly amusing anecdotes won’t hide his lack of experience. Fact is he doesn’t have any real world leadership skills except for being head prefect at school and deputy director at 104 for two minutes before deserting ship as soon as a better offer came along in Wannon. Don’t discount Hugh Koch, he has been going about his business very quietly, targeting the little old ladies of Wannon and doing a very good job at it…. and some gossip, my little birdie at 104 tells me that Lou Lou was hauled over the coals after several complaints that she was seriously backstabbing Tehan, Price Mitchell & Koch to same little old ladies.. Busted… Not very sporting either.. She now knows she has lost and is wondering whether to turn up on Sunday… true..
Quel surprise! Lou Lou being bitchie and then mildly sanctioned by 104. This is what passes for ‘experience at levels of the party’. She is just an old fashioned bully. She even bought the ring to bully David Davis into an incident proposal of marriage. …. and she is not a real local!!!!!!
Groan.
Yet another loser employed by the IPA running for preselection.
At least Tudgey le Fudgey is not running for Wannon.
Who needs an MBA when you have an FBA.
All the way with my FBA!
Where did you get these applications? You must be in contravention of some privacy law but of course that wouldn’t worry VexAndy. We’ll wait for the law suits and hear your excuse then…or maybe you’ve joined the Liberal Party?
Yeh, give up your sources Andy… LOL
I am still the leading candidate.
How transparent. Louise Staley obviously moved to Wannon solely for this purpose.
If she loses, she’ll be back in Flinders Lane on Monday morning.
Is Hawker supporting Lou Lou?
Madam Lash is full of sh*t, there is no tort of privacy in Australia and the privacy laws apply to agencies/businesses that keep peeps private data, not news websites.
Go VexAndy, you are like Crikey once was when it was relevant, which is a long time ago.
The quality and breadth of the political news here is truly awe-inspiring.
The city slicker will be on the first bus out of Hamilton Monday morning when she loses.
Go Dan the Man!
Bring back Malcolm, he did such a good job as PM the first time.
A true local will win, not Tehan, not ring-in Lou Lou.
Denis rhymes with penis should stop interfering in this “democratic” contest.
He still fancies himself as Ted’s replacement but is probably the only person in the party room who would do worse than Baillieu.
Bring Joe de Simone or his man-wench Karen Synon into Wannon. They’d put a bit of stick about.
Why does the 300 year old man love Pricey so much given the nasty things he says about the 150 year old woman?
I hear Neil Mitchell is sniffing around for Liberal preselection. Maybe in Melbourne Ports?
How can a man present as a candidate for federal preselection and engage in serious business wrongdoing?
Does Pricey’s application include his academic transcript?
And why no reference from the VFF -Did he also “abandon” his job there?
Please tell, Snitch, what business dealing was Nockles involved in?
Yes, you could say the VFF “abandoned” Pricey.
Lou Lou will confirm a three cornered contest with the Nationals. She is poison to the regional brand that the Libs have in Wannon. Labor will run dead and preference the Nats. Bye Bye blood ribbon Wannon or bye bye Lou Lou – that’s the real choice this weekend!!
Stewwie fan .. because everything he agrees with everything Pricey has to say on that subject matter
Wannon needs a candidate who will uphold the Menzies and Fraser Legacies.
I have a vacant rented house in the electorate. Can I nominate?
Only if you are enrolled, sire.
Just get falsely enrolled properly, Dr Dean, like I did.
Much more profit in false enrolment than running my sh*tful farm.
Electoral fraud is my specialty, leave it to the experts Dr Dean
Dark horse, who is a true local? Katrina Rainsford?
lou lou of east malvern… you’re calling Louise a city slicker? What do you think Dan is you silly billy! Dan loves Wannon as much as he loves Mallee, Corang or any other electorate… he’ll be on a bus back to melbourne on mondee too..
The Kroger faction has done a wonderful job of spin with VexNews – Arent we smart in the kroger faction.
You could say we are the masters of spin!
A highly desirable talent for misrepresenting reality.
Take our man Mr Nockles who has had significant experience of this as a former employee of Hills and Knowlton, the PR spin people.
