Liberals
MORONIC: Baillieu plays with fire by restricting thanks to Liberal party members only
Yesterday, media observers and party insiders alike were gob-smacked by a highly inappropriate and wrong-headed media release issued by the Victorian Opposition Leader’s office.
Some say it was an attempt to introduce partisanship to the bushfires. It probably wasn’t but it was clumsy, awkward, desperate, embarrassing, oafish and strange.
In a move insiders were personally blaming on Baillieu and his failure to operate a competent Leader’s office, his office issued a bizarre press release titled:
BAILLIEU THANKS VICTORIAN LIBERALS FOR ACCOMMODATION EFFORTS
Yes, you read correctly, he thanked “Victorian Liberals” not all Victorians.
To be fair, you can’t blame Baillieu for the inappropriately partisan words used in the headline as it was most probably written by his media factotum Paul “Pink Panther” Price.
He continued:
Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition Leader Ted Baillieu has thanked the hundreds of Liberal Party members who have offered accommodation for bushfire victims.
While Coalition leader, he only extends his gratitude to members of his own party. Nice. Keep in mind this wasn’t a missive just to party members, it was only sent to journalists.
Mr Baillieu said party members had joined many other Victorians who had opened their hearts to assist bushfire survivors left shattered and homeless.
So why not thank all of them, you complete nuff nuff?
“There is a simple message here – all Victorians have to help each other through this devastating tragedy,” Mr Baillieu said.
“There is a long way to go, and the generosity shown to date has been extraordinary. It’s humbling to know that at a tragic time, Victorians have not hesitated to open their homes to soothe fractured lives.”
But only party members are deserving of thanks? Puh-lease. This is Soviet Union humour style jesting surely.
Members of the Victorian Liberal Party responded to a call last Monday for accommodation to help provide temporary housing for bushfires victims, with more than 1100 beds offered to date including caravans, guest houses, holiday homes and spare rooms.
And that’s splendid really. And not surprising. Many Liberal party members – and other party members for that matter- are very community minded, selfless and generous people. Would it not have been nicer to thank all Victorians for acting similarly and make a sly reference to all the Tories in on it as well at the end. Boasting about generosity must be done carefully, if at all. You’d think an old money family like the Baillieu clan wouldn’t need a memo on this. There’ve been giving away money quietly to good causes ever since the sheep were cleared off Collins Street.
The offers were provided throughout the week to the Department of Human Services, who have been helping bushfire victims with accommodation.
“I urge everyone to reach out and help somebody through this crisis, and continue reaching out long after the shock and grief has subsided,” Mr Baillieu said.
A commendable message. And we don’t doubt he means it. Just because he’s absurdly tall, it doesn’t make Red Ted heartless.
Indeed his compassionate conservative noblesse oblige instincts are so strong many regard him as a throwback to a kinder, gentler and more thoroughly useless kind of Liberal that once dominated Victorian politics.
Kennett was their most bizarre embodiment, a hard-edged kick-ass version of Rupert Hamer. Supposedly, Baillieu’s mentor back in the day. Kennett was a great Premier and while he made plenty of mistakes, one cannot imagine him sending out a media release of this disgraceful kind.
THE MORE CLUELESS LIBERAL LEADER SINCE THE LAST ONE
But in Ted’s case, he doesn’t appear to get it. Every step he takes seems to land him in freshly excreted trouble.
He wants to lead all Victoria not just the thousands of long-suffering souls who are members of the Victorian division of his party.
He didn’t even have the gumption to thank any members of the Nats (once the biggest party of all) who might have put people up in their hour of need.
Needless to say, no media outlet published this release, except us. And we just ran it to mock the Red Ted and those who serve him.
Because we know they read our publication avidly and because we care. Not about him but the standard of leadership in our political system.
HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY WANT IT, RED TED?
Here’s a suggestion for next time. Free advice is worth what you pay for it, of course but it would probably work quite well.
If you really wanted to insert yourself into the bushfires story in a way that suggested you cared, don’t just thank Liberal party members or hang around looking less relevant than JB, why not give up a spare bedroom in the Baillieu residence to one of the bushfire survivors. Maybe get Jeeves the butler to move out for a month or so to free up some living space. Only kidding.
There’s bound to be a trustworthy Liberal supporter among the bushfire survivors who wouldn’t object to waking up in close proximity to Ted and his intense wifey Robyn.
