“Unethical practices”, “systemic” across a political party, “approved or condoned by the party leadership”. A premier grilled by an anti-corruption body. A draft report into a major branch-stacking scandal that has already cost several ministers their jobs in a government that has become a byword for scandal.
And yet barely a ripple in the federal election campaign.
When The Age’s Nick McKenzie and Sumeyya Ilanbey reported last week on a draft Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) report into the Victorian Labor Party, including that Premier Dan Andrews had been questioned on the way to conclusions about systemic unethical behaviour approved by the party leadership, you could have fairly expected it would crop up during the campaign. Especially with the Coalition in terrible trouble in Victoria — this week’s Morgan poll shows Labor leading 63.5% to 36.5% there.
Voters readily distinguish between state and federal issues, but who could resist the opportunity to link Victorian Labor with federal Labor, especially given Deputy Opposition Leader Richard Marles has been a target of the government for his views on China (a claim that, given Marles is an eager source for US intelligence-gathering, is pretty funny).
But while other outlets picked up on The Age’s report, the subject failed to trouble the scorers federally. That’s despite the draft report confirming that, when it comes to state government corruption, the Andrews government — courtesy of the Red Shirts scandal and its toxically close relationship with the rotten Crown casino empire — is the current leader.
But Scott Morrison — or any federal conservative, really — couldn’t touch the scandal, because the federal Coalition is hopelessly hamstrung by its own opposition to anti-corruption bodies. Having derided state-based anti-corruption bodies as “kangaroo courts”, the prime minister could hardly use a draft IBAC report to attack Labor. Especially after NSW premier Dominic Perrottet criticised Morrison’s attack on the NSW body and suggested a little respect might be in order.
Morrison’s position is now blank refusal to establish a federal independent commission against corruption, having not even produced a bill for one in the past three years. Any mention of state anti-corruption findings against a Labor figure would immediately invite the question of what he’s so afraid of that he won’t establish a federal one.
Morrison’s entire strategy on a federal ICAC during the campaign is to hope people don’t mention it. The issue attracted considerable coverage during the first leaders debate but dwindled rapidly afterwards as issues like cost of living began to dominate. Any oxygen for the issue is also a blessing for teal independents who are campaigning hard on integrity against so-called Liberal moderates.
That’s all campaign fun and games as far as it goes, but there are some real-world consequences. The Victorian Liberal opposition is so mind-numbingly inept and so extreme that it has taken Victoria to the brink of a one-party state.
It’s hard to think of a scandal big enough that would have Victorian voters looking at Matthew Guy and his Liberal colleagues with anything other than incredulity. Andrews and his rotten government are getting a free pass when they should be in their political death throes, with IBAC set to deliver the coup de grace.
In fact if it wasn’t for IBAC, there’d be minimal accountability at all for Victorian Labor.
Normally I quite like Mr Keane’s efforts, and agree that the Libs are hamstrung by history in how they publicly deal with integrity issues. But I found today’s effort quite hyperbolic (and worthy of some other MSM outlets he regularly bags.
Apart from the report dealing with “old” stories (Red Shirts) and branch stacking (Somnerak and co already kicked out) as if they were today’s news, some of the wording is really over the top.
“a byword for scandal” sadly there are several other branches of Australian legislature that come font of mind first.
“a government that should be in its death throes” – when the same article suggests there is very high approval for Labor there.
I could go on, but won’t
“when the same article suggests there is very high approval for Labor there.”
Approval doesn’t confer virtue.
General approval may not be an indication of ‘virtue’ (definitions differ) in human affairs but it does confer quotidian legitimacy given the general social compact of western democracy.
Bernard Keane seems to have a bit of an obsession about Andrews and how corrupt he is. Perhaps this will come out in IBAC’s investigations. However the fact that Andrews was interviewed by IBAC doesn’t mean he is guilty (although he may be). It would be surprising if IBAC didnt interview the leader of the party being investigated. There’s a big difference between Morrison’s completely corrupt government and the Andrews Government which actually gets things done. I think their record on affordable and social housing is pretty ordinary for a Labor Government; likewise on many areas of nature conservation. But generally they seem to be doing their best to run the state in the interest of the residents, which is a great deal more than you can say about the Morrison Government.
