Australian Politics Forum - Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party

whiteknight

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Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party
Dec 4^th, 2018 at 5:11pm

Sold down the river': Leaked emails show Liberal Party moderates under fire for saving Craig Kelly

4 December 2018
Sydney Morning Herald

Malcolm Turnbull’s intervention in a fight over the future of Craig Kelly has sparked a war inside the NSW Liberal Party's dominant moderate wing, with its leadership accused of capitulating to conservatives.

A blistering email obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reveals the decision by factional leaders Trent Zimmerman and Matt Kean to support Prime Minister Scott Morrison's plan to rescue Mr Kelly from certain preselection defeat has triggered bitter recriminations.

In a late-night missive on Monday, Sally Betts — a close ally of the former prime minister — attacked Mr Zimmerman and Mr Kean for helping save Mr Kelly, a conservative backbencher who helped bring down the National Energy Guarantee and Mr Turnbull's leadership.

"To say that the moderates are disappointed in you, as our supposed leader, is an understatement," she wrote to the North Sydney MP.

"You supported Kelly - a thug, a bully, and a disgrace and you need to explain that to the moderates.

"You were happy to sell the moderates down the river and not even ask for anything for our vote … how many other deals are you going to do that disadvantage the moderates?

"And I am telling you that you have no authority to speak for me or anyone else ever again. I doubt if the majority of the moderates want you to speak for them either."

Sally Betts is a former staffer to Malcolm Turnbull and a local councillor

The comments were also circulated to a wide group of people including Mr Turnbull and influential lobbyist Michael Photios, who handed the leadership of the faction to Mr Zimmerman and Mr Kean last year.

Mr Kelly was facing defeat by local councillor Kent Johns, a moderate-aligned party operator who had the numbers to win the nomination for the safe southern Sydney seat of Hughes.

In a separate email sent to Ms Betts and Mr Zimmerman on Tuesday, Mr Johns made numerous references to problems within Mr Kelly's office and wrote: "This was never about political ambition, this was about fixing the office in Hughes and our faction failed".

"Even if as moderates we don’t stand for anything philosophically any more you might have thought we had a moral spine," he added.

Ms Betts, NSW Young Liberals president Harry Stutchbury and moderate powerbroker Chris Rath abstained from voting against Mr Kelly’s re-endorsement — a crucial decision which allowed him to remain the party's candidate in the safe Sydney seat of Hughes at the next federal election.

Mr Morrison personally telephoned Ms Betts to lobby her over fears Mr Kelly would quit the Liberal Party and move to the crossbench had he lost preselection.

In contrast, Mr Turnbull spent much of Sunday calling state executive members urging them to resist the pressure and likened the plot to save Mr Kelly to giving in to blackmail.

In a radio interview on Monday, Mr Zimmerman said Mr Turnbull's intervention effectively gave the state executive no choice but to back Mr Morrison.

"Malcolm’s intervention meant it did become an issue about the Prime Minister’s authority and that swung the dial in favour of acceding to the request the Prime Minister had made."

In her email, Ms Betts challenged Mr Zimmerman's claim that moderates abstained because of Mr Turnbull's public statements: "How dare you speak for us … that is simply untrue."

Mr Kelly said he was "more than happy to have a preselection, and I'd be happy to run on my record".

"There is no other MP who sits in the party room that has moved a seat up the pendulum as far as I have," he said, in reference to the margin in Hughes.

Mr Zimmerman and Mr Johns declined to comment. Mr Kean could not be reached.

When contacted, Ms Betts said she was disappointed state executive members "were even asked to vote" to support Mr Kelly.

"I am a loyal servant of the moderates and the Liberals, and it is upsetting that my personal comments were leaked," Ms Betts said.

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cods Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 88048	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #1 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 5:17pm its a kind of cannibalism isnt it??.... you cant watch really but at the same time you cant help but WATCH its so APPALLING... they should all resign... turnbull should be thrown out of the party...hes an utter disgrace he put krudd in the shade....what a mongrel he has shown us to be..
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Bam

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Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party
Reply #2 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 6:08pm

cods wrote on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 5:17pm:

its a kind of cannibalism isnt it??....

you cant watch really

but at the same time you cant help but WATCH Angry

its so APPALLING...

they should all resign... turnbull should be thrown out of the party...hes an utter disgrace he put krudd in the shade....what a mongrel he has shown us to be.. Angry

So it's somehow Turnbull's fault that Morrison intervened to save Kelly? Roll Eyes

You're missing the bigger picture here. The members of the Liberal party are effectively voiceless because their decision can be overridden by Head Office at any time. As long as that remains the case, this will cause resentment.

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You are not entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to hold opinions that you can defend through sound, reasoned argument.

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Grappler Truth Teller Feller Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 80211 Proud pre-1850's NO Voter Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #3 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 7:01pm Whoo-hoo!! Empress Gladys I is about to fall.....
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Bias_2012 Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 10306 Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #4 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 8:23pm Gladys thinks Sydney is NSW
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Bam Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 21905 Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #5 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 10:36pm Bias_2012 wrote on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 8:23pm: Gladys thinks Sydney is NSW Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison think Sydney is Australia. These NSW Liberals sure have a malodorous taint.
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Grappler Truth Teller Feller Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 80211 Proud pre-1850's NO Voter Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #6 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 10:40pm Bias_2012 wrote on Dec 4^th, 2018 at 8:23pm: Gladys thinks Sydney is NSW I don't think she's ever been outside of it....
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Jasin

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Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party
Reply #7 - Dec 4^th, 2018 at 10:50pm

Sounds like Australian Politics in general 'at the top' is self-destructing.
You watch the ALP get in next election and not long after, they too will start to self-destruct at the top.

In a few elections - all we need to do is strap some explosives to the next Prime Minister and he/she will do the rest "Boom!" (Economy) Roll Eyes

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AIMLESS EXTENTION OF KNOWLEDGE HOWEVER, WHICH IS WHAT I THINK YOU REALLY MEAN BY THE TERM 'CURIOSITY', IS MERELY INEFFICIENCY. I AM DESIGNED TO AVOID INEFFICIENCY.

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juliar Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 22966	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #8 - Dec 7^th, 2018 at 5:01pm Bit of a fizzer Lefty topic. Craig is on full strength now after ScoMo put his foot down and stopped all the Moody Mal nonsense.
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red baron Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 10204 Blue Mountains Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #9 - Dec 7^th, 2018 at 5:49pm Self destruction mode on and 'on track' The Liberals will be consigned to the Political wasteland For any advice how to survive out there please contact Federal Labor
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stunspore Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 5089 Gender:	Re: Sold Down The River, War Inside NSW Liberal Party Reply #10 - Dec 7^th, 2018 at 6:30pm The NSW Lib party will lose but not as badly as Victoria.
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