And then don’t press release it, just let it quietly leak if that’s what the house-guest wanted. If no spare bedroom was available then setting up a caravan in the backyard would be acceptable too.
Yes, stunts like that are probably beyond Ted.
He’s just not hungry enough. And because the job he’s got is often the political equivalent of chewing on shards of broken glass, you’ve got to be plenty hungry to do it well.
And show good judgment while snacking on the sandwiches de merde.
With this effort as its most recent and powerful reminder, Baillieu shows neither sound judgment nor a real passion to snatch and grab the job.
When will the Liberals get serious about winning?
Tory insiders scoff at Mulder but he is clearly their best hope of doing well in the country and communicating with ‘Howard’s battlers’ that the Liberal party can be for them too.
Discussion
46 comments for “MORONIC: Baillieu plays with fire by restricting thanks to Liberal party members only”
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Well what is new about this????
It is typical of the Libs to try and gain political mileage out of any issue be it a tragedy like the Victorian Bushfires or not. Baillieu is not the only Lib or indeed the most prolific member that continually utilizes this totally immoral practice. Inga Peulich is without doubt the master of this terrible practice, you only need to look at her past actions of writing numerous letter to residents affected by the methane gas situation in Cranbourne, raised the issue several times in Parliament and even door knocked a small area of this estate. (not too much as this over weight person couldn’t walk too far) Now what is wrong with that you might ask?…….well if done with good intentions nothing. But the fact is , this disgraceful excuse for a lady used the plight of these people to gain publicity and did nothing but attack the State Government, at no stage either verbally or in one of her numerous letters did this fat fuck even consider the City of Casey, led by the equally disgraceful CEO Mike (the $310,000 Man) Tyler, might be slightly negligent. Even Frankston Council are now backing away from Casey at a million miles an hour as that are aware Casey is negligent.
Now, PEULICH is writing letters to residents expressing her concern over the City of Casey fire safety strategy, particular in relation to vacant land owned by the State Government. Can bet this oxygen thief will raise this issue in parliament shortly stirring up fear in the community that all vacant land around their home is going to go up in flames. Can’t wait for the libs pre-selections when this big fat dirty waste of space is dumped
The man couldn’t catch a cold. This is an utterly disgraceful and unpardonably stupid press release. You need not be well versed in the art of spin to come to that conclusion- this man needs to hire people with backbone and common sense rather than preening himself and sending out utterly bizarre press releases such as the above.
It’s an affont to Victorians that he is the alternative to Brumby- a man who regardless of your affiliation is at the very least a credible, noteworthy leader- as he has shown amidst this crisis.
i luv big boy teddy, luv playing with that meaty thing, such a royal bit, high quality. who would have thought that the original land boomer crooks of melbourne could one day sit down with a yugo and share beauty sausages together. good boy, why thank those socialist they shouldn’t even have money!
The one thing I will give Ted is he can get it up, unlike my Sav.
This man is definitely no honey… Honeys!!!
Trying to make right wing conservatives look caring and sharing is to confront entrenched truth and their real political positioning.
Why not just encourage and thank everybody (including the progressive small l liberals and social democrats)!!!
Impossible!
Inga is the most disgusting piece of shit going around and will definately loose her pre-selection when next the party vote. Thank God after this time, our party will not be embarrased by the disgraceful behaviour of this person
The Libs are screwed. 19 years of labor. They won’t get back in ’til 2018
I hate that big Liberal fat bitch Inga Peulich and I like to use my taxpayer funded position as electorate office to Luke Donnellan to bag with impugnity my political opponents on this Lab0r patriot blog. Because it is a blog of freedom, I am free to use as many pseudonyms as I can think of to milign,and liber anyone I like.
I think Ted simply wanted to thank all the Liberal members who had helped.
But, because of Mark Latham, opposition leaders have to comment on natural disasters when, really, they have nothing substantive to add.
Cr Kevin Bradford…..you are not the only person who hates big fat Inga. This member will stoop to any level to get some publicity for herself, she has no scruples and will fuck over anyone to get what she wants. The most sickening thing about this person is that she pretends to be a good Christian women and always supports the local Christian groups but let the truth beknown, this lady is as much as a Christian as the devel, in fact compared to Inga, the devel is a saint. Do the Liberal Party and Victoria a favour and resign, stand down, fuck off, leave the state and in fact the country.
