I know backgrounding journos for political gain has been with us forever, but those in the Liberal Party destabilising Tarzia (even though he’s a village idiot) are just going to hand Labor a greater majority next year.
It’s classic political bastardry, publicly deny any mischievousness, we are as one, whilst the faceless behind the scenes plot the downfall, creating headlines to destabilise, hence creating self fulfilling media interest which allows them to manufacture a situation to pounce.
I won’t shed a tear for Tarzia, but the Libs are just more monumentally stupid than I ever imagined.
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... 69ffc53b5c Ashton Hurn backers divide spoils - but deny plot against Vincent Tarzia
Senior Liberal agitators pushing to install Ashton Hurn as leader are already dividing up the spoils, with conservative Ben Hood being earmarked as her deputy.
Liberals pushing for Ms Hurn have also been engaging in speculation a delegation would visit Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia as early as Thursday, the final sitting day of state parliament before the March state election.
But it is understood Liberal rules prevent a deputy leader sitting in the upper house, highlighting the haphazard nature of the push to install Ms Hurn.
Mr Tarzia’s camp has been quick to hose down the destabilisation, saying he is not going anywhere and that the rumours have no substance.
Ms Hurn’s supporters do appear to be growing bolder.
The Advertiser was also told Mr Hood would be Ms Hurn’s deputy, with her as “good cop” and him as “bad cop”.
Some senior Liberals emphatically rejected the prospect of any delegation visiting Mr Tarzia on Thursday while others did not rule it out, or that the destabilisation could continue into next week.
The Advertiser was also told the delegation’s plans had been cancelled.
Asked to comment, Mr Tarzia’s office referred The Advertiser to his statements at a joint press conference with Ms Hurn on Wednesday, at which both rejected any prospect of leadership change before next March’s state election.
“She (Ms Hurn) said that she’s not challenging. I’m not resigning. I’m here to fight for my community and this state and this party, and I’ll be the leader for the election in March next year. It’s as simple as that,” Mr Tarzia said on Wednesday.
Mr Tarzia and Ms Hurn appeared together on Wednesday in a show of unity, with Ms Hurn saying there were no circumstances under which she would become leader before next March’s state election.
At that press conference, The Advertiser asked Ms Hurn for her message to colleagues who want to draft her into the leadership, and whether there was any way whatsoever that she would become leader before next March’s election.
She replied: “No. Vincent is our leader. I’m focused on working with Vincent towards the next election.”
Dunno, I’m just an idiot.
