A morning show host has shielded her face after a Liberal senator roasted National Party colleagues on air amid murmurs disgruntled backbenchers are considering defecting to the junior Coalition partner.
Jane Hume was one of the most powerful women in the Liberal Party before Sussan Ley booted her from the opposition frontbench following the Coalition’s crushing election defeat in May.
She has not been as vocal as other Liberals on her disagreements with the opposition’s direction – or lack of – under Ms Ley but has lamented the chaos gripping her party as it crawls through a lengthy post-vote policy review.
Appearing on Sunrise on Friday, Senator Hume made it clear that she was not among those rumoured to be thinking of switching party rooms.
“So, are you going to the Nationals?” Sunrise host Nat Barr asked the backbencher.
“I do look fetching in an Akubra, Nat, I’ll tell you that much,” Senator Hume replied before launching into a roast of her Nationals colleagues that made Barr cover her face.
“I’d have to speak slower and talk about the regions more often, down in ‘Cocky’s Corner’,” she said.
“But no, to be honest, I’m too fond of good coffee and free markets to join the National Party.”
The comments came after Nationals leader David Littleproud said all were welcome to join.
More to come
