Liberals
BAYSIDE BOADICEA: Theana Thompson fights them on the beaches
There aren’t many contested state preselections at all among the held Victorian Liberal state seats – with even the open seat of Caulfield going to David Southwick unopposed – but a challenge from Baillieu faction hopeful Margaret Fitzherbert against Costello ally and Sandringham MP Murray Thompson has brought into focus the might and power of Theana Thompson, a formidable local political operative who just happens to be married to Murray.
The factional dynamo has been variously described as “courageous”, “tough”, “willing to jump on a live grenade”, “an evil harpie”, a “witch” and the Krogerite version of Inga Peulich in describing her tough and hard-core political methods. She governs local branches with a combination of tough love and menace that keep them in firmly in line, observers explain.
Many believe she should be in Parliament, instead of her no-hoper backbencher husband.
Partly due to the fact that Murray’s old man Lindsay Thompson was a long-time Liberal cabinet minister and briefly Premier before the end of the long-running Liberal reign in 1982, many had presumed that Murray had what it took to play a leadership role in Spring Street.
He has disappointed many in that respect.
THE BAYSIDE BOADICEA
And yet the shrewd, combative and powerful Theana has stood by her man all the way through. Famously, at his 15th anniversary of being in Parliament dinner, that many attended in the hope of a retirement announcement, Theana spoke to the assembled colleagues assuring them that Murray was just warming up – wait for it – in his bid to become the next Liberal Premier of Victoria.
Many were aghast at this suggestion and thought the best response was to drink as much of the cheap plonk available to help them through the night. One MP – who shall remain nameless – is believed to have projectile vomited in the carpark. At least they didn’t drive home.
Thompson, a highly accomplished migrant originally from Eastern Europe, has set her husband a cracking pace, and is a successful professional and political activist.
She built a high profile – much higher than hubby’s – in the party as President of the Women’s section – becoming its federal president – and made herself freely available as a guest speaker in many branches who enjoyed her feisty frank-speaking.
LET THEM HATE SO LONG AS THEY FEAR
Factional critics say she is a nasty and rabid social climber but concede she is the real political brains behind her husband’s ailing parliamentary career which has limped along since 1992.
Theana is believed to be furious beyond words at the impertinence of Margaret Fitzherbert’s challenge and has told branch members “she’ll rip the bitch’s eyes out” if given the opportunity. This aggressive approach is not uncommon at all in the ALP but is a stand-out in the Victorian Liberals who pretend at least to be on civil terms with even their nastiest foes, most of the time, sensing it’s “not a good look” to have unseemly public fights. Journalists can be used for these purposes, hence the suggestion in today’s Australian from Rick Wallace that Fitzherbert’s challenge was improper and insensitive because it came just a year after Murray’s father’s death. A bit of a low-blow and a stretch but a useful way of reminding patriots of their candidate’s bloodlines and that it’s going to be a long, dirty fight.
Fitzherbert’s backers say Margaret enjoys very civil relations with Murray but is keen to avoid a confrontation with the hyper-aggressive Theana.
“She’s scared of Theana’s ’spak attacks’ and you can’t blame her,” one local observer explained.
They strongly deny the Kroger faction’s assertion that Margaret is merely staking a claim for the next round of preselections or indicating an interest in another seat like Brighton when Louise Asher shuffles off.
Fitzherbert’s backers say her claim for a state seat is a strong one, she is very active within the party, would take a much higher profile than the low-key Murray Thompson and has worked at a senior level in one of the big banks in Melbourne.
Her foes in the Kroger faction insist the mother of three is in fact just a factional hack with an axe to grind. They say she’s married to a Baillieu operative Daryl Williams (not the former minister), a close friend of upper house leader David Davis, constitutional committee boss and former vice-presidential candidate for the Victorian division on Peter Clarke’s doomed ticket in 2003.
Let the games begin.
Discussion
43 comments for “BAYSIDE BOADICEA: Theana Thompson fights them on the beaches”
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Theana .. snd me a txt … wuld b hot!
Don’t upset ‘her indoors’, she is scarier than any of the Gangland Murderers.
The Bailleue faction is the shittest faction ever in the history of the world. There MP held Caulfield, and now the legacy is to hand it over unchallenged to the other faction. Sharedy was and is utterly useless. Thanks a mint Dr Woolridge, u greedy f*ck@r
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/DallaRiva-returns-to-shadow-ministry/2007/08/16/1186857653745.html
Seems like a nice guy to me- move on RDR.
Of course you think he’s a nice guy Themoney | July 10, 2009, 12:48 (otherwise known as the fifth man) – he pays your salary after all
Theana famously declared that the party wouldnt win office before Muzza got on to the front bench
After 17 years he isnt in shadow cabinet – even first termers can manage that with Lib depleted numbers
Murray Thompson – Parliamentary Party Positions: Spokesperson for Aboriginal Affairs December 2002-January 2004, resumed July 2004-May 2006. Spokesperson for Multicultural Affairs December 2002-May 2006. Spokesperson for Citizenship January 2004-May 2006. Manager of Opposition Business (Assembly) December 2005-May 2006. Secretary to Shadow Cabinet February 2006-December 2006. Shadow Minister for Housing, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs May 2006-December 2006. Spokesperson for Scrutiny of Government February 2007-August 2007. Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Shadow Cabinet Secretary August 2007-February 2008.
No wonder Murray is a bit odd married to that nasty old dragon.
MT is a charisma free zone (remember Alan Beige)and yet he is far from being stupid which makes him an exception in a parliamentary party more than usually endowed with twits protected by the Leader.
