On Friday last week, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor stepped out of his front door, ready to drive to a petrol station to make a show of calling on the Albanese government to halve the fuel excise, only to discover his car had been stolen.
Later that morning, Taylor would front reporters alongside Nationals leader Matt Canavan and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie to accuse the government of a failure of leadership, urgency and action over runaway fuel prices triggered by the US war on Iran. Glad they were able to organise alternative transport.
Word is the car theft was why Taylor appeared at the servo in only a shirt despite the 3 degree chill in the air, not because he wanted to play tough guy standing alongside Canavan, who also appeared sans jacket (a political tactic more common than you’d think). Taylor’s office declined to comment.
In response to questions about the member for Hume’s car, ACT Policing confirmed that a vehicle had been stolen on March 27 from an address in Canberra’s inner south. The cops were able to track it down quickly and it was located later that day in Turner, just north of the city.
“The vehicle was transported to an ACT Policing facility for forensic examination,” an ACT Policing spokesman told CBD in a statement. “The investigation remains ongoing.”
CBD hears the car probably couldn’t have travelled much further because the Liberal leader had neglected to fill up the tank and had left it running into the red. We can only guess the thief didn’t think a joyride was worth it, petrol prices being what they are.
No word from police on whether the vehicle was damaged or if any items were stolen, but we’re glad to hear it all worked out OK and that nobody was hurt.
Gina Rinehart descends on MAGA fest
This year may have been the first that US President Donald Trump skipped the Conservative Political Action Conference in about a decade. But that didn’t stop Australia’s richest woman, Gina Rinehart, from making the trip stateside to mix it up at ground zero of the MAGA movement.
Rinehart was among a clique of Australian conservatives who showed face at the conference, along with James Flynn, best known for running Liberal candidate Katherine Deves’ failed federal election campaign. The billionaire mining magnate was pictured at the event sporting her now customary S Kidman cowboy hat, and what appeared to be a diamond-crusted necklace, topped off with a Trump pin to match.
Rinehart even made some time to get some tips on how to import some of the populist US conservative movement back to Australia, according to The Australian Financial Review. She was in Texas last week along with a gaggle of other Australian conservatives, including Pauline Hanson’s chief of staff, James Ashby.
Flynn also made the most of the MAGA fever. Where else could you pose for a 4am pic fondling a semi-automatic weapon? It would appear he also got to hang out with the right-wing YouTube influencer, Nick Shirley, according to his Instagram posts.
Rinehart, through a spokesman, and Flynn didn’t respond to requests for comment in time for publication.
According to reports from the US, the event revealed fractures in the MAGA movement caused by Trump initiating the war with Iran, despite campaigning as a peace president. Just two years earlier, according to The New York Times, Trump told attendees of CPAC that he was different from leaders who had “gorged themselves on the spoils of endless wars”.
But judging by Rinehart’s garb, we’re guessing she isn’t really bothered.
Spotted: Joe Hockey on a morning stroll
Former federal treasurer Joe Hockey has had plenty to keep him busy in life after politics. The ex-Liberal MP enjoys a full docket performing duties as Australia’s unofficial Trump-whisperer, for those who can afford to pay his fees. Then there are the annual garden parties he hosts at his Hunters Hill home.
It was about this time last year that Hockey hosted his last local knees-up, so we can only guess that’s why he’s back in Sydney this week. Hockey was spotted on an early morning walk in North Sydney on Tuesday, according to one CBD spy who noted Australia’s one-time ambassador to the US is sporting a trimmer frame.
Last year, Hockey played host to big names including News Corp Australia executive chairman Michael Miller, and Matt Stanton, chief executive of Nine Entertainment, publisher of this masthead. Also there were high-profile defamation barrister Sue Chrysanthou, SC, rugby league chief Peter V’landys, the ABC’s Annabel Crabb, among a string of others.
We look forward to seeing who gets invited back.
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John Buckley is a CBD columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.