Ten days out from election day and after polling that shows the government is fighting an uphill battle in a slew of blue-ribbon seats,campaign top brass have opted for the heavy artillery.
John Howard and Scott Morrison.John Shakespeare
Party faithful woke on Wednesday to a message from Liberal legendJohn Howardsent in an email salvo from federal directorAndrew Hirst, who is leading the Liberal’s campaign from Milton,Queensland.
Howard’s message was blunt:“We need your support.”
In a donation call to arms,PM25 implored supporters to choose Liberal over Labor to protect the economy from the threat of mismanagement. Oh,andAnthony Albanese.
“Being Prime Minister is a hard job andScott Morrisonis very much across the details,” Howard said. ”By contrast,Mr Albanese has not presented a detailed blueprint for Australia’s future,and he doesn’t even understand the detail of his meagre alternative. Simply put,he is not up to the job.
“We cannot be complacent. Your support will be crucial in the final days of this campaign.”
The call-out included two links embedded at different points throughout the text spiriting supporters to a donations portal.
Party insiders said they had picked Howard because he’s perceived as a voice of reason among supporters across factions and that most Australians – over a certain age – have a sense of nostalgia over his tenure.
What they didn’t mention was that there’s a more pressing angle to the message:the Libs need cash.
Campaign bosses are spending hand-over-fist to save electorates which have historically functioned as cash centres for fundraising. Upmarket electorates including Wentworth and Kooyong have traditionally been among the party’s most successful cash generators. Usually,campaigners would reserve some donation proceeds to buttress the electorate while sending the bulk to the party’s Federal Electorate Assistance Committee (FEAC) for distribution to safeguard outer suburban marginal seats – think Robertson,Latrobe and formerly Lindsay – and to fight for target seats. But threats from well-resourced independents includingMonique Ryan andAllegra Spender means sitting MPs are now forced to hoover up the cash themselves to save their own political skins. An invidious position indeed.
FRONTING UP
But while one former Liberal leader is ramping up the publicity – here’s looking at youJohn Winston Howard – the incumbent is doing the opposite. Or how else to explain PM30Scott John Morrison’s baffling non-committal to the traditional end-of-campaign address at the National Press Club,which is always held in the final week of the campaign.
Opposition LeaderAnthony Albanese has said yes – an enthusiastic one,if we had to guess – but it seems ScoMo could be giving it the miss. All talked out? Not likely.
But if he’s given an “I’ll get back to you” to the NPC and its president Laura Tingle,then what is his response to ABC’s7.30which originally requested two campaign interviews with the PM.
HostLeigh Saleslaid down that ambitious ask during an interview in April with Morrison. The PM kept his power dry,but CBD understands that he has tentatively agreed to appear on the program next Thursday in the dying days of the campaign. Albanese said on Thursday that PM30 was “allergic” to the ABC.
So maybe a quiet desperation lies behind Morrison’s “rash” decision.
TEA BREAK
Two significant executive changes this week at Cricket Australia. Head of legal,Christine Harman,and events general managerBrian Noursehave both flagged their departures – the first sinceLachlan Hendersonarrived as chair.This was after certain powerful state cricket boards forced former chairEarl Eddingsto walk back to the pavilion last October,ending his barnacle-like 13-year board tenure.
Harman was at the front line for a lot of CA dramas including the 2017 pay dispute,the worst industrial crisis in Australian cricket in 40 years.
Then there was the 2018 Sandpapergate ball tampering scandal. Head of integrityIain Roy raced back from leave to conduct the rapid investigation that led to year-long bans forDavid WarnerandSteve Smith.
Not long after,Harman andKevin Roberts,then chief operating officer and later chief executive,presided over Roy’s sudden departure,which some felt showed scant courtesy after a long involvement in the game – a feeling shared by other staff shown the door during the period. Harman was also involved in the secret handling ofTim Painesexting scandal and internal investigation in 2018 and subsequent exchanges with former receptionistRenee Ferguson,as well as the resignations of captain Paine and coachJustin Langerlast summer.
Harman’s departure is significant. She has been involved in cricket since the 2015 World Cup and was close toNick Hockley,who was only confirmed as chief executive last year. Looks to us like the new broom of Henderson,who was appointed in February after a governance interregnum,is sweeping through the organisation.
SLICE AND DICE
In days of yore there could be no more terrifying prospect for one’s television career than being “boned”.
But we’ve found a new newsroom bete noir courtesy of the Seven Network and the sudden unexplained disappearance of some heavily promoted personnel from its election debate.
Introducing,the streamline. A breathless Seven press release promoting the Debate told us to expect,“Political EditorMark Riley… featuring questions fromThe West Australian’s federal political editorLanai Scarrand 7NEWS political correspondentJennifer Bechwatifresh from the campaign trail.” Come the main event no sign of the respected Bechwati,who had days earlier served up a memorable moment inAnthony Albanese’s direction with a pointed question about a historic tweet of dubious taste.
What happened? A last-minute decision to concentrate on a “pub test” segment filmed at watering holes in marginal seats around the country resulted in the decision to “streamline” Seven’s debate talent,a source told CBD. You heard that word here first,Peeps.