Burke-gate, print-gate, Grill-gate, speaking-to-anybody-gate
Once a feeding frenzy starts, you can’t be sure who will end up being bitten, or where.
Whilst the police seizure of documents from a Brisbane printer and the offices of 3 Queensland Liberal MPs – apparently in relation to an alleged misuse of parliamentary printing entitlements – would always have made news, there’s no doubt it was given far more significance and emphasis because it happened in the midst of the so-called ‘test of character’ currently being waged by the Prime Minister and his most senior colleagues.
I believe the manufactured scandal and attacks on Kevin Rudd have been cynical, hypocritical and exaggerated. However, I don’t think that excuses cynical and exaggerated attacks in return, which is what we saw from the Queensland Labor Premier in the light of the so-called “Printgate” affair. I don’t blame him for drawing attention to the police investigation, given the Liberals had just raised the measuring stick for political morality to Mt Everest heights. But his over the top performance in State Parliament, obviously with both eyes to the television cameras, was as fevered and exaggerated as Peter Costello’s display on the ABC’s Lateline last night.
It was an abuse of Parliamentary privilege for Beattie to make the otherwise defamatory allegation that the state Liberal Leader, Dr Bruce Flegg, was corruptly elected. He was required by the Speaker to withdraw the remark but, as was no doubt intended and hoped, the television news coverage ran it anyway, meaning the improper allegation got a wide airing.
This isn’t to rule out the possibility that there may have been some wrongdoing, but the chances of Dr Flegg being involved are very slim. No doubt there are questions to be answered about the police investigation, but I would assume it is the police that will provide the definitive answer.
Meanwhile, the vacant ministerial position caused by the Prime Minister’s politically motivated execution of Ian Campbell has been filled by another West Australian Senator, David Johnston. I mentioned his name in a post I did leading up to the the reshuffle a year ago as someone I thought was quite capable, and I think he will probably make a good Minister.
However, he has already had some questions asked of him. These questions relate to the fact he has shares in mining companies which employed Brian Burke and his offsider Julian Grill, and also that he was a former associate of Julian Grill’s in a law firm 20 years ago. These would normally be completely irrelevant matters of no consequence at all – indeed on any rational assessment, they still are irrelevant. However, all rules of rationality and relativity have now clearly been suspended – probably from now until the federal election – so every tiny incidental connection will now be measured against Peter Costello’s new test that “anyone who deals with Mr Brian Burke is morally and politically compromised”. Mr Costello has since tried to redefine “anyone” to mean “anyone who is aspiring to be Prime Minister”, but I think that distinction is both too late and too absurd. Meanwhile, every person anyone now meets with will be assessed against a new ‘degree of dodginess’ score to see how they compare to Brian Burke.
Indeed, this new ultra-pure test of guilt by association is clearly going to make every Minister and shadow minister so anxious about being inadvertently caught up in some future beat-up, they might end up being too scared to hold a meeting with anyone, in case someone who turns out to have the politically and morally compromsing virus inadvertently turns up. At this rate, they’ll have to run ASIO assessments against every person who enters Parliament House, in an effort to be quarantined from being unknowingly politically and morally compromised.
As the new Minster, Senator Johnston, has just said:
“I will not see anybody now without asking a lot of questions as to who I’m dealing with, who stands to gain and what and who we’re talking about”
At this rate, Minsters will be even more cut off from reality than ever, locking themselves away from everyone, just in case Peter Costello creates another Frankenstein’s monster.
35 Comments, Comment or Ping
Paul Walter
I put the blame fairly and squarely on the shoulders of John Howard for this.
Caught out on a whole raft policy issues by a new rival, he attempted a repeat of his Obama trick of a fortnight ago, and back to the well once too often, this time. These shennanigans have become so monotonous over a decade that it should be no surprise that one has finally blown up in his misanthropic face. It’s like the “boy who cried wolf”. Once too often here also, in the wake of scams like Webb Dock, “terrorism”, “sedition”, Tampa, Iraq, Hicks, Cronulla and the ignoble 2004 forestry, education and interest rate scares.