Yes Honeys…
Just another example of the Conservatives failure to promote womens’ rights, in preference for promoting right wing women!!!
It was Inga P when MLA for Bentleigh who opposed IVF access for infertile people, and advocated “flushing excess foetuses down the toilet”!!!
A very nasty, vile creature that Bosnian!
Ted is the new Captain Whacky (with appropriate attribution to PJK).
Its so typical of the Vic Libs. They were obviously looking for a strategy to look statesman like and comment on the fires without looking like they were merely following JB.
Thanking Lib members and not others who have joined with their community to support victims of the fires is the cunning plan that results.
In fairnes to the Pink and Priceless Panther what headline was he supposed to come up with once he had bought this one way ticket to luncacy? “Ted Singles Out Liberals For Special Bravery and Compasssion In Tragic Fires”.
What next? Don’t be astounded if Red Ted and the Pink Panther Price see the trial of the alleged Gippsland arsonist as the perfect law and order wedge issue. Headline: “Ted Thanks Victorian Libs For Their Stirring Up Lynch Mobs and Vigelante Justice!”
Has anyone got any suggestions how I can make my dear Sav hard again?
Natasha, you are left wing filth. Go join the Greens, where your kind is embraced.
I am gay, I love up the rear.
Good to see the two bunglers in crime Osborn and Morgan have found re-employment at Vexnews.
You are definitely not a honey Anonski…
You are actually the extreme right wing type of conservative that has totally rooted the Liberal party up the rear – not to put to fine a point on it.
For your information, the Greens political party is not the true home of small ‘l’ progressives like myself.
This will become obvious to you and your ilk in the months ahead.
Fair point Natasha I love giving it to boys right up their rears.
And to political parties…
And while you are ‘at it’ Anonski, perhaps you would be so kind as to explain the difference between employment and unemployment growth, to that intellectual powerhouse Chrissy Pyne?
His performance tonight on Lateline was excruciatingly embarassing – as he clearly didn’t have a clue!
Perhaps you and your conservatista friends could hold a fundraiser to buy a couple of year 12 economics textbooks and gift them to him and Hockey?
Leave Chrissy alone I love his butt ’soo much’, especially when he wears leather chaps.
Both of us along with Chris Pearce and Ollie love to play ‘trains’ together.
Knock yourself out Anonski… but don’t bore us all to tears with the dreary details.
Get those economics textbooks asap! You idiot right wingers really need them!!!
QUESTION: Who is the only federal Liberal Party MP with an economics degree?
CLUE: There is only a single one.
Did not see Ted once on the news.
Was he sheltering in a peninsular holiday home or with his airconditioned house?
Whilst Viroria burns Ted was nowhere, going nowhere, still nowhere. Ted where are you?
Ted is NOWHERE MAN. The liberal party is going nowhere.
Natasha – how many times in your life have you ever voted for the Liberal Party?
Be honest.
The answer is nil, isn’t it?
Now go back to the Greens/SL of ALP where left-wing filth like you belong.
By the way, Anonski, you so-called progressive Liberal, the very MPs that you are ridiculing, Pyne and Hockey, are the supposedly the MPs that you want more of in the Liberal Party, that is progressive small-l Liberals.
But then again, you have never voted for the Liberal Party and never will.
You are only interested in attacking the Liberal Party. No doubt you are a paid up Member of the Greens or the ALP.
That was meant to be, “By the way, Natasha, …..”
hopeless 733: you think ted’s job in a bushfire crisis is to run around with a camera crew? if he wasn’t on telly, then he isn’t doing anything?
I am really ‘into’ Pyne!
Pyne and Hockey – dumb and dumber.
Damn. I have been found out. I have never voted Liberal in my life.
In fact, I hate the Liberal Party.
Anonski, stay away from Chrissy Pyne – he is mine!
Anonski… you are nothing but a ‘jump up’ – ‘try hard’ conservative hack, and definitely not a honey!!!
The great delusion of the Liberal Party of the last 15 years at least, is that there are still small ‘l’ progressives in it. False, false, demonstrably false!
Those who claim to be small ‘l’ liberals are at best small ‘c’ conservatives usurping the name ‘liberal’. Hockey, Pyne, Alston etc… all fit into this category. They have sold out any claim to be progressive liberals by their policy actions over many years, and factional alleigance.
