Liberals
BATTLE JOINED: Josh Frydenberg’s cakewalk might turn into Kooyong bloodbath
Long-time Liberal fundraiser and multi-millionaire Andrew Abercrombie is believed to be the Baillieu faction’s secret weapon candidate to run against the Josh Frydenberg in the Kooyong preselection.
It appears increasingly likely that Frydenberg will attract the support of the Kroger camp, headed by Malcolm Turnbull’s numbers-man, powerbroker Senator Michael Ronaldson
Abercrombie, a former lawyer turned extremely successful entrepreneur certainly appears strongly credentialed on paper who could quite credibly claim a front-bench position in a future Liberal government.
The Liberals – in their endearing way – refer to Kooyong and Higgins as “leadership seats” where the candidates should be capable of rising to the top of the Liberal federal parliamentary ranks. Petro Georgiou was expected to shine in Canberra but emerged as something of a dullard by comparison to the member for Higgins. John Howard hated Petro and slowly tortured him over the years in a way many patriots found to be exhilarating if cruel.
Abercrombie was the founder of FlexiGroup that flogs high interest loans to people buying plasma screens and laptops. At one stage he was worth nearly $400 million but the share price of the financial services company has collapsed leaving him down to his last $100 million or so. And – like a few stocks – it’s bounced back from the brink earlier in the year.
John Ferguson, the Herald Sun’s well-connected scribe, reports offline but can be seen below that Abercrombie has been helping the Tedista faction out in Kooyong.
As is the custom with some Liberals, he also enjoys friendly relations with the Costello camp, raising lots of loot for their Higgins 200 Club at his home in Toorak, one of that mundane suburb’s most expensive properties. Over-rated and dated Toorak, with no views of any water, limited proximity to parks and adjacent to a major freeway, is one of the great mysteries of the world of prestige suburbs. But that’s another story.
Those close to the Institute of Public Affairs boss John Roskam say he is yet to make up his mind about whether he’ll run, he’ll need to put his skates on as Josh is believed to be already doing the rounds with prospective voters.
The dark horse candidate is the highly regarded industrial relations lawyer John Pesutto from Phillips Fox, who is well connected with the Baillieu camp and is a known quantity among many of the local party membership in Kooyong.
With as many as a thousand members entitled to vote, and the Libs still maintaining the bizarre practice of attempting to choose a candidate on merit with speeches and performance in interviews with candidates of great significance, the Kooyong stoush is going to be messy and complex. It will be the first test of the radical party reforms championed by Old Man Winter party president David Kemp.
Discussion
34 comments for “BATTLE JOINED: Josh Frydenberg’s cakewalk might turn into Kooyong bloodbath”
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Forget Josh – he has NO chance of winning.
This guy has no chance. He hasn’t even spent a single day as a Jackaroo.
Andrew is upholding an important aspect of the Menzies Legacy – not living in his electorate of choice!!! May he follow my example and win
Maybe I should run for Kooyong. I understand that I will have Ronno’s full support.
I heard when Josh worked with Howard, that his job was morning tea for the office boy, so much for his CV
can anyone recall what Josh actualy achieved in Howards office?
I heard it was the tea, for the office boy too!
I am much admired in Kooyong and I support Joshy!
Maybe it is I, I see myself and my luscious spread thighs on the MHR leather.
I’m with you, Wolfman – if you support Joshy, then so do I, as will my loyal followers, such as Melanie Matthewson.
The Herald Sun describes me as an Oxford-educated former barrister.
Did I also mention that I am a Director at Deutsche Bank?
Did I also mention that I was once a jackaroo?
Did I also mention that I am a dab hand at tennis? My old mate Zelman compliments me on it all the time.
My Dear Fatty, the Dearest of Dear Fatties,
I have very pleasing news – I am coming back to Melbourne! But only very briefly.
I am currently en route to our wonderful home city on a desperate mercy mission to protect those poor, downtrodden souls back in Australia who are having their human rights violated right at this very moment. I refer, of course, to those poor motorbike riders who are being subjected to a brutal police crackdown in all states except Victoria.
