“In hindsight, it turned out not to be the right forum to do that.”
Anderson’s departure has angered some Liberal MPs, who say they were already frustrated by the donor scandal, who say it will prevent the party from campaigning on integrity issues.
The Age revealed last week that Catlin had asked billionaire Liberal donor Jonathan Munz to pay his private marketing business more than $100,000 on top of his taxpayer-funded salary.
The contract, which was never executed, would have required the donor to pay $8,333 a month to Catlin’s company, Catchy Media Marketing and Management, to hire services described as “support for commercial interests.”
.Credit: Illustration: Matt Golding
Asked about Anderson’s resignation on Wednesday, opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier described it as “unbelievable” and denied there was any shock, saying it was a “personal decision”.
“He’s back on the interstate and that’s his decision,” Crozier said.
“They [Guy’s office] we are a united team… they are a group of young people who are hungry to help us turn this state around”.
“Lee has offered to offer advice yet. It’s a personal decision. He’s back home interstate,” he said.
Anderson resigned as director of news at Nine’s Queensland in 2011 after reporters faked a live cross in the channel’s helicopter. He has also worked as an executive producer on the Seven Network.
He was appointed director of communications for the state Liberal Party in August 2021 when Michael O’Brien was the opposition leader. Anderson remained in the role when Guy successfully challenged O’Brien weeks later and negotiated to work in Melbourne and remotely from Tasmania, where his family had recently moved.
New state Liberal cabinet chief Nick McGowan (left), seen here with Opposition Leader Matthew Guy in 2018. Credit: AAP
Anderson declined to elaborate on the reason for his departure, but told The Age he was looking forward to spending more time with family and offered his “support and best wishes all over the world”. [opposition] team”.
Crozier said none of his colleagues had raised concerns about Guy’s leadership and said he would still be leader come Election Day in November.
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Alex Woff will replace Anderson as director of media, and Anja Wolff will be promoted to assistant director of communications.
The departure comes just weeks after Nationals media adviser Emma Manser left the opposition’s five-person media team.
McGowan, Guy’s best man and childhood friend, will serve as chief of staff for just three months before standing to contest an upper house seat in the North East metropolitan region at the state election.
The deal has frustrated some Liberals, who called the appointment “messy” and “strange” given McGowan’s dual role as candidate and chief of staff.
“The person we have nominated cannot campaign for us,” said one Liberal MP, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss party matters.
But McGowan also has supporters, with one former Liberal staffer describing the appointment as a “solid choice”.
Liberal sources also said other candidates being considered for the post, including Liberal staffer Brad Stansfield and former Liberal campaigner Simon Frost, had ruled themselves out of contention.
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