Kennett Savages Senator Helen Kroger Over Green Preferences

Oct 27, 2010

Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett has savaged Liberal Senator Helen Kroger over her criticism of the party’s practice of preferencing the Greens ahead of Labor.

Kennett’s attack comes just one month before the state election. The preference debate within the Liberal Party has been gathering momentum since the August 21 federal election where Liberal preferences in Melbourne delivered the seat to the Greens.

Some Liberals argue that the party should negotiate preference agreements with the Greens on the basis that Labor is the party’s real enemy. Others claim that the Liberals should not be assisting the Greens to win seats because Green policies are fundamentally hostile to Liberal Party philosophy. [Read more...]

Filed Under: 2010 Federal Election, Greens, Liberal Party, VIC Tagged With: , ,

Bless You, Too, Annabel, But You Got The Address Wrong!

Aug 18, 2007

Annabel Crabb, Bless HerAnnabel Crabb from the Sydney Morning Herald has paid australianpolitics.com a compliment in an article in today’s paper titled Loose lips an occupational hazard for ambitious MPs.

In the context of Peter Costello’s dinner conversations with journalists, Crabb unashamedly recycles the 1987 story of the Jeff Kennett-Andrew Peacock car-phone conversation, referring to the transcript and audio of the conversation on this site.

She says: “The excellent australianpolitics.com website, bless it, has a full transcript of that memorable conversation, if you’re over 18.”

Unfortunately, the address given in the article omits an underscore which would have produced a “page not found” message. The page has been duly replicated to ensure an unbroken internet experience.

Filed Under: Media Tagged With: , , , , ,

Coalition Outpolls Labor In Australia Day Honours

Jan 26, 2005

The annual list of Australia Day honours has been released.

Politically, the Liberal and National Parties have done well in this year’s honours.

The former Deputy Prime Minister, Tim Fischer, and the former Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett, have been made ACs, Companions of the Order of Australia, the highest category.

Lynton Crosby, the former federal director of the Liberal Party, was made an AO. Crosby has been in the news in recent days for his role in advising the British Conservative Party leader, Michael Howard. Howard has announced an immigration policy which includes a crackdown on asylum seekers.

The former Queensland senator and Howard minister, Warwick Parer, has been awarded an AM, as has the former National Party member for Cowper, Garry Nehl.

Nicky Downer, wife of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer, has been awarded an AM for services to the arts.

Filed Under: Howard Government Tagged With: , , , , , ,

A.L.P. Wins Burwood By-Election With 10% Swing

Dec 11, 1999

Bob Stensholt, ALP Member for Burwood8.30pm – In one last final nail in the coffin of the Kennett era, the Labor Party’s Bob Stensholt has won the former Premier’s seat of Burwood in today’s by-election.

With counting proceeding, the ALP appears to have secured around 55% of the two-party-preferred vote, and has won 10 of the 13 booths in the electorate.

Jeff Kennett held the seat for the Liberals continuously since its formation in 1976. Following his defeat in the September 18 State election, Kennett resigned from the seat on the day the new Parliament was opened.

The result is an important boost to the ALP, giving it 43 seats to 42 for the Opposition. Whilst the government still needs to rely on the support of at least 2 of the 3 independents, the extra seat will make management of the Legislative Assembly slightly easier, as well as giving the government the absolute majority of 45 votes that it needs to pass constitutional change.

The result partly illustrates the “honeymoon” period being experienced by the Premier, Steve Bracks, but is also a disaster for new Liberal leader, Denis Napthine.

The Liberal candidate, Lana McLean, was dogged by controversy throughout the campaign. After winning preselection against the party machine’s preferred candidate, Helen Kroger, Mrs. McLean was accused in Parliament of making a false statutory declaration in a dispute with a neighbour over a driveway. It was revealed she had also lobbied the then Planning Minister, Rob Maclellan. Later, there were revelations about a dispute with the Commonwealth Bank and reports that she had been ejected from an underage sporting event for using the “f word”, presumably “fuck”, to an umpire.

The Labor candidate, Bob Stensholt, a Monash University academic, was also under attack for spelling mistakes in his election literature: “tought” for “taught”, “elecion” for “election”, etc. He was also accused of hiding his time spent training for the priesthood in the 1970s.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , , ,

Victorian Parliament Opened; Andrianopoulos New Speaker; Kennett Resigns

Nov 03, 1999

The Victorian Parliament opened today with the election of the Labor member for Mill Park, Alex Andrianopoulos, as Speaker.

Contrary to speculation, the National Party did not field a candidate for the position. With the provision of a Speaker, and the support of the 3 independents, the minority Labor government has a 44-43 margin in the lower house. An absolute majority of 45 votes is needed for constitutional changes.

The new Speaker, Mr. Andrianopoulos, has been a member of parliament for 14 years. He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly seat of St. Albans in 1985. Following the abolition of the seat in the 1991 redistribution, he won the seat of Mill Park. The new Speaker was born in Tripolis in 1955, migrating to Australia in 1965.

Former Premier, Jeff Kennett, has resigned from Parliament. His resignation letter was read to the Legislative assembly chamber by the Speaker shortly after 5pm today. Earlier, Kennett had written to his Burwood constituents advising them of his intention to resign from Parliament. He said he wants to spend more time with his family. Few observers are surprised that the former Premier does not want to face the new Labor government across the Assembly chamber. A by-election in Burwood will be held before Christmas.

