It might have made for an amusing office sweep. Three politicians clinging perilously to power. One wondered who would be the first to drop off the branch and by early this morning we had the answer.
If you had South African President Jacob Zuma in the sweep, you’d be a winner today. Zuma’s own political party, the African National Congress, had pledged to vote for a motion of no confidence in him. There was no way out and at several minutes to midnight in political terms (around 10.00pm South African time) and with no alternatives left, Zuma walked away.
Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, grimly hangs on to his job despite Israeli Police recommending his indictment on fraud and bribery charges while our very own Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce, stands defiant in the face of a scandal that would see any normal person wander off into the sunset.
Full column here.
Off Topic, but i saw a piece in the canberra times about a local cricketer whipping the bails off a bloke backing up a few yards.
I couldn’t help but wonder if our Canberra Correspondent was involved?
I was Mankaded many years ago. Boof Lehmann, who was playing with Victoria and Carlton at the time, was present on the sidelines and was even angrier about it than I was. I still see some of the blokes I played against that day and have told them, they are never to be forgiven and must live with the shame of it for the rest of their lives.
Jack, I don’t see why Mankading is infra dig, as the batsman’s trying to get an unfair advantage.
Wait until the ball’s left the bowler’s hand before backing up.
Shaddap.
Mankaded? You don’t mean mankinied, do you?
No. Cricket, mate. It has its own language.
Mankatted!
I don’t much care about the affair, that’s a matter for those involved and the family, and no body else.
as to giving political staff jobs my inclination is to give governments and oppositions and other parties a number and let them please themselves how they fill them, and if the choices they make have a political cost, well let that fall where it may.
I don’t believe these matters should be investigated by some Federal ICAC or other busybody. it’s just not corruption, certainly not in the Zuma sense of the term.
Maybe there is something to the free townhouse but I haven’t seen much about it to date.
I saw a headline today that the government is planning on banning sexual contact between Ministers and staff.
Our great nation has gone nuts.
get the government out of the bedroom, it is a matter for individuals as to whom they choose for a bit of horizontal folk dancing.
the same should apply to employers in my view. I thought the AFL made a serious error in sacking those two blokes for having consensual affairs with members of staff, absent any evidence at all of coercion or other bad behaviour.
they caved in before the baying mob got to them. weak as.
Besides, these sorts of bans never seem to work.
Agree with almost all of that, but a comprehensive investigation of an ICAC type of Joyce’s conduct in office — not the affair, I hasten to add, but his conduct in the discharge of his duties, would likely keep investigators quite busy for some time. You know what the Nats are like, mate. All privilege, no accountability.
But Jack we know that this will quickly turn into a morality crusade. Burke has been silent but BS has not. The six-figure jobs for the girlfriend are a problem, but is it that much of a deal given the everyday corruption we see in Canberra?
It’s gone from there to a fully blown crisis within the Coalition, mate.
we the people are the federal ICAC, we chuck em out when they are no damn good or corrupt.
you and I both know that corruption in Aus politics is worse the lower down the scale you go, almost none in Federal Politics, a worry in State, and rampant in Local government.
That’s the rule but without an anti-corruption body in the federal sphere, how do we know?
Gone are the days of sex, drugs and rock and roll, jack!
I’ve read a few articles lately about what seems to be a return to a sort of puritan Victorian era.
It’s all a bit weird. Ive got to he a bit careful because I’ve been told in no uncertain terms here that I am a shallow woman with loose morals . 🤣 (I’m not really) But what’s going to happen to the “mating game”, courtship, the thrill of the chase, the thrill of being chased and all that? Men must be getting rather confused. Well I refuse to take a chaperone along on a date!
yes, and how many people do we know who met their husbands wives partners etc at work. heaps
Not a bad idea to take along a chaperone. In case the principal turns out to be dud.
Not sure I agree with you Jack. My opinion is nepotism is one of the things which lead to larger corrupt behaviours. All government positions should be decided on merit.
Now I’m totally confused. The unfolding Barnaby imbroglio certainly raises a number of questions. A couple of obvious ones are whether Barnaby is being accused of feathering his own nest, or has he just made his own bed so he can lie in it?
Regarding the latter, if the bed belongs to Barnaby’s Armidale mate, as has been implied, and if the pillows and quilt do not contain the plumage of a goose or similar barnyard bird, this appears to raise a further question as to whether Barnaby’s sleeping arrangements constitute a pluckable offence in respect to a ministerial code of conduct.
