Blood at Yellow Water

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  MONDAY MORNING - CANBERRA

  The Liberal Party members filtered into the party room for the ballot for the leadership and took their seats. The rumour was running that Anna Sentoro was not going to run for the leadership and that Crichton would be the only candidate for the leadership. The Party Whip, John McLelland, called the meeting together and outlined the process involved in the election. He then asked for nominations for the leadership. Malcolm Crichton stood up and announced he was contending for the leadership. The Whip then asked if there were any other candidates for the position. There was a hushed silence and the members looked expectantly at Anna Sentoro. When there was no response from her or anyone else, McLelland declared Crichton as the new leader and Prime Minister Elect. Crichton then made a lengthy speech as to the honour of being selected leader and how well he would serve the people as Prime Minster.

  To everyone’s surprise, Sentoro stood up and announced that she wished to step down from her position as Deputy Leader of the Party citing family reasons for her decision. There was a concerted gasp from the room at this announcement. The Whip then asked for nominations for the Deputy Leadership. The Treasurer, John Blackman, one of Anna’s supporters, rose hesitantly from his chair and announced that he would apply for the position of Deputy Leader. Then the Education Minister, Harold Falconer, a close colleague of Crichton’s, stood up and indicated he would also nominate for the Deputy Leadership. The Whip asked for any further nominations and when there were none forthcoming, asked the two candidates to state their case for appointment to the position. After their presentations, the Whip arranged for ballot papers to be distributed to the members. Once the ballot papers were completed, they were collected by the clerk and tallied up and presented to the Whip. McLelland looked at the result and declared a majority of fourteen votes in favour of Blackman. A murmur arose from the members. Blackman then made a short thank-you speech and the meeting concluded.

  Anna hurried out of the party room, ignoring the members wishing to talk to her and rushed back to her office. She brought her staff together and told them briefly what had transpired in the party room. She gave her reason for stepping down from the deputy leadership as being able to spend more time with her family but her staff knew it was because she could not work with Crichton as Prime Minister. Crichton had however promised her that she would retain her role as Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if she agreed to not stand for the leadership. Feeling herself become emotional she thanked her staff for their continuing support and concluded the meeting. She walked into her office, shut the door, shrugged her handbag off onto her desk, kicked off her shoes and collapsed into her chair and sobbed uncontrollably. After five minutes, she composed herself, wiped her eyes, opened the small bar fridge and made herself a stiff gin and tonic. She thought of a quote from Robert Browning, her favourite poet, “My sun sets to rise again”.