Senior Victorian Liberals have been badly burnt today – but only because they laughed so much over the feature in The Agethis
morning on the genius of leader Robert Doyle that they spilled scalding
breakfast coffees all over themselves. The story on the Scorseby saga
is a transparent brief by Doyle’s office to shore up the sagging leader.

Liberal
insiders say that Doyle couldn’t even deliver his own branch, let alone
save someone’s pre-selection. The Scoresby deal was put together by
party president Helen Kroger and heavies Jason Aldworth and Russell
Hannon. Doyle just came along for the ride.

Indeed, the buzz is
that the story has made Doyle’s position even worse. Confidence in the
opposition leader, his style, his people skills and political judgment
has dropped, following Paul Austin’s piece, to reach new lows. Doyle
still blames backroom boys Brian Loughane and Ian Hanke for the
Victorian Liberals disastrous state election showing. That tells
plenty. He hasn’t saved his leadership. He’s simply given his opponents
more reasons to go after him.