He has gladly damaged the career of a young minister and several other liberal figures and abandoned his reponsibilities to the country in pursuit of his spiteful, vindictive attempts to damage Rudd by media beat-up, for having the termerity to actually contest his view in a polite way on a couple issues.
A decade in government ought to have taught even the densest of voters that HoWARd is not the slightest interested in “morals”, or ever has been.
Now his intemperance has caused him to shoot himself comprehensively in the foot,inadvertantly revealing again what a menace he is to civil society. And I say this could not have happened to a more deserving case- nasty, irresponsible, malevolent,( probably ) venal and hypocritical.
And it’s wrong to criticise opposition politicians for retaliating in kind. If a snake attacks you, you don’t say, “Please, Mr.Snake, you are a naughty fellow”. You are compelled, in fact obligated, to belt it across the head quicksmart when it attacks, before the demonstrably inevitable next strike, for the sake of both yourself and your own.
Mar 7th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
Bravo Paul. Couldn’t have said it better. And last week when I predicted the angriest people would be the rich mates of Howard who paid Burke and Grill for their lobbying to help them circumvent the rules I was spot on.
Keirnan on the 7.30 report said it very well indeed.
What we have to remember though is that Burke went to prison only for rorting his electoral allowances so if the three liberals did the same thing they should be prosecuted under Howard’s lovely new accountability.
Mar 7th, 2007
weez
If only Howard’s (albeit unintended) transparency in the ’sacrifice’ of Campbell were so forthcoming with the release of documents about the misuse of the ‘First Time Homebuyer Grant’ scheme.
I wonder how many million-dollar houses have qualified for the $7000-14,000 grant. I also wonder how many ‘first time home buyers’ wear nappies.
‘Course, our flawed FOI system allows Peter Costello to conceal the truth on political bases as he likes.
Mar 7th, 2007
Austin
I hope he isn’t looking for a date. Could be some very early evenings.
Mar 7th, 2007
Deborah
Scooter Libby’s guilty.
Mar 7th, 2007
Anne
When Burke went to prison for rorting his allowances just how far did the investigations go?So much is coming out through the CCC just how long have rorts of all descriptions been going on?So we have an accountable government,to whom?
Mar 7th, 2007
Ken Lovell
Paul Keating spoke the truth the other day – in Perth, Brian Burke is like wallpaper. Anybody who’s anybody has had some dealings with him if you go back far enough. I reckon the main offender in beating up the whole ludicrous affair was Costello, who I suspect will pay a heavy price for getting carried away with his own rhetoric.
What are politicians supposed to so now, demand an attendance list before they accept an invitation? Walk out if they find someone at a function who’s an actual or potential crim? “Sorry, either Harry M Miller goes or I do.” The whole thing’s a joke.
I just wish Rudd and company would explain clearly how much of a joke it is instead of playing the game on Howard and Costello’s terms. The idea that Rudd would make any definite statements about internal party affairs at a dinner with 30 business people, most of whom he didn’t know from Adam, is completely ridiculous and he should be saying so instead of this “I can’t recall but we might have talked about the leadership in general terms” crap.
Mar 7th, 2007
Megan
re: “Printergate”, I think you should also be asking who, in this one paper town, would have tipped off the AFP? Convenient all around really!
Mar 7th, 2007
philip travers
Listen little man!Wilhelm Reich .John Howard and Costello live in the Gold fish Bowl as moral sharks and a one eyed reality about themselves in the glass….they see nothing else but the outcome of their words impacts,they need a hobby that is doing something physical,like flying kites,even as ones in a conflict.The ALP wants the same right.Perhaps the printable material that voters may receive should be able to be designed as paper jets,and invited to see how far you can toss them in that Canberra place.
Mar 7th, 2007
Donna
Megan
One of the back benchers said it was a disgruntled employee…but your right. The timing was spot on.
Mar 7th, 2007
Deborah
I read somewhere that Howard sat on the story for a week, he knew that the raids were on the night before they happened.
In the meantime he threw as much mud as he could at Rudd about the Burke rubbish.