Funny this this is missing from his application- I wonder why?
And Mr Nockles worked for Howard and Downer (but only when they were in oppositon – he wasnt up to the real job of government!) -
Funny there are no references from Downer and Howard either.
Let me guess missing employment history and the the most senior members of the party who are unprepared to provide a reference-
what do they know we dont?
And the good people of Corangamite turfed him out on his ear in a 1/3 vote for him and 2/3 for blow in Sarah Henderson. How dare they see through the smoke and mirrors. Our man spent 4 years and two preselections to be done over in 6 weeks by this blow in woman!!
Well the inbreds in Wannon wont see past the smoke and mirrors.
Watch out the Kroger faction is back to win!
Good to see you’re back Rod Cockles. I’ve missed your banter from corangamite, but I don’t think anyone in Wannon really gives a hoot about Knockles. It’s all about LouLou and Teflon Tehan.
Victor my dear dear chum do you think I should throw my Akubra in the field? I have always fancied myself as a Western District Grazier and I once did work in Geelong educating youth. Besides there are many voluptuous & young frustrated fillies in the area who would love my charm and wit, as well as Little Fatty’s insatiable vigour.
My dear Fatty, the Dearest of Dear Fatties
The most important consideration is which candidate will do most to uphold the Human Rights of Wannon locals.
The insatiable vigour of Little Fatty is but a secondary consideration in comparison to the insatiable imperative to defend Human Rights – as a former Member for Wannon has so admirably been doing post-retirement.
How could anyone go past Hugh Koch!
I find Hugh Koch’s candidacy hard to swallow.
I’ll most certainly be able to lick Hugh Koch.
I think Hugh Koch has been taken for a ride.
I really don’t think Hugh Koch will get up.
I do like Mr Koch too. I don’t know why VexAndy hasn’t talked more about him. He came across so well at the ‘meet the candidate’ evenings. He was far more engaging than Mr Tehan or Ms Staley and is an absolute local.
Sometimes I am referred to as a Koch Head. Whatever could this mean?
You are a bloody legend Andy!
Dan the man is such a crusader.
Yes he is likely win the swinging voter over …
Can you imagine Dan the man on the hustings at Portland, Avoca or Hamilton – where do you come from?
Canberra, Melbourne any where but here!
Yes the insipid Dan the man is the leading light for the blue liberal seat of Wannon, a mans man who will give a toss about the locals at the pub, the man who has a passion to help people – NOT!
Yes you can see why Dr Dennis is helping him – they are both of the same cast!
Next to useless!
missing from Lou Lou’s cv is at least one drink driving incident. I note you are not pictured in the drivers’ seat in that gawd awfull picture in your direct mail. Who’s driving you to preselection this time, Lou Lou?
I have helping Ms Staley with her driving duties!
She lost her license once and I being a gentlemen have saved her from being worn out by being a gentleman!
So there long memories!
long memories, I think I love you
Dan is a younger version of me.
energetic, driven to help the people and wanting to be at every branch meeting.
This is why I have been able to reduce the primary vote in Wannon to what it is today – nearly gone!
so if you want a great chap like me vote 1 Dan T
I have an illustrious record of successful campaigning in student politics. Just look at how many Liberals got elected to the Monash Student Union during my time there – before the abandonment that is.
Is it true that no Liberals were able to run in Monash student elections one year because Pricey didn’t submit the nominations in time?
Dan the Man Thean is the next Member for Wannon.
Jokes aside, I really don’t understand why you think Dan is a sure thing. His resume doesn’t read very well and it sounds like he is a ‘medium’ performer. Not the best, not the worst, in everything he does. He hasn’t shown a great affinity with Wannon and half of the oldies I’ve spoken to east of Hamilton haven’t even met him. Someone please explain why “Dan the man is the next member for Wannon”.. I’m open to being sold on him as I have now changed my mind about Louise, I thought she’d be quite good but I’m not sure the drink driving issue will go down well.
That’s old stuff about Louise and the drink driving. Hopefully it won’t be held against her. She was young and stupid and it was a fair while ago now.
