Fed: Moderate views may have kept retiring MP off front bench

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2007
Fed: Moderate views may have kept retiring MP off front bench

Moderate Liberal MP BRUCE BAIRD .. who'll retire from politics at this year's federal
election .. says he's disappointed never to have served as a HOWARD government minister.

Mr BAIRD .. who's spent a combined 20 years in federal and state parliament .. won't
recontest his safe seat of Cook in Sydney's south.

He's told ABC radio he'd questioned the PM about a possible promotion .. and was told
he's regarded as very talented.

But he says his outspoken views on controversial issues like asylum seeker policy may
have affected his chance of promotion.







Mr BAIRD and his fellow moderates have been criticised by their colleagues after splitting
from the government over changes to asylum seeker laws.

Liberal MP DON RANDALL last year branded the group anarchists trying to undermine the
prime minister .. after they forced the delay of a controversial bill allowing all boat
arrivals to be processed offshore.

The bill was later scrapped after Coalition senators threatened to cross the floor to oppose it.

In 2005 the moderate backbenchers won a change to asylum seeker laws removing women
and children from detention centres.

Former Tourism Australia boss SCOTT MORRISON .. who's also a former New South Wales
state director of the Liberal Party .. is the early frontrunner for Mr BAIRD's Sydney
seat.

AAP RTV jb/rh/bart

KEYWORD: BAIRD (CANBERRA)

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