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| Geoff Shaw hits out at media bias and political cowardice amid expulsion fight | Geoff Shaw hits out at media bias and political cowardice amid expulsion fight |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The rogue MP Geoff Shaw has come out swinging hours before the Victorian parliament meets to decide his fate, using an interview with former AFL footballer Jason Akermanis to lash the government as “moral cowards” and the media as biased against him. | The rogue MP Geoff Shaw has come out swinging hours before the Victorian parliament meets to decide his fate, using an interview with former AFL footballer Jason Akermanis to lash the government as “moral cowards” and the media as biased against him. |
| Akermanis, a Brownlow medallist whose career has been similarly overshadowed by controversy, preceded the interview by addressing readers directly, saying: “Before you start the same [negative] comments about myself or ‘Shawry’ just let it be known if we don’t know you, we don’t care what you think”. | Akermanis, a Brownlow medallist whose career has been similarly overshadowed by controversy, preceded the interview by addressing readers directly, saying: “Before you start the same [negative] comments about myself or ‘Shawry’ just let it be known if we don’t know you, we don’t care what you think”. |
| Shaw used his platform in the New Daily to again deny he made demands of the premier, Denis Napthine, to make a judicial appointment, and confirmed that regardless of Tuesday’s result, he would contest the next state election, scheduled for November. | Shaw used his platform in the New Daily to again deny he made demands of the premier, Denis Napthine, to make a judicial appointment, and confirmed that regardless of Tuesday’s result, he would contest the next state election, scheduled for November. |
| Last week Shaw declared he had lost trust in the Napthine government and would back any move by the opposition to pass a no-confidence motion, a measure which the opposition leader, Daniel Andrews, appeared to reject. | Last week Shaw declared he had lost trust in the Napthine government and would back any move by the opposition to pass a no-confidence motion, a measure which the opposition leader, Daniel Andrews, appeared to reject. |
| Shaw seemed to walk back his sensational threat in the interview, saying, “Just because you lose confidence in your team doesn’t mean you want them to be defeated.” | Shaw seemed to walk back his sensational threat in the interview, saying, “Just because you lose confidence in your team doesn’t mean you want them to be defeated.” |
| Declaring he has done “the best any politician ever has for Frankston”, the Frankston MP attacked the “moral cowards” in the government for refusing to change Victoria’s abortion laws, a signature issue for Shaw, a Christian. | Declaring he has done “the best any politician ever has for Frankston”, the Frankston MP attacked the “moral cowards” in the government for refusing to change Victoria’s abortion laws, a signature issue for Shaw, a Christian. |
| He is facing expulsion from parliament on Tuesday if Andrews succeeds in having Shaw found in contempt of parliament for misusing his parliamentary vehicle and fuel cards. | He is facing expulsion from parliament on Tuesday if Andrews succeeds in having Shaw found in contempt of parliament for misusing his parliamentary vehicle and fuel cards. |
| Shaw maintained his innocence in the interview, telling Akermanis the rules he had broken were “just guidelines, not regulations or laws”. | Shaw maintained his innocence in the interview, telling Akermanis the rules he had broken were “just guidelines, not regulations or laws”. |
| “I complied with the guidelines but as the ombudsman pointed out, the guidelines were ambiguous. They have now been changed. Doesn’t that say a lot?” Shaw said. | “I complied with the guidelines but as the ombudsman pointed out, the guidelines were ambiguous. They have now been changed. Doesn’t that say a lot?” Shaw said. |
| Shaw was ordered to pay back nearly $7,000 after a privileges committee ruled he had contravened the MPs’ code of conduct by using the car for his private hardware business. | Shaw was ordered to pay back nearly $7,000 after a privileges committee ruled he had contravened the MPs’ code of conduct by using the car for his private hardware business. |
| But the Coalition-dominated committee decided he had not “wilfully” broken the MPs’ conduct of conduct, sparing Shaw a contempt finding, which could lead to his expulsion or suspension from the chamber. | But the Coalition-dominated committee decided he had not “wilfully” broken the MPs’ conduct of conduct, sparing Shaw a contempt finding, which could lead to his expulsion or suspension from the chamber. |
| The Coalition government depends on Shaw, a former Liberal, to pass legislation. | |
| Labor will seek to have parliament adopt its minority report, which found Shaw in contempt. It will require a separate vote to have the Frankston MP expelled. | Labor will seek to have parliament adopt its minority report, which found Shaw in contempt. It will require a separate vote to have the Frankston MP expelled. |
| Both outcomes depend on the former Liberal speaker Ken Smith, a bitter enemy of Shaw’s, who has indicated he would support Labor in having Shaw punished. | |
| It is unclear whether Smith will follow through, however, because Shaw’s expulsion would leave parliament deadlocked and could trigger a byelection, potentially bringing down Napthine’s government. | It is unclear whether Smith will follow through, however, because Shaw’s expulsion would leave parliament deadlocked and could trigger a byelection, potentially bringing down Napthine’s government. |
| Shaw said on Tuesday his expulsion would be a “travesty”. "I think the treasurer [of Victoria, Michael O'Brien] said it well – this is Parliament of Victoria, not the big brother house. You don’t expel someone because you don’t like them." | Shaw said on Tuesday his expulsion would be a “travesty”. "I think the treasurer [of Victoria, Michael O'Brien] said it well – this is Parliament of Victoria, not the big brother house. You don’t expel someone because you don’t like them." |