Madam Lash, Once is a mistake, twice is a habit. Louise was caught drink driving several times. Habitual Drink Driver. She showd a complete disregard for the law and THAT my friend Lash will not wash with the Liberals of Wannon nor will it entice the swinging voters. If she had of got caught ONCE for drink driving you could say she was young / stupid, but when you get caught several times you lose me and you lose my vote. We both live in the real world don’t we Lash? Imagine the headlines if Louise won preselection… the ALP would run their entire campaign about her being an old soak, drunk at the wheel, a real Madam Lush perhaps.
Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has teamed up with Peter Costello and Michael Kroger and has been accused of using City Council resources to influence the outcome of Liberal party preselections. Doyle’s media adviser, Tim Sing, who is paid by the City Council has been set to work on the Liberal preselection campaign. If the allegations are true this raises serious concern about the misuse of Council resources and possible corruption.
Haha you don’t think that the ALP can win Wannon do you? Louise certainly got caught twice but as I said it was ages ago. Labor would never run a campaign like that they have their own skeletons. Country people can be very forgiving in particular if the person has involved themselves in good works. Don’t know what Louise has been doing there so can’t say anything about her profile. Drink driving is a serious matter no doubt and the downfall of 2 pollies in the last State parliament. But maybe if SN stays as State Secretary it would be a bottom of the barrel kind of campaign….
rod crockles @ 16:26, didn’t you read the appliction form correctly? Employment history clearly states being with Hill and Knowlton from 2001 – 2003. Furthermore for 5 years Nockles was Senior Adviser and then Chief of Staff to Jocelyn Newman, when in government, so he was up to the job. Nice reference from Hon Jocelyn Newman too. Get your facts straight. Anon
[...] The Liberal party owns Wannon lock, stock and barrel and it gifts selection to it once in a generation. In conservative politics, the stakes rarely get higher … There is a big field and VEXNEWS has obtained the entire secret slab of biographical details as supplied to Liberal party preselectors ahead of this weekend’s festivities. Read the story at vexnews.com. [...]
I appreciate the immitation Dark horse for his/her comments above.
Stephen Mitchell? he has a toffy voice and really sucked at the meet the candidate forums.
Lou Lou presented like a fat slob at the Ripon candidate forum. Not too bad at Timboon though.
Price? The price is wrong for human rats.
Rainsford? A strong local with a good profile, but her speaking abilities will be her downfall.
Knockles? A good chance, providing her doesn’t get knocked over in the early rounds.
David Clarke? I am yet to return his phone calls…
Hugh Koch? Eat another hamburger my friend.
Matt Makin? Hmmmmmmm just performs badly.
Dan Tehan? Imported candidate. He’ll get through to the last 4, no more though.
Matushcka? She’ll be the first to go.
Thats the wannon wrap up from the REAL Wannon insider…. :p
Dont we just love those Wannon exec meetings Mr Renyard?
rod crockles, AKA David Harris of Colac, clearly cannot read – you can see from the Nockles application it clearly states he was at Hill and Knowlton. Nockles has 2 fantastic references including Arthur Sinodinos. Read and weep David.
Ten years ago, Lou Lou was not young when she took the car out for a whirl while over the legal limit; neither was she attractive but she was stupid and arrogant and smug and bigoted.
So desperate is her camp it has taken up the tactic that Lou Lou has nearly half the vote for the first round to create a sense of momentum that doesn’t exist. Nice try, Joyless!!!
What did she pass you up “long memories”?
Dan Tehan will win in the second round.
I endorse Hugh Koch in all his manhood.
Lou Lou is a shemale athlete
Give Ted Wannon so he f*cks off…
Mitchell is the smokey
Speaking of shemales, is J-Rat still going on those trips to Asia?
LOL I am sorry to inform you.
Dan Tehan simply won’t win.
He has the support of outsiders, but not those within the electorate, and thats what counts.
If my Local member is an import like Daniel Tehan…. I will be spewing, and so will many other members.
Let me pass you the bucket.
So why was Price sacked from the VFF?
Dishonesty?
Treachery?