This was done in recognition that the small ‘l’ forces lost the war for the Liberal Party years ago. Game over!!!
I have never in my life voted ALP, Green or for any other socialist/ social democrat party – ever! I am one of the thousands of disenfranchised liberals who lament the hijacking and destruction of the Liberal Party of Australia by people like you.
Anonski, the world is changing, and so is politics – you will hear more and more from people like me as the world comes back to our point of view. Beware!!!
Anonski… you are a fraud.
Stop posting messages under my name like 14:37 and 14:38.
Pathetic morally bankrupt little conservative!!!
Ha, ha, Anonski, I am messing with your feeble, arch-conservative, mind. By pretending to be some sort of concerned progressive liberal that really does vote Liberal, my slagging off of the Liberal Party supposedly has some credibility.
But in reality I am just a left-wing stirer that cried tears of joy when Kevin defeated that nasty John Howard.
I plead guilty to stealing Natashas’ identity – as I cannot actually rebut her arguments i have decided to muddy the waters.
I am a sad, morally bankrupt conservative – frightened at the new progressive mood sweeping world politics.
Every night when I sleep, I have nightmares where the ghosts of liberals past threaten their revenge!!!
I am very, very guilty of political war crimes.
Anonski, honey, I am shocked! But I admire you for your honesty.
That said, I think you fail to appreciate the magnitude of your crimes.
Being a conservative is not just a political war crime, it is the commision of one of the most despicable crimes against humanity.
Once the Revolution occurs, the Cadres will seek you out for “re-education”, a process that may take many years.
But unlike most conservative, capitalist dogs, you at least show some remorse for your disgraceful political leanings.
My left-wing friends in the Greens and the Socialist Alternative may show you some degree of mercy.
When the revolution comes, I will also take it upon myself to personally “re-educate” Chrissy Pyne.
Anonski…
You are definitely NOT a honey!!!
A letter to
Natasha The Despoiler & Anonski
“Will you two get a fucking life and if you don’t have anything constructive to add to this site get back to work and stop wasting everyone’s time with such absoulte dribble.
I appreciate you two must be electorate officers for an MP, most likely a Liberal MP, as ALP MP”S are busy planning for an election and as such I would suggest most ALP electorate officers are flat out. In any event, surely you both have some work to do, even if for a lazy LIb MP?
Tashy – that’s not what you said to me last night.
Oooooooooooh.. “a fucking life”.
Naughty.
anon, you must be an ALP EO becuase Liberal MPs and staffers do not use such ‘orrible, working-class language.
Well said Anonski…
Also, spelling and sentence construction are considered important in non-socialist offices!
However, you are still not a honey…!
[...] MORONIC: Baillieu plays with fire by restricting thanks to Liberal party members only [...]
Anonski – You must be congratulated. In a single statement, you have identified why the ALP holds all but one Government in Australia, be it Federal or State. You have identified that the Liberal Party doesn’t know how to talk in a ‘common man’ type language and therefore are not able to understand or appreciate what a majority of Australian’s are concerned about.
Instead, the Liberal Party are still focused on elitism, such as specific type of language used. Not to mention confirming you really are nothing more than a mere neophyte.
When I heard about this, I thought it was a false accusation to damage Ted but the evidence is there for all to judge. This is even more inappropriate than “things that batter”. I call on Ted to do the decent thing and resign now. He is lucky that none of the print media picked up this story and in particular the marginal voters in McEwan and the State seats we need to win back in the Victorian bush to gain government. What should have been an opportunity for the Liberal Party to express solidarity with all Victorians in a time of crisis has become an exclusivist rant. I am disgusted. Let the Baillieu cronies come after me if they dare. I am just an ordinary member with no formal role in the Party. I joined the Liberal Party some thirty years ago when it was in Government both at the State and the Federal level. I will not stand by and let it disintegrate further by allowing this rudderless abomination to continue. It is time for truly inclusive and representative leadership that resonates with the voters by reflecting community values and addressing community concerns. Kennett lost the bush and lost the unloseable State election. Baillieu has compounded that crime by offending the bush and all decent Victorians with a volunteer spirit by issuing this crass media release. He must resign now.
Guiseppe, go and eat an ice cream.