The photo that has stunned Australian politics – and why some say it doesn’t look good: ‘An absolute act of naivete’
A photo of two female politicians from rival parties posing together has sparked outrage among their colleagues.
Late on Saturday night, Zoe McKenzie, the Liberal MP for Flinders in Victoria, posted a photo of herself with Labour’s Jodie Belyea, who won the by-election that day for the neighboring seat of Dunkley after much help from Anthony Albanese.
The image posted was intended as a show of respect from two women sitting on a chair on the Mornington Peninsula on the outer edge of Melbourne.
“You have been a great friend to women on the Mornington Peninsula,” Ms McKenzie wrote in her 10.30pm post.
“I look forward to working with you to take care of paradise!”
The act of goodwill went down poorly with some of Ms McKenzie’s colleagues, who called it “inexcusable” and “naive” for the Liberals to be “at war” with Labor.
A photo of two female politicians together has caused shockwaves, outrage, insults and rumors that the major parties are at ‘war’ with each other. Labour’s Jodie Belyea (left) is pictured with Liberal Zoe McKenzie
A senior colleague of Ms McKenzie’s told the story The Australian the photo was ‘an absolute act of naivete’.
Another said they were ‘floored’ by the photo.
“To say that the anger among the ranks is palpable would be an understatement,” they said.
A third said the kindness shown would cause problems in attempts to oust Ms Belyea at the next federal election, likely to take place in May 2025.
‘We are at war with Labour. “It’s frustrating to think that this new breed of liberals thinks differently,” they said.
Complicating matters further, Rodrigo Pintos Lopez, Ms McKenzie’s husband, has just resigned as chief of staff to Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto.
One Liberal source said the photo showed “zero political judgment” and a “naivety” that needed to be addressed.
“The most generous thing you can say is that it is a naive act,” they said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted both Ms McKenzie and Ms Belyea for comment.
ABC election analyst Antony Green named the seat of Dunkley for Labor on Saturday evening.
Jodie Belyea (pictured right) won the by-election for the Victorian seat of Dunkley on Saturday, after much help from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured left)
The opposition pinned its hopes on Frankston City Council mayoral candidate Nathan Conroy, who would run for the Liberal Party, but the 3.8 percent he managed was not enough to secure the seat.
Mr Albanese showed up at a polling station early on Saturday, on his 61st birthday, with Ms Belyea and his fiancée, Jodie Haydon.
“What I want for my birthday is clear today, which is a win for Jodie Belyea,” Albanese told reporters.
The cost of living has been at the heart of the campaign, with Mr Albanese advocating greater tax cuts for lower and middle income earners under the government’s revamped tax package.