ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
The key message from Bridget McKenzie’s presser in Canberra this afternoon was that she really thinks the people of regional Australia are stupid enough to think it’s just a coincidence her office granted money to gun clubs in Shooters Party heartland and nowhere else.
McKenzie has been under fire for days over a bungled sports grant programme which saw nearly $100m taxpayer dollars used to sweeten clubs in marginal seats via grants.
Many clubs that aren’t in marginal seats missed out on the grants, which has made McKenzie’s denials all the more disrespectful.
Earlier this week, it was discovered that Bridget had even given her own gun club a grant – as well as updating her declarations list to include an inner-city investment property.
Today she defended her position as a senator, saying it was all just a big coincidence that all this has happened.
As she stood in the hall of The Nationals wing in Parliament House, while portraits of Doug Anthony and Ralph Hunt wept tears of blood, McKenzie explained that while the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers have a small state-based following, the suggesting they could even threated The Nationals on a federal level is ‘laughable’.
“Really, is that what we’re all here for? Because I gave some money to gun clubs in regional parts of Victoria and New South Wales? Come on, guys! I thought you were better than that!”
“If the Shooters Party did have a foothold in regional Victoria, then why aren’t they in Canberra?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
All of a sudden, her minders found her and immediately called a close to the press conference.
More to come.