The new Victorian parliament was officially opened by the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, this afternoon. The Bracks government faced its first Question Time at 10.25pm today.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , ,

Kennett Set To Quit Parliament: By-Election Battle Looms

Oct 29, 1999

Shot himself in the foot?Former Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett, is set to quit parliament.

The Australian reports today that Kennett has decided not to stay in Parliament since his defeat last week.

The resignation could come as early as today, ensuring that Kennett will not sit in the new Parliament when it meets for the first time next Wednesday.

The Liberal Party holds Kennett’s seat of Burwood with a margin of 6.79% and the new Labor government will be keen to consolidate its precarious hold on government with a by-election victory. Expect a big-name, high-profile candidate to be preselected.

Meanwhile, Kennett and his supporters, including party president Joy Howley, have already annointed Helen Kroger, the ex-wife of former Victorian party president, Michael Kroger, as the Liberal Party’s candidate for Burwood.

In a deliciously mischievous move, the attempt to propel Ms. Kroger into Burwood seems designed to pre-empt moves by the Kroger-Costello faction to find their own candidate. Ms. Kroger apparently remains close to Costello.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , , ,

I’ve Never Met a Labor Voter: Felicity Kennett

Oct 24, 1999

The wife of former Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett, is reported in today’s Sunday Herald-Sun as saying “I still haven’t met anyone who says they voted Labor” in the recent State election.

Mrs. Kennett also says that she believes the ALP outsmarted her husband by successfully marketing the word “arrogant” to describe the former Premier who was tipped out of office last week. “He was the best Premier Victoria ever had,” Mrs. Kennett said.

The Murdoch-owned newspaper also reports today that Kennett was on the verge of advising the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, to swear in his government on October 1 for a new term until Mildura independent, Russell Savage, rang the Governor’s official secretary, Charles Curwen. An hour later, Kennett rang Savage to say he had changed his mind, the paper says.

Savage claims Kennett told him he had the support of Gippsland East independent, Craig Ingram. All three independents announced their support for the formation of a minority government a week ago.

The Age today publishes a story about the fight over water in Gippsland that led to the defeat of the local National Party member and the election of the Bracks government.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , , ,

Labor Government Takes Office in Victoria

Oct 20, 1999

Victorian Labor Premier, Steve BracksA minority Labor government headed by Steve Bracks was sworn into office just before noon on Wednesday, marking the end of 7 years and 14 days of coalition government under Jeff Kennett.

The new government has 42 seats in the Legislative Assembly and will be supported by the 3 Independent members of parliament. The new Liberal/National Party Opposition will have 43 seats.

The Labor Government will not control the Legislative Council, where the coalition parties hold 30 seats to Labor’s 14.

Bracks will head the first Labor adminstration in Victoria since Joan Kirner was defeated by Kennett in October 1992. Kirner succeeded John Cain, who had brought the ALP to office after 27 years in Opposition.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: ,

KENNETT RESIGNS, ALSO QUITS AS LIBERAL LEADER; BRACKS LABOR GOVERNMENT TO BE SWORN IN ON WEDNESDAY

Oct 19, 1999

Former Victorian Premier Jeff KennettJeff Kennett has resigned as Victorian Premier. Steve Bracks will be sworn in at 11.30 on Wednesday morning as Victoria’s first Labor Premier since 1992.

Kennett visited the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, at 4pm on Tuesday to tender his resignation. Labor leader Steve Bracks visited the Governor shortly afterwards.

At a brief press conference later, Kennett claimed the new government had no mandate and attacked the three independent members of parliament who delivered government to the ALP.

Kennett will also resign as Liberal Party leader on Tuesday 26 October. It is expected that Dr. Denis Napthine, the newly-elected deputy leader, will succeed Kennett, although other candidates may emerge in coming days.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , ,

Historic Decision: Independents To Support Labor in Victoria

Oct 18, 1999

11.20am – The 3 Independents in the Victorian Legislative Assembly have announced that they will support the formation of a minority Labor government. Details to follow.

Attention will now focus on whether the caretaker Premier, Jeff Kennett, will resign immediately, or whether he will insist on the opportunity to test his support in Parliament, perhaps as early as next week.

It is understood that the Opposition Leader, Steve Bracks, will seek an appointment with the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, this afternoon.

Beaten Kennett To See Governor On Tuesday

2.35pm – The Coalition party-room is to meet on Tuesday afternoon to consider its reaction to the decision by the Independents to support a minority Labor government.

Caretaker Premier, Jeff Kennett, has announced that he will call upon the Governor, Sir James Gobbo, to tender “advice” after the party-room meeting. Kennett says that Labor leader, Steve Bracks, has agreed to this timeline.

Contrary to earlier speculation, Parliament will meet as planned on November 3.

Text of Susan Davies Statement in Support of Labor

Susan Davies, Independent Member for Gippsland WestI remain an Independent. My main concern is with my own electorate. However we Independents have to make a choice on which party we will assist to form government.

I offer my support, to the limited extent outlined in the preamble to the Independent’s Charter Victoria 1999, to the Labor Party. Both Russell Savage and Craig Ingram have also made the same choice, which means the ALP has sufficient numbers to form government in Victoria.

The Labor Party, led by Steve Bracks, has without doubt shown the most consistent and open acceptance of the principles and practices outlined in the Charter, which aims to promote accountable government, improve the Parliament, and improve the situation in rural areas.

The decisive result in Frankston East on Saturday was significant. It was made clear to all concerned that this was going help us come to a decision. The 29,000 or so voters in Frankston East have shared some of the burden we three have felt over the last few weeks and I thank them for speaking so clearly.

Filed Under: 1999 Victoria, VIC Tagged With: , ,