Grovelling BM backs Sophie

Is someone chasing The Groper’s old job?

As the Federal Government calls for Sophie Mirabella to give up her portfolio over the bizarre and outrageous sexual harassment involving her ‘key media adviser’ & staffer, Anthony Scrinis, it’s good to know someone has sprung – yet again – to her defence.

Look at the date – this editorial must have been written almost as news of Scrinis’ lewd behaviour was breaking. Why so quick off the mark and why so anxious to effectively praise Ms Mirabella’s so-called ‘prompt response’?

Prompt response my arse, the orders to ‘get rid of him’ came from very senior party officials while the function was still in progress! Yet Sophie claims she was “unaware” of the incidents – was she drunk too?

And in all her interviews since, not once has she clearly acknowledged the behaviour as “inappropriate”, as the Border Mail Editor implies she did. Actually, she made a point of saying that Scrinis did NOT acknowledge all of the allegations.

Of course Ms Mirabella’s competency & judgement are at question here – he’s an idiot and she hired him! And it’s not the first time one of Sophie’s staff has been accused of such “inappropriate” sexual behaviour.

Then there’s the matter of another staffer using her position on the Wangaratta Jazz Festival committee to appoint Sophie’s husband to a cushy 2-year, Government-funded job as head of the event. That was in 2007 and, thankfully, his contract has now expired and he’s been replaced. Poor old Greg is out of a job.

Maybe Sophie should join him.