You may have read in the Herald Sun this week, as I did in the online version, that the Victoria Police are doing the enlightened thing and not joining in this outrageous violation of human rights because our magnificent Victorian Charter of Rights protects the motorbike riders’ right to freely associate and belong to a group. I intend to argue before the Supreme Court that the Charter of Rights should be given extra-territorial application so as to protect human rights outside Victoria as well.
I will be offering my services pro bono (for a suitable fee, of course). What a grand day it will be in the Supreme Court when I strike a blow for human rights nationwide and free these poor motorbike riders from the yoke of state oppression.
I can see it now – McPerton SC (pro bono) for the Applicants, with Professor George Williams as my junior, and The Honourable Rob Hulls (or His Excellency Rob Hulls as I have been calling him since my appointment to San Fran) as my instructing solicitor.
I will be jetting in tomorrow at 3:00am. Would you mind picking me up from the airport in the black CLK? I know the time is a tad inconvenient but it was the only direct flight to Melbourne that was available. I decided not to fly via Sydney just in case I ran into some of my clients exercising their human right to practice their culture in the airport terminal whilst I was there.
is Wolfman one Wolgang, Prince-Archbishop of Garwoli?
make that Wolfgang
this blog is too cheap for preview?
We love Josh and we love Richard, both good freinds of ours
My other old mate, Hugh, thinks I will make an excellent MP. Indeed, he thinks that I will be a Minister one day.
Josh has done everything right successful in finance,sport,an excellent accademic record,political experience,great photographer and he has done the hard yards in the outback as well.
Beat that if you can.
Honeys…
It matters not who the Conservatives select in Kooyong.
There will be a delicious day of reckoning with the small ‘l’ liberals who for too long have remained silent, in the face of right wing bastardry and violence.
If only they understood how fragile their tottering party is at the minute!
and what about the bun fight that will ensure on Corrangamite??
Will Nockles be defeated by Price?
Nockles will win easily.
A knockles victory would pathetic but typical. Knockles is a woeful git whose claim to fame was working for Newman. Price is actually from colac, works non stop for the party and also has experience as a political professional and working for rural stakeholders.
So who will the Libs pick? Why knockles of course!
Who cares who the anathema Libs pick. I support the ALP, honeys, so I want the Cheeseman to win.
Darren is a honey.
The Price is right?
Simon Price is so far to the right, that if he had his way, the government would only exist in name (and to pocket a fat salary)while condescendingly watching over and ensuring that there were no regulations or laws in existence to stop businesses from unashamedly exploiting workers and screwing them right over.
Simon would probably try and justify this on the basis of “free choice” on the part of the workers to stay on and be blugeoned by unscrupulous bosses. Hardly a choice when the workers have nowhere better to go because all bosses were behaving with equal unchecked bastardry, thanks to his fantatic obsession with no regulation whatsoever.
Simon Price is a guy, who save for his family farm, has never worked outside the Liberal Party sheltered workshop for a real employer. His association with the NFF ended uphappily as he wanted an end to all forms of protection or buffers for farmers.
Nockles is alreadly knocking on heaven’s door. The preselection is already his.
The 300 year old man and the 150 year old woman, still powerful players in the Corangamite FEC, have thrown their support behind Nockles, even that Nockles tried to unseat Stew.
I think Nockles doesn’t have a chance.
It is obvious to members in certain branches that there are moves underway to win over every key spot in ‘administrative’ positions in order to throw it to Price –the Cossie man, or one of Cossie’s other men or women.
which of the candidates are in Hetrosexual relationships?
I guess the answer to that would be Nockles.
Price is still wedged in Bev’s busom. She managed 5% at the State Council didn’t she?
Somehow I doubt that the Cheeseman really cares who wins Liberal Party preselection for Corangamite.
Hello Honeys…
Despite the false post on March 27 @ 11:02, I am not a fan of Cheesy Mr Cheesball…
However, preferences from progressives will flow when the Conservatives select a right wing tub-thumper – as they always do these days.
It seems Mr Cheeseman will win unless a true third force progressive liberal captures the imagination of at least 30% of the corangamite electorate.
Has Cheeseman got any chance of hanging on? what is he doing in the electorate?