Now Barnaby is not a person who easily ducks for cover, so I don’t think we should count our chickens before they’re hatched because the real test of whether he’ll drop off the perch will surely be determined when they all come home to roost.
He’s been yellow carded, Carl. Told to go away and think about what he’s done. Then Turnbull announced a root ban. Ministers may not root the help anymore. According to Sam Maiden at Sky, they may root the help in other offices but not their own. Sheesh, what a mess. The problem was never the affair but Joyce’s conduct as a minister in relation to jobs he created for his partner (who he says, wasn’t his partner at the time but had been earlier and apparently is now), gifts from wealthy mates and the possibility of spending money he shouldn’t have. In other words, misconduct in office. Rooting is not a crime and as the presbyterians discovered centuries ago, is pretty difficult to police in any event.
Hilarious comment JTI 😁 What a mess indeed.
Will said ban be henceforth known as ‘Barnabys Law’?
Agree JTI. Turnbulls farcical attempts yesterday to stem the flow from this is bewildering. At little inside drum I have is talk of a bloodbath. The coalition letting it rip and pointing out the peccadilloes of other members, including nights spent away etc., Seen as a possible scorched earth policy.
‘Who knows where the harpoon goes?’
Now you’re confused? You’ve always been confused. You’re either a frustrated ornithologist or Daffy Duck.
Very clever Carl
Horsefeathers!
Worst outcome sounds good.
Chain yourself to the bench Barnaby.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdA6oG3JVc8
Too beautiful a song for this depressing stuff, JB.
Let’s not forget Najib Razak in Malaysia….RM3 billion anyone?
But, the Saudis gave him that money because he’s a good guy!
Of course Dwight, I forgot that it was a gift, he just couldn’t remember whic Saudi Prince it was that gave him “the gift”
Or Zuma in South Africa. He even didn’t try to hide his bilking of the public purse. He’s got away with a tidy sum.
yes, now that is actual corruption, nothing i have read about Barnaby is anything like that.
A billion or so behind Zuma, jack.
Because of Barnabys obfuscation/lack of honesty/delusion …… whatever, I assume she was only his mistress part of the time but not all of the time or maybe only some of the time.
Was going to say on/off but the connotations…….eeuw! the relationship was “finished” but she became pregnant (immaculate conception?) and obviously same applies when she was shunted to other jobs on the public teat, the relationship was off when she was signed on and on when she was shunted off.
Reckon Barnaby needs to be placed in a home for the bewildered, he was offered the townhouse, he asked for the townhouse bit like doing French verbs at school it needs to be got in the right order.
Zuma’s apparently got 20 kids so Barnaby’s got a ways to catch up and Netanyahu’s wife is way more scary than Natalie is so he’s dodged a bullet there.
Could I summarise your post as … the little head was thinking for the big head?
Once thought cannot be unthought😝
LOL! Great reply. I’m taking that one to the pub.
Wrong can’t be undone. Thought can. Sorry to be picky.
Benjamin Netanyahu , yeah I know him he’s Jared Kushner’s friend ..
Also James Packer’s friend. Allegedly.
Shows the strength of the Israeli system that the Police are pursuing Bill.
Richard Nixon clings to power with a bare faced statement , ultimately of course he resigned before being impeached but put up a hell of a fight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sh163n1lJ4M
Oh yes Nixon with hide of an elephant. I’ll just call the moon on the oval office phone. What’s the area code?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGKIh3koAI
Oopsie, forgot the time delay!
Bill Clinton clings to power with a “denial” of sexual relations with a staffer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBe_guezGGc
Baby, we dont live in America
Let the poor by dream Wraith.
Good read, Mr Insider, and clinging to power a disgusting spectacle imho Mr Insider, and here in Australia alone we have seen a few prime examples of that and I mention Kevin Rudd, Tony Abbott and now of course the badly tainted Barnaby Joyce. In Rudd and Abbott’s case they were removed by their own Patty but fought a vicious nasty “rearguard” action to undermine their successor, no less “clinging to power” imho. The spectacle of Abbott still lingers but all his “punches” now missing the mark by miles. As for OS Pollies besides the ones you mention in your column, Bill Clinton comes to mind and what a shabby spectacle that was even worse imho than Richard Nixon. The lust for power, prestige and money has blinded so many and continues today as we speak. Shame on them all.