MP’S UPHILL BATTLE
A POST-election crisis meeting of federal Victorian Liberal MPs was held yesterday, with grave concerns for a number of Federal liberal seats including Corangamite, which is held by Sarah Henderson.
Cabinet minister Kelly O’Dwyer told colleagues the Liberals are widely regarded as “homophobic, anti-women, climate-change deniers” during the meeting.
The Geelong Advertiser understands Ms Henderson did not attend the meeting.
The almost 90-minute long “robust” meeting between Victorian federal MPs, in the company of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, came amid warnings of an electorate wipe out based on the Andrews Government’s massive victory at the weekend.
Ms Henderson holds her seat with the slimmest margin of any Liberal MP in Canberra, having won a second term at the 2016 federal with a margin of 3.13 per cent.
Boundary changes to the electorate, which saw Corangamite lose areas in Colac, Highton and Belmont and gain areas including the Bellarine Peninsula, have narrowed Ms Henderson’s hold on the seat.
Deakin University politics expert Dr Geoffrey Robinson said he “definitely” thought the state election result was ominous for Ms Henderson and that he expected her to lose the seat.
“(It’s) ( ) an uphill p road after losing g Colac, olac, and being an outer suburban seat, it’s become more difficult also,” Dr Robinson said.
Ms Henderson said in a statement released yesterday: “I face a very big fight to hold the seat and I will continue to work extremely hard to stand up and deliver for the people of Corangamite.”
“While the Victorian election was fought predominantly on state issues, voters continue to send us a clear message — focus on our issues and concerns, not yourselves.
“I will be redoubling my efforts to reach out to every local community, listen to concerns and take appropriate action wherever possible. In the coming weeks and months, I will be conducting a ‘Community First’ listening tour across all parts of the Corangamite electorate,” Ms Henderson said.
In the Canberra crisis meeting, Ms O’Dwyer launched a fierce criticism of the party’s officials and laid the blame on “ideological” warriors who had recruited members from conservative religious groups in an attempt to hijack the party’s positions on social issues.
It is understood she and a handful of colleagues also demanded the resignation of Victorian Liberal President Michael Kroger and State Director Nick Demeris during the private meeting.
Ms O’Dwyer would not comment when contacted by the News Corp, directing inquires to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
He said in a statement: “We had a good, honest discussion about lessons to be learned from the State campaign. As a group we will continue to be focused on delivering for our local communities.”