DISGRACED former Member for Mallee Andrew Broad was smacked down on Friday after he questioned the power play of Mildura MP Ali Cupper forming a new coalition with the Reason Party.
Mr Broad took a veiled shot at Ms Cupper on social media after the independent MP announced she would become the Deputy Leader of Upper House MP Fiona Patten’s party.
“I read this and wondered if it was click bait or actually true?” he said on Sunraysia Daily’s Facebook page.
“The Reason Party is the rebranded sex party that usually polls under 4 per cent in the Mildura electorate, and that is probably due to the innuendo and novelty of its name.
“Political history shows that independent MPs who form formal alliances with political parties after campaigning as being independent are usually not rewarded at the ballot box in subsequent elections.
“It will be interesting to observe how the voters respond.”
Ms Cupper returned serve as she defended her decision to join forces with Ms Patten.
“The Reason Party has a whole lot of synergies with our community’s needs and aspirations,” Ms Cupper said.
“I’m still an independent MP … but (this new coalition gives Mildura) huge strategic advantages in the Upper House.
“Just as when Andrew was in the coalition with the Liberal Party, he was a National Party MP.
“It’s a bit cheeky for Andrew to be prudish about the concept of sex when it was a sex scandal that led to his resignation from Parliament.”
Mr Broad quit federal politics two years ago after a woman went public with suggestive text messages he had sent her while he was in Hong Kong for a fruit conference. The pair had met on a “sugar baby” website.
In her response to Mr Broad’s comments, Ms Patten said: “Andrew who?
“I’m not paying any attention to a disgraced MP. We’re here to do what’s right for this community.”
