The Victorian Liberal Party might think twice about dumping Julian McGauran down to an unwinnable spot on their Senate ticket.
AEC figures show McGauran donated a total of $50,000 to the Victorian Liberal Party in 2007-08. McGauran is the only serving politician to have made a donation to his party.
His relative John Charles McGauran also was even more generous, giving $80,000 to the Liberals. He also gave a further $20,000 to the party in May 2007.
That’s a cool $150,000 since McGauran’s defection from the Nationals in January 2006.
Prior to his defection, McGauran wasn’t quite as generous to the Nationals. He donated $1800 in 2005-06 and about $18,000 in 2004-05. John McGauran gave $5000 to the DLP in 2004.
The McGauran family have some history with the DLP. Peter McGauran resigned from the family seat in Gippsland earlier this year, but Julian remains in Canberra. Neither are over-endowed with intelligence or political smarts, but they come with a lot of money, and that should count for quite a bit.
There’s no doubt the McGaurans pay their way. In for a penny and pound Julian and Peter were sold on being political icons from childhood. “While other kids read comic books and listened to music Peter read Hansard and listened to parliamentary broadcasts”!! Needless to say Pete lost interest after the Nationals gave the nod to John Anderson, Mark Vaile and Warren Truss. But he’s still into hotels, pokies and horse-breeding while Julian’s as confused as ever about his conservative bent. He switched allegiance for the Libs when the Nats looked yesteryear but don’t count him out if there’s a National’s resurgence. The McGauran boys like to keep options open.