Ted Baillieu is known as a moderate Liberal,who was Victorian premier between 2010 and 2013. He is a Kooyong resident and is volunteering for Frydenberg’s campaign.
Rob Baillieu explained why he has abandoned the Liberal Party inan opinion piece forThe Age, responding to an article by his fatherpublished on Friday. The former premier wrote that the “bizarre” mission of independents,including Ryan,was to “replace some of Australia’s most capable,energetic and experienced MPs”.
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Rob Baillieu,who is gay,wrote that in 2016 he was encouraged to work for a “moderate” Liberal Party MP,who he did not name. He said the “notional interview’ for the job proved to be “one of the most homophobic experiences of my life”.
“Climate scepticism,sexism and disregard for basic scientific principles didn’t help. If these are the moderates,who the hell are the conservatives?”
The Baillieus have long been regarded as scions of leafy-street Liberalism in Victoria. Rob Baillieu unsuccessfully ran for Boroondara Council in 2020.
In his opinion article,Rob Baillieu said there was now little difference between a moderate and a conservative Liberal,“if you vote the same way,protect the same selfish culture and promote the same lines”.