‘We like to get up and dance’: Labor MPs filmed downing shots at a booze-fuelled party at a Bali nightclub defend their trip during the bushfire crisis
- A group of four Labor MPs were filmed partying during a private trip to Bali
- They travelled there in December and danced the night away in Motel Mexicola
- Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos was slammed for leaving during fires
- Video showed group dancing with one having a shot poured into their mouth
- Ms Mikakos defended night out in Seminyak saying ‘we like to get up and dance’
- Another of the MPs Nick Staikos said ‘biggest revelation is that I’m a bad dancer’
Four Labor MPs who were filmed letting their hair down at a booze-fuelled party in a Bali nightclub have defended their late-night antics, saying they like ‘to get up and dance’.
Footage emerged on Tuesday of Victoria Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and backbench Labor MPs Nick Staikos, Steve Dimopolous and Jackson Taylor dancing at the Bali venue on December 28.
The video showed the group on the dance floor at the Motel Mexicola in Seminyak, with a bartender at one point pouring a shot directly into Mr Dimopolous’ mouth.
Four Labor MPs who were filmed letting their hair down at a booze-fuelled party in December Left to right: Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer Steve Dimopoulos and Bentleigh MP Nick Staikos
The day after the group’s boozy night out bushfires prompted an evacuation of the state’s East Gippsland region.
Mikakos herself was tweeting on December 29 about the emergency evacuations as the region was engulfed by flames.
Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the Health Minister should have been home after East Gippsland evacuations began.
‘We had massive pressure on our country hospitals, we had people being injured…the health minister should have been on deck,’ he said on Tuesday.
Ms Mikakos said she returned as soon as she could – having tried unsuccessfully to get an earlier flight from December 29 – not because she had to, but because she wanted to.
‘(With) people with names Dimopoulos, Mikakos and Staikos it would be no surprise to anybody that when Zorba is playing we like to get up and dance,’ she told the Herald Sun.
The footage features the group dancing at the club, linking arms and high-fiving other patrons. Pictured: Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor
‘Effectively what the Liberal Party is saying today is that Scott Morrison should not have been in Hawaii and that ministers should never take leave.’
Premier Daniel Andrews said it was appropriate ministers took leave.
‘I’m happy to stand beside an outstanding health minister. This is not a story,’ he told reporters, standing alongside Ms Mikakos.
Fellow holiday-maker Mr Staikos also dismissed the significance of the story.
‘The biggest revelation is that I’m a bad dancer, and I’m just glad that they didn’t get footage of Footloose,’ he told reporters.
The footage showed a bartender at one point pouring a shot directly into Mr Dimopolous’ mouth
Mr Dimopolous said he had been behaving how he would around friends.
‘It was a personal holiday with friends, and I felt very comfortable and safe with friends.’
The three male MPs were Mr Dimopolous, Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Bentleigh MP Nick Staikos and Bayswater MP Jackson Taylor.
One witness said they behaved like there were on ‘a Year 12 Schoolies trip’.
The footage shows the group lifting each other up, linking arms and high-fiving other patrons.
The MPs returned from their privately-funded Bali holiday on January 2, ahead of Victoria declaring a state of disaster for much of the east of the state that evening.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos tweeted information regarding emergency evacuations in East Gippsland the day after partying
Nick Staikos (left) and Jackson Taylor (right) were both filmed partying in Bali last December
Prime Minister Scott Morrison faced similar backlash for heading to Hawaii for a family holiday during Australia’s worst bushfire crisis on record.
He defended his choice to travel by saying volunteers knew he ‘would not stand there and hold a hose’.
‘I am not a trained firefighter nor am I an expert like those in the next room doing an amazing job,’ he said at the time.
He later apologised for disappointing the Australian public.
Mr Morrison admitted he had caused ‘great anxiety’ by leaving Australia, and said he would have done things differently if he had the benefit of hindsight.
Who are the MPs who were filmed partying in Motel Mexicola?
Jenny Mikakos – Minister for Health and Ambulance Services
Between 2002 and 2007 Ms Mikakos worked as Parliamentary Secretary for Justice.
From 2007 to 2010 she was Parliamentary Secretary for Planning.
She then moved into a role as Shadow Minister for Community Services, Children, Youth Affairs, Youth Justice and Seniors and Ageing until 2014.
In 2014, she was appointed Minister for Families and Children, Early Childhood Education and Youth Affairs in the Andrews Labor Government.
Most notably, Ms Mikakos has supported abortion decriminalisation and dying with dignity laws in parliament.
Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos speaks to media in Melbourne in August
Steve Dimopoulos – Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer
The 47-year-old has been a member of the Labor party Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2014.
He previously worked as a mayor and deputy mayor of the City of Monash.
Steve Dimopoulos, member for Oakleigh exits the Legislative Assembly in November
Nick Staikos – Deputy Government whip in the Legislative Assembly
Mr Staikos represents the Legislative Assembly seat of Bentleigh in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
Like Mr Dimopoulos, he was brought into the ranks in 2014 with a winning margin of just 0.8 per cent.
After a successful first term, he was easily re-elected in 2018 with an impressive 11 per cent swing.
Mr Staikos represents the Legislative Assembly seat of Bentleigh in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Jackson Taylor – Member for Bayswater
Former police officer and deputy mayor of Knox City Council was the last of the four people involved in the Motel Mexicola trip to enter politics.
He became the MP for Bayswater after a last minute campaign – which featured a photo of himself and his dog in a Santa hat – wishing locals a Merry Christmas ahead of the election.
Mr Taylor said he is motivated to be a good politician to make a difference in his community.
‘My priorities have been shaped by my personal experiences,’ he wrote on social media.
‘It’s why I’m passionate about addressing mental health and family violence – that’s what motivated me to become a Victorian Police Officer, a Police Prosecutor and a local Councillor.
‘I’ll always be out in our community, supporting our hospitals, our schools and our grassroots clubs and delivering local road and public transport projects.’
Jackson Taylor is a former police officer and the former deputy mayor of Knox City Council