The ACT Parliamentary Liberal Party is expected to chastise its leader, Trevor Kaine, at a meeting today (monday) for publicly rebuking the spokesman or rural affairs, Tony de Domenico.
However, a challenge to his leadership or a no-confidence motion appears out of the question.
Mr Kaine criticised Mr de Domenico for speaking out of his portfolio areas thereby upsetting other Liberal MLAs. Mr Kaine is expected to be asked to explain how his rebuke found its way into the media in an article in The Canberra Times on Friday.
It is expected the meeting will cal for unity and for members to stick to their own areas of responsibility.
Mr Kaine said at the weekend he was not worried about tomorrow’s meeting. Liberal Party sources say MLAs are concerned that discussion of that kind should remain within the party room, but see it as a matter of a lapse of judgment rather than a serious matter going to the question of leadership.
Mr Kaine said that as things stood, he would lead the party to the 1995 election, but he was always equivocal about it because “”I am not getting any younger”. He had to consider the position of younger people in the party, his family and there was always the question of pre-selection.
But at present he was healthy and would continue.