THE “father” of the Liberal’s Moderate faction has candidly revealed his philosophical alliance with Labor, desire for open borders and affection for Kevin Rudd.
In a wide-ranging interview earlier this month Bruce Baird, the long-serving federal back-bencher and father of retired NSW premier, Mike Baird, also revealed his commitment to climate activism.
“I’m a moderate Liberal, so it’s not a big leap [to Labor]; philosophically I’m on the same page,” he said during a July 3 interview with the Financial Review.
Baird’s “Moderate” faction has lurched so hard to the Left, however, that a number of NSW Greens and Labor members have attacked its policies as “insane” as well as questioned its moral integrity. Especially after its recent attempt to soften NSW bestiality laws.
Mr Baird counts among his closest friends former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, “Moderate” faction leader Trent Zimmerman and dumped Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
“It’s always interesting chairing a meeting with Kevin,” Mr Baird said. “He’s a good guy, people can lose sight of that.”
Before moving to Federal Parliament in 1998 Baird served as a NSW State MP where he held the position of transport minister in the Greiner government.
In Canberra, however, he was left on the back bench for nine years after opposing then Prime Minister John Howard’s border protection policies.
Since leaving parliament in 2007, Mr Baird has held numerous board positions, notably with the National Apology Foundation, the Heart Research Institute and patron of the Asylum Seekers Centre.
In September last year, he wrote a Sydney Morning Herald article pleading for more compassion for illegal arrivals held in detention.
LIBERAL CHRISTIAN
In this month’s AFR interview he said his priorities were to: “Ensure my family are all happy and well; be involved in climate-change policy review; and get asylum seekers out of offshore detention and back on Australian soil.”
Mr Baird, 78, claims to be a “liberally-minded” Christian – joining the ranks of former US President Barrack Obama and Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau.
According to Columbia University Professor Gary Dorrien, Liberal Christians have degrees of openness to all things including abortion, homosexuality, prostitution, divorce, adultery, contraception as well as to euthanasia.
Throw in relaxed bestiality laws and “insane” environmentalism and this philosophy appears to align perfectly with the priorities of Mr Baird’s ultra-Left “Moderate” faction.PC
MAIN PHOTOGRAPH: Mates Bruce Baird and Kevin Rudd (enhanced). (courtesy AFR)
POLITICOM: Extremist MPs unmasked: ‘It’s insane’
POLITICOM: Voters call out ‘climate emergency’ propaganda
POLITICOM: Left’s long march through conservative Parties
Like father, like son!
I like Bruce & have always found him to be a gentleman but he is very old and his mind is not as sharp as it used to be so be a little more circumspect. He will have have ZERO impact so don’t worry too much.
At least he’s come out, so there’s some honesty in that. Fortuitously, John Howard was a strong and shrewd steward, and knew better than to give him a ministry, as one shudders to think how many kids would have drowned at sea had he had an input into weakening border protection policy. Neither his nor Rudd’s stated views have anything to offer the national interest, or Australian’s living standards, but until the left side of politics has its way, they remain free to express their views, devoid of merit or otherwise.
Nick, it would have been more appropriate for him to “come out” before seeking preselection in a centre-right Conservative party. There’s no honesty in that. I want a full list of the tricksters who are members of this Liberal faction of moderates. I can’t find it on the Liberal website, though.
You have lost me Bruce. I hope your son does not share your opinions .
The way these people claim they are “moderates” is a deception. He is a lefty and should join the Labour or the Greens party! It is these deceivers which do so much damage, acting like they are conservative when they are clearly not.