The disgruntled employee (who was named in the article that I read and can’t find anymore), initially made the complaint about six months ago to the CMC who referred it on to the AFP after their investigation.
Call me cynical if you like, but I thought it was extremely timely, that another leaky boat full of wretched people, were subjected to an interdiction at sea, just at the time that Howard was in a spot of political trouble.
It was so convenient that I almost thought I could hear the dog whistle myself.
Desperate people do desperate things, some escape their country looking for a sanctuary from fear and persecution, and others use craven attacks on the powerless for their own political gain.
Mar 7th, 2007
Megan
News-Printing in Queensland is very tightly controlled. Even if you had the money you cannot be assured of delivery. Almost everything up here is political. Watch Beattie as he plays ‘mX’ off against ‘Brisbane Times’. Because of local allegiances (bah hah!) the Courier/ABC power group appear to be ready to stare down the Southern pretenders.
Mar 8th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
Actually it now seems as if they invented a staffer and claimed a wage for her.
Odd way to behave really when Howard is demanding that Campbell resign for doing nothing at all the mob in Queensland are innocent until proven guilty.
What is interesting is just when Howard knew and if that had anything to do with the orchestrated attacks on Rudd who also did nothing wrong.
Oh well, Andrew – invite Burke on a bogus invitation and then send him into the chamber.
End of parliament and the world as we know it.
Mar 8th, 2007
ken
Philip – the one highly honed skill shared by all pollies is Kite flying, closely followed by innapprorpaiet kissing of infants..
Mar 8th, 2007
Paul Walter
fingers crossed, marilyn
Mar 8th, 2007
CORAL
Austin:
It sounds as if Senator Johnston has almost completely borrowed my dating philosophy – one very well applied to most situations in the modern world.
None of this stuff surprises me. Kicking the opposition in the guts, along with some of your own party whenever necessary, is what politics seems to be all about.
Without the new IR laws, I think John Howard would stand a fair chance of another term.
His ultimate plan for the Nauru facility is perplexing. Perhaps he intends to use it as a safe haven for politicians after some truly horrific event has taken place.
I can’t remember how many people the Nauru facility is able to house. Perhaps someone could compare this with the number of politicians and let us know what they’ve come up with.
Kevin Rudd may be a bit of a JH look-alike, but his performance so far hasn’t impressed me very much.
The ALP is trying to steal Julie Bishop’s education reforms and market them as their own.
They also seem a bit wishy-washy about what they intend to do about the IR laws. I think Kim Beazley was in with a better chance of getting them over the line on that one compared with Rudd.
Perhaps Rudd should stand aside and let Julia Gillard give it a go instead. She seems more forthright than he does.
Mar 10th, 2007
Megan
Did you see the article ‘Raid leader a Labor member – Estranged wife of state minister under scrutiny’ in yesterday’s ‘Courier-Mail’?
“Federal agent Sharon Cowden, the estranged wife of State Labor Transport Minister Paul Lucas, established the AFP teams that conducted the raids on Andrew Laming, Gary Hardgrave and Ross Vasta last Friday.”
Supt Cowden’s involvement — despite her membership of the Labor Party — has raised eyebrows in the AFP. It also adds a new dimension to the investigation into the alleged rorting of electoral allowances.
In an ironic twist, Supt Cowden was a person of interest in the 2001 Shepherdson Inquiry into electoral fraud. Supt Cowden and Mr Lucas were cleared of any wrongdoing.”
Mar 10th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
http://www.themara.com.au/Online/SAViewDetail.asp?AgentNumber=0107173&SanctionID=191&AgentName=Dehsabzi,%20Sayar&Type=Alpha&DeptID=139
Here is one of Philip Ruddock’s former translators for DIMA - Ruddock hired him and then made him a citizen of Australia.
Jim Foo was an internationally wanted criminal from Singapore and Ruddock and Howard’s mate, Dante Tan was loved by all and was a wanted criminal.
Funny how this has been forgotten isn’t it?