Incompetence?
Or all of the above?
I asked Simon and he wasn’t sacked.
I think he wasn’t being paid enough…
Maybe the price wasn’t right? (boom boom)
Anonnon from Wannon, I think you have your head in a bucket if you think Tehan will win. But indulge me, how do you see this miraculous victory unfolding?
and wannon used to be such a nice, polite corner of the paddock…
Victor my dear dear old lunching Pal (before you pissed of to Poofta Town)
I Must Object!
The most important consideration is which Young Filly will service the Human Rights of ‘Little Fatty’.
The insatiable vigour of ‘Little Fatty’ has increased without your wise counsel and our Friday Bevy Sessions To top it off Lindy has RSI of her Box.
Hugh Koch will rubs their faces in it.
Madam Lash, i have never been into waddling blocks of cheese reeking of alcohol.
Andy,
Your informant repeats some mythology about the Menzies pre-selection which Staley lost. Brian Loughnane was State Director – he did not have a vote. The vote was close because the then pro-Staley Admin Committee disqualified two pre-Andrews’ branches. Despite a nasty sectarian campaign by the Staley supporters, “Cool Hand Kev” saw her off.
Anon 1.09 – all of the above.
Dark Horse 22.03. Excellent break down of the field old chap. I think you’re supporting Louise? Talking about her body shape is but a rouse the throw us off the scent… and anyway it’s not that she’s a ‘fat slob’ (as you said) it’s that her clothes are far too tight. She needs some elastic pantaloons and an overcoat. (There are plenty of obese pollies so who cares if she could lose a few pounds?) Other than that I think she’s a good performer and is tough to beat.
No.
I am not supporting Stayley.
And you are quite right…she does need to wear less tightening clothes.
I’m not sure who I will be supporting, i will decide on the speeches tomorrow.
I do hate the factionalism though…perhaps a non faction aligned candidate? Like…..
Gee glad you intellectuals have found riveting problems with Louise, her weight….what a bunch of tools you are…small tools that is….haha…if the cap fits…
Madam Lash…. AKA Louise herself….
Probably better idea to concentrate on your speech honey.
No I am not Louise Dark Horse just someone who can’t stand sexist jibe…I suppose you’ll all be sucking up to her if she gets the vote…that’s the kind of guys you are..all parties have some…no woman would have ever got a seat in your world…and the reality is you’re not good enough to even be considered..grow a brain guys..
Some of the comments here are unhelpful to the party. Some of these can be attributed to the opposition.
However those of you who are party members should focus on the achievement of the individual and how they conduct themselves and the likely success they can bring to the party.
Remember the fight is not amongst the party members but about policy and who can develop and win over support for policy that will ultimately build a better community and country. For those going tomorrow they question you need to answer is just that – who can conceptualise, develop and bring the community along with your vision. Very little else matters!
You’re right Stewie, all this bitching between supporters is shocking and the alp would be getting a kick out of the above liberal members airing each others dirty laundry for all to see for eternity. With all this carry on Staley and Tehan are now absolutely unelectable. Staley is obviously behind half of these posts above! Her ego shines through particularly with those remarks to ‘Long Memories’… and let’s face it we all have long memories and recall that Howly and Staly completely disregarded the polling during the 99 Kennett election and their egos took over. Those two massive egos helped with the election loss. Howly couldn’t run a raffle with Staley at her side and anyone that was at 104 in 90s will agree with that, even our Jeffery.
To protect the long term success of the party in Wannon we need to prevent a bitchy uprising and elect someone who actually gives two hoots about the people he or she is about to represent. Tehan and Staley just want to go to Canberra and they don’t care how they get there.
Koch, Mitchell and Rainsford have shown they will not stoop to lowly slander and will focus on a clean fight. The winner must be a clean and fair fighter not a cut throat egomaniac.
Have any of you even met the candidates, been to the meeting events and also had candidates visit at home? The best candidates are the kind, hard working and non backstabbing types.