Its hardly the first time in political history that the unelected spouse grows to be more respected in some quarters than their partner. Yet they don’t have to do all the constituent sh#t or bother with parliamentary duties and they can swan about building power networks to their heart’s content.
Fitzherbert is sooooo achingly typical of team ted its not funny! She, timmitta and ted no doubt constitute the leading progressive knitting circle in the party. Fitzherbert is Baillieu faction royalty joined at the hip with David Davis etc.
Kirstie Marshall is what is wrong with Forest Hill. I wonder if she went inot the office today
David Davis is a silly chiro.
“he pays your salary after all”
Nope, have met him though- have you?
Good on ya love
Murray Thompson is principled & reliable. He is intelligent, contrary to popular opinion. You give him a job & he does it with no mess & no fuss. He looks after his constituents well, as one of the few MPs who actually respect the people they represent. And importantly, he has loyal supporters who contribute dollars for election campaigns. Margaret Fitzherbert can write vaguely readable Liberal navel-gazing books, but she doesn’t have what it takes to replace Murray. Like his dad, Murray is an unspectacular but effective workhorse, who puts getting the job done before ego.
I would like to thank David Davis, Tim Wilson, Louise Asher and the locals in Sandringham (Jeanette and Mike) who are propping up the hard to market Margaret Fitzherbert. I fully endorse this underhanded attack on Theana (Murray’s wife) to draw attention away from my own incompetence as opposition leader. I know i couldn’t fight my way out of a wet paper bag, let alone fight an election. With me at the helm, the Victorian Liberals will be in opposition for another term. Vote 1 Ted.
Get back to flogging John Brumby with wet lettuce Ted
What disgusting and ill informed vitriol. And we talk about bullying on teenage websites. I personally would not want my name or cause associated with any person or publication capable of such unfounded and defamatory comment.
“When armies begin to separate their thinkers from their fighters, they will have their thinking done by cowards and their fighting done by fools.”
Lets not forget RDR’s involvement in Fitzy’s run.
Poor Thomo, imagine waking up next to Theana you would bite your own arm off.
Murray has done ok compared than most of the turkeys in there I guess… At least there aren’t speeches in Hansard outlining criminal behaviour like there are for Julian Sheezel.
J-Rat is a douche.
JS is better than JA
only a freak show would support JA, even if the only alternative was JS
No way – how anyone could not be all the way with JA, is beyond me.
J-Rat is a shocker. He couldn’t win preselection for Narre Warren North against Maree Luckins.
pffft … j-rat put in a valiant performance in narre warren, and gave a speech since stolen by barak obama himself
Valiant performance? WTF? The docuhe came third to Legs Luckins! There is no need to say anything else.
you werent even there … everyone left the convention with a glint at their eye at the amazing talent that had just been discovered
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Yes, there was a glint in my eye. The glint was a manifestation of the laughter I was trying so desperately to control. J-Rat was an embarrassment then, he is an embarrassment now.
The Liberal Party shot itself in the foot when he was appointed as State Director.
Even Metro Petro was a better SD than J-Rat.
lets not forget gidley beat maree luckins .. and then lost the unlosable seat … and that was a JA maneouvre ….
Patriots Patriots … settle down … lets focus on the things that bring us together, on our similarities and not our differences …. surely we can all agree that JA and J-Rat both lick their own scrotum and not ruin friendships by debating which one does it more often than the other
Cranky old biatch just needs a backrub and a cup of tea.
Poor old menopausal moo needs a big dose of evening primrose oil.
Auntie Anon, you speak words of wisdom. JA and J-Rat both lick their own scrota. It is pointless to discuss who does this more often. Both are tools.
It comes as no suprise to see Edmund Burke post a message on this page. Ed, you seem to have a comment about Sandringham or Thompson everywhere else on this website, never missing an opportunity to drive the knife in. I smell a rat.
Interesting to read the comments here though, obviously a lot of discontent with the current Liberal line up.
Thompson is the classic cuckold.
I work in the area, and have done for 10 years. Thompson considers it his fiefdom. It’s his birthright. Having to work/contribute anything has never been his intentions.
Corgi, you can’t have been working too hard over the years if you have time to knock out a couple of emails mid afternoon. Isn’t that right MB?
Listen everyone. I live in the electorate. I’ve seen the couple many a time and have met them too. Nothing like what this article states.
Whoever wrote this did it because they want to make Theana and therefore Murray look bad for preselection. Theana is not a controlling wife and she NEVER uses language like that bad and I swear on my life that she didn’t say “she’ll rip the bitch’s eyes out” (Margaret Fitzherbert’s) if given the opportunity.
Murray has a brain, with Theana being supportive not the controlling. Oh, and her “spak attacks” are no existent as far as I’m aware.
I also have great support in Murray and he is a wonderful politician.
If everyone believed what was on the internet we would all be damned and whoever does believe this is a gullible idiot.
Haven’t you noticed there’s no name? The person who wrote this is too cowardly to put their own name on the article. I wonder why.
45 to 7
Theana and Murray are two of the best people my family have ever come across, they are family orientated and have exceptional values. I am forever greatful for the assistance and kindness they have shown my family and I.
You wouldn’t want to meet Theana the ‘gorilla biscuit mould’ in a dark alley she is one mean cruel bitch.
Theana is the sweetest, most kind hearted person I have ever met. The pathos she has should be an example and a lead that all lib mp’s should take notice of! Both Murray and Theana don’t fight for their personal gain – they fight for Victoria and it’s best interests.