Liberal leader Libby Mettam has backed away from her tough stance on controversial MP Nick Goiran, welcoming him back into the shadow cabinet. Her relaxed position has prompted an immediate response from Labor – accusing Ms Mettam of doing a deal to protect her leadership.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00When Libby Metham took over as Liberal leader, she quickly stamped her authority by removing
00:07Nick Garan from Shadow Cabinet.
00:09The issues in relation to Nick Garan were worthy of an apology.
00:15The apology was not forthcoming and I was given no choice.
00:20Those issues were about his role in the Klan, a group of factional power brokers whose leaked
00:24messages showed boasts of branch stacking and disparaging comments about women.
00:29Two years on, he's back in favour as Shadow Attorney-General and Child Protection Spokesperson
00:34without having to apologise.
00:36It's clear that Libby is unable to compel him to do so because he's in control of the
00:41party.
00:42The government's accused Ms Metham of striking a deal with Mr Garan in exchange for his vote
00:47in last month's failed bid to oust her as party leader.
00:50If it looks like a deal and it smells like a deal, it's a deal.
00:54And Libby Metham needs to come clean.
00:57What's the deal?
00:58Ms Metham declined an interview telling the ABC there was no deal.
01:02Just because Roger Cook did a deal with the unions to make him Premier doesn't mean I
01:06did.
01:07I did not.
01:08In a statement, Mr Garan said a previous investigation had cleared him of any wrongdoing.
01:12Political commentator Peter Kennedy says it appears Ms Metham is trying to move on from
01:17the Klan saga and present a united front.
01:20But get him inside the tent, moving in the same direction because they want to make progress.
01:24They don't want to be squabbling coming up to the election.
01:27The ABC understands a key reason for Mr Garan's return was the need to have a big enough shadow
01:32cabinet to mount a convincing campaign.
01:35With just three months until the election, it's hoped the value of having an experienced
01:39player back on board will outweigh the pain of Ms Metham's backflip.