I think it’s incredibly graceful for Daniel to say we will eventually forget the 27 members who voted against this. Sure, eventually we will, but in the short-term we absolutely shouldn’t. We should name them, shame them and then punish them at the next elections.
Here’s the list of the 27 Victorian MPs who voted against the Apology to First Peoples motion last week, with their political party affiliations (drawn from the official Legislative Assembly division and member records). It’s not even a pattern, it’s exclusively the liberals and the nationals:
1. Brad Battin — Liberal Party (MP for Berwick) 
2. Jade Benham — The Nationals (MP for Mildura) 
3. Roma Britnell — Liberal Party (MP for South-West Coast) 
4. Tim Bull — The Nationals (MP for Gippsland East) 
5. Martin Cameron — The Nationals (MP for Morwell) 
6. Annabelle Cleeland — The Nationals (MP for Euroa) 
7. Chris Crewther — Liberal Party (MP for Mornington) 
8. Sam Groth — Liberal Party (MP for Nepean) 
9. Matthew Guy — Liberal Party (MP for Bulleen) 
10. David Hodgett — Liberal Party (MP for Croydon) 
11. Emma Kealy — The Nationals (MP for Lowan) 
12. Tim McCurdy — The Nationals (MP for Ovens Valley) 
13. Cindy McLeish — Liberal Party (MP for Eildon) 
14. James Newbury — Liberal Party (MP for Brighton) 
15. Danny O’Brien — The Nationals (MP for Gippsland South) 
16. Michael O’Brien — Liberal Party (MP for Malvern) 
17. Kim O’Keeffe — The Nationals (MP for Shepparton) 
18. John Pesutto — Liberal Party (MP for Hawthorn) 
19. Richard Riordan — Liberal Party (MP for Polwarth) 
20. Brad Rowswell — Liberal Party (MP for Sandringham) 
21. David Southwick — Liberal Party (MP for Caulfield) 
22. Bridget Vallence — Liberal Party (MP for Evelyn) 
23. Peter Walsh — The Nationals (MP for Murray Plains) 
24. Kim Wells — Liberal Party (MP for Rowville) 
25. Nicole Werner — Liberal Party (MP for Warrandyte) 
26. Rachel Westaway — Liberal Party (MP for Prahran) 
But unfortunately some people who may vote for them probably wouldn’t know how their local “representatives” voted. Let’s be honest, most Aussie’s don’t pay a huge amount of attention to local politics and much less about their local representatives.
I noticed this too James and I agree it’s graceful of Daniel but it’s strategic as well. I’m inclined to not give them attention they definitely do not deserve. It’s not about them. TBH I would never vote for any of these people anyway
Wholeheartedly agree, James. And Daniel, as ever: compelling and incisive.
I think it’s incredibly graceful for Daniel to say we will eventually forget the 27 members who voted against this. Sure, eventually we will, but in the short-term we absolutely shouldn’t. We should name them, shame them and then punish them at the next elections.
Here’s the list of the 27 Victorian MPs who voted against the Apology to First Peoples motion last week, with their political party affiliations (drawn from the official Legislative Assembly division and member records). It’s not even a pattern, it’s exclusively the liberals and the nationals:
1. Brad Battin — Liberal Party (MP for Berwick) 
2. Jade Benham — The Nationals (MP for Mildura) 
3. Roma Britnell — Liberal Party (MP for South-West Coast) 
4. Tim Bull — The Nationals (MP for Gippsland East) 
5. Martin Cameron — The Nationals (MP for Morwell) 
6. Annabelle Cleeland — The Nationals (MP for Euroa) 
7. Chris Crewther — Liberal Party (MP for Mornington) 
8. Sam Groth — Liberal Party (MP for Nepean) 
9. Matthew Guy — Liberal Party (MP for Bulleen) 
10. David Hodgett — Liberal Party (MP for Croydon) 
11. Emma Kealy — The Nationals (MP for Lowan) 
12. Tim McCurdy — The Nationals (MP for Ovens Valley) 
13. Cindy McLeish — Liberal Party (MP for Eildon) 
14. James Newbury — Liberal Party (MP for Brighton) 
15. Danny O’Brien — The Nationals (MP for Gippsland South) 
16. Michael O’Brien — Liberal Party (MP for Malvern) 
17. Kim O’Keeffe — The Nationals (MP for Shepparton) 
18. John Pesutto — Liberal Party (MP for Hawthorn) 
19. Richard Riordan — Liberal Party (MP for Polwarth) 
20. Brad Rowswell — Liberal Party (MP for Sandringham) 
21. David Southwick — Liberal Party (MP for Caulfield) 
22. Bridget Vallence — Liberal Party (MP for Evelyn) 
23. Peter Walsh — The Nationals (MP for Murray Plains) 
24. Kim Wells — Liberal Party (MP for Rowville) 
25. Nicole Werner — Liberal Party (MP for Warrandyte) 
26. Rachel Westaway — Liberal Party (MP for Prahran) 
27. Jess Wilson — Liberal Party (MP for Kew) 
But unfortunately some people who may vote for them probably wouldn’t know how their local “representatives” voted. Let’s be honest, most Aussie’s don’t pay a huge amount of attention to local politics and much less about their local representatives.
I noticed this too James and I agree it’s graceful of Daniel but it’s strategic as well. I’m inclined to not give them attention they definitely do not deserve. It’s not about them. TBH I would never vote for any of these people anyway