It’s called false equivalence…….for balance.
It’s also how Trump gained power and remains popular amongst the impressionable.
Why does Bernard Keane get so animated with this theme from time to time? I try to see his point of view but he doesn’t cite specific evidence or refer to specific instances that he is concerned about or affected by.
Pinch your nose for false equivalence.
“Andrews and his rotten government are getting a free pass when they should be in their political death throes, with IBAC set to deliver the coup de grace” – just cannot help yourself Bernard, can you?
Does he think politics is a purity contest ?
Still pining for Gold Standard Gladys and thus taking out his spleen elsewhere?
As CP56 has observed, I too find Bernard Keane’s article a lazy puff-piece of confected outrage unworthy of inclusion as an opinion piece respectable independent critical journalism. Keane concludes ‘Andrews and his rotten government are getting a free pass when they should be in their political death throes with IBAC set to deliver the coup de grace’. IBAC will persist with its processes and in due course we will receive its judgments and recommendations with regard to ALP branch stacking and any other abuses of party preselection procedural probity and/or financial malfeasance with respect to the gambling industry. None of this however warrants a judgement that either Andrews or ‘his’ government are ‘rotten’ if one takes a broad overview of the record of their time in office in Victoria, particularly if that view takes account of the record of the Liberal Party government of Matthew Guy which lost the confidence of the Victorian electorate after one term of gross ineptitude and seriously egregious urban planning practices including many sweetheart deals providing windfalls for big developer donors to the Libs. Compared to the former Gladys Berijiklian govt in NSW, the Vic ALP government has performed marvellously well over the duration of the pandemic and protected the lives and welfare of the populace commendably by comparison. Our health minister in Martin Foley makes NSW’s Brad Hazzard look like a mobster and the work done by Merlino in education is also impressive. Keane’s revulsion is indicative of something other than judicious criticism. Give me Guy Rundle any day for informatively sound insight.
Just wait until the October Victorian State election and delight in the Sky Noise After Dark performance being auditioned for right now.
You ain’t seen nothing yet……and Peta Credlin’s hubby is going to be doing double time in the smear works.
The other reason Scott Morrison can’t mention it… https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/michael-sukkar-knew-of-scheme-that-misused-public-funds-to-boost-faction-20211104-p5960i.html
Is hard to fathom why Politicians sink to such low levels, whether State or Federal.
I cannot believe that someone with as much power can be corrupted or anyone in there watch can be bought for a few silver pieces.
It is a damming indictment on them, there family and there reputation.
Just do what they are paid to do and stop finding a easier road to a quick fix.
Is easier to be honest than to hide behind lies and deceit!
As I understand it, there’s no suggestion the Victorian government are taking bribes. It’s a matter of unethical practices to stay in power. And surely that’s not so hard to fathom – there are plenty of examples all over the world of people in power going much lower than branch-stacking once they’ve had a taste of power.
Try the (convicted criminal) Boris de Pfeffel Johnson Brexit shambles of a government for the very finest example of Covid enabled corruption.
you could almost substitute Murdoch for Covid and not lose the intent..
To which I would reply; plus Cambridge Analytica and the foreign moneys that funded Brexit for the continuation of the tax avoidance/laundering under threat from continued membership of the E.U.
1.9% was all it took for the English to stuff up British business for a minimum of a generation.
Thank god for Alfred Deakin and mandatory voting.
It was a Private Member’ Bill originated from the Senate in 1924, which moved through both Chambers in record time, the only example in our parliamentary history.
It was supported by the Bruce–Page Coalition Government and also by the Opposition, and passed speedily through Parliament.
All the MPs wanted it but dared not say so out loud because the public did not – it was seen clearly that it was an imposition on them – nothing to do with better democractic representation.
It was purely to save the politicians the trouble of travelling to the vast distances to far flung electorates spruiking their wares.
It was just too much hassle, poor roads and inadequate facilities in neglected districts for their august selves to rest & recuperate.
I suspect there would be less chance of a Trump, Johnson or Brexit if they didn’t have the freedom to simply take the consequences of not caring at all.
If the NeoCons didn’t do the same dirty business they might raise the matter……….. right ?