Mar 10th, 2007
Den
Had a wet dream about Costello the other nite. Wouldn’t be so b….. bad but i happen to be a guy But what’s worse he seemed to be enjoying it!!!
Mar 10th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
Now it is revealed also that the liberals knew about the Thompson thing and sat on it for months waiting for the right time.
This sort of thing would seem to exclude any person who ever defended a crim. or prosecuted a crim. or went to lunch at the court house from being in parliament.
Maybe we will get some talent then.
Mar 10th, 2007
Donna
I don’t want those three MPs vilified because they were the unwitting victims of a vilification on ‘morality’initiated by the Liberals.
They may be Liberals. But they’re hardworking backbenchers that do not deserve this witch hunt.
I don’t want Labor pursuing this to get their own back.
Mar 10th, 2007
Donna
… and I want Costello and Howard to back off as well, particularly, because I like Rudd. No one should be the cannon fodder in their pursuit of Rudd.
Mar 10th, 2007
Maozze
I’m a little surprised the Nats have skipped away from this one looking (but not actually) clean. Many a Nat candidate was funded by a Liberal federal member in the last state election.
Mar 11th, 2007
red crab
if we are trying to purge those in govt of assoceation.why has no one looked into howard and the americans there has to be some very dodgy gowings on there.
you know the old saying those in glass houses.
Mar 11th, 2007
Deborah
Howard and the Americans.
Howard and the Nats and the Exclusive Brethren.
Howard and Dick Honan of Manildra.
Abbott and Alan Jones and gaol visits to Abbott’s mate and former campaign manager, the convicted solicitor Ian Harley Donald Macdonald.
Costello and Gerard.
Mar 12th, 2007
ken
So whats new – its starting to look like a crikey list. Every person, pollie or not, has connectiosn and associations.
An equla list could be put forward for politicians from all sides – even the purity purveyors the dems and greens no doubt.
I don’t thinl it adds to the debate.
Mar 12th, 2007
Deborah
It is the debate.
There’s only been personal mudslinging, all started by the Libs, who are clearly showing that they are going into an election year by getting personal, dirty, and playing hard but not clean. The PM’s Dirt Unit will be working overtime (probably already is).
Do you think we should just forget about the Liberal’s corruption, such as AWB when we vote? You seem to think that we should have only memories for what Howard wants to muck rake about – the latest headlines. Should we forget the last 10 years of greed, corruption, Govt. lobbyists and Howard’s mean, nasty, prejudiced and bigoted, divisive, style of politics.
Mar 12th, 2007
ken
Well it might be this particular debate, but its only part of the debate. By doing the same thing its not overly useful.
I guess my point is that the shuffling of feet of the new brigade who will benefit when the ALP gets in is starting to resemble a stomp. Its simply a fucntion of power who gets the largesse.
No i dont think people should forget about the last ten years at all. What they should do is cast judgment on the good and the bad, there has been both. Anyone who tries to say not is simply eitehr incapble of any ratioanl thought or sadly stupid.
That said, in my view more people will take the view that it’s time to change – and that’s entirely appropaite in the democracy we have.
Mar 12th, 2007
CORAL
That sounds pretty right to me, Ken.
The Howard government has been good in some ways and bad in others.
I think JH will have a hard time getting re-elected with those new IR laws in place – also recent news reports of foreign workers being brought in and exploited for half the pay of Australian citizens.
Mar 12th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=2663801&TABLE=HANSARDR
This is for Coral and the others who think John Howard has been good on border security.
Read all about over 500,000 unknown seamen entering Australia every year with no security checks.
Whew. And we have wasted over $3 billion locking up a few refugees for the same reason.
Mar 13th, 2007
CORAL
Nothing would surprise me, Marilyn.
BTW I didn’t say I thought John Howard had been good on border security.
We’re surrounded by water – a pretty tough task.
Mar 13th, 2007
Marilyn Shepherd
Coral I think those dreadful IR laws are also why they haven’t bothered with these seamen too much. More slave labour for them.
Mar 14th, 2007
CORAL
You could be right, Marilyn.
Mar 15th, 2007