Tehan is too factional and as soon as Baillieu is toppled he’ll have no support network in the big smoke. Staley is snarly, frightening and has no grasp of local issues particularly when asked about Aged Services – she simply doesn’t care. Price is incapable. Nockles could go well. Mitchell could also go well. I wish Rainsford was a bit stronger and better presented as she is a good, hard working local.
But Hugh Koch will have my and my father in law’s vote. A clean fighter.
Looking at it I would support Stephen Mitchell, but that said I think this is a Joshua Frydenberg situation, meaning that the Liberal Party executive has already made it’s decision and the executive doesn’t give a flying fu-k what the Liberal Party members want or think. Try and remember that I’ve seen first hand what extremes the executive is prepared to go too.
I hear that Price was sacked by the VFF for his sly political dealings.
I’d say Daniel-san has the pre-selection in the bag.Just ask Mr. Miyagi!! (Brian Loughnane).
Anon.
Hugh Koch is not really a clean player… He’s been lazy on the Southern grampains shire council, exclusive and arrogant. He’s a sleezy charmer. Can’t you see through that?
And Yes, I have had SEVERAL candidates to my house. I have been to the Polwarth, Ripon and the special timboon candidate forums.
Steven Mitchell? He seriously does not come accross well. Does Wannon really need another toff in the ranks?
I agree though. We do need a clean fighter with integrity. Rainsford? Perhaps. But like you say anon, presentation and conviction are lacking.
Nockles? You are right he could go well. However he has to get past the first few rounds easily to get the second choices of the others.
I agree on Tehan and Stayley.
Dan Tehan has integrety, intelligence, and experience and would make a wonderful candidate for Wannon. He has risen above the petty slandering of Howley and Staley and his example of goodness shines forth. Good luck tomorrow.
One thing I’ve never been called is a Liberal. And certainly not Louise Staley…you guys just can’t handle it when any woman serves it up to you. Bend over boys ten of the best for each of you..lol….
Thanks Louise.
Madam Lash (err Louise) you’d better get going, you’ll be late. I bet you turn up with a filthy car just too ‘look like a farmer’… yuk…
Andrew Rixon you make me laugh. The candidates will decide today, not 104. Get real. How can you force little old ladies of wannon to vote the way Napthine or 104 says? You clearly have not met my mother, nor have you met the TOUGH biddies of wannon. They will not be told ANYTHING.
Half an hour to go, see you in there Madam Lash/Louise & Dark Horse. May the best candidate win!
Anyone tweeting from the convention? I’ll tweet if you tweet!
anon mate you are about to learn to ture meaning of the Australian Liberal Party. It’s gonna be so good!!
Lets hope Lou Lou is defeated.
Has voting begun?
Let’s hope Louise rubs your noses in it fellas…
What rubbish from Annon from Wannon. Simon Price left the VFF to work in politics. So he made a mistake when in the VFF job. Who hasn’t?
lou lou is gone, thats all that matters.
Daniel Tehan….
Honestly.
The fucked up people of Wannon got what they deserved. I certianly did not vote for that idiot.
Just another David Hawker. Congratulations Wannon, you got what you deserved. A shit kicker.
Oh well, looks like I wont be coming north to any more function with ‘the new member’ for wannon.
Urgh disghusted.
That was much more than a mistake cattle farmer. Wouldn’t you agree?
110% agreed!
So Dark Horse and Annon from Wannon, what exactly is this mistake that Price made?
No no. Price was okay. He just wasn’t up to it. Doesn’t have a presence about him.
I’d Prefer price over Tehan.
As guardion of Southern Grampians’ tourism, Koch might as well have installed a croc-filled moat around the shire.
Dark Horse, some of your attribution to a solid citizen, may get you before my court before long. Then we may see if you can do some of Denis’jumps in the Grand Annual. Denis would love to give you a flogging
De Judge?
Are you smoking weed? Or Dennis?
Weed? No, that is what Amine is for.
Find your comments peculiar as JR had respect for Louise, picked three of the four first out, weeks out and placed Makin in the top three at the same time, but Tehan the one to beat when I talked with him then. Was telling all an sundry he was backing Makin on principle of people knowing where he was at. I wasn’t there on the day, so guess he did.