From the Crikey grapevine, the latest tips and rumours …
Has Centrelink suffered a new data breach? We hear — to go with interminable wait times, the ongoing fall out disastrous robo-debt policy and all manner of unpopular, punitive measures aimed at some of society’s most vulnerable people — yet another public relations calamity is slouching towards Centrelink. We’ve been told a media announcement is expected from the agency in coming days, as there has been a “massive Centrelink data breach affecting customers”. Watch this space — we certainly will be. Know more? Let us know.
Who leaked against Roman Quaedvlieg? Today’s Daily Telegraph/Sharri Markson leak about the Border Force head’s texts to his girlfriend has been referred to the Australian Federal Police, according to the Prime Minister this morning, but don’t hold your breath waiting for an arrest. Last time we played cui bono on a major leak, we got it wrong because the ABC misled us about the origins of its “cabinet documents”, many of which weren’t cabinet documents. We suspect, however, that Quaedvlieg’s “salacious texts” weren’t found in an old filing cabinet.
Who benefits from damaging Quaedvlieg? Perhaps someone who wants the absurdly drawn out saga of his investigation brought to an end because it’s embarrassing the government and the immigration portfolio. Such people aren’t likely to be found in the Prime Minister’s portfolio, or the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, or the Attorney-General’s Department — which spent much of yesterday at estimates professing not to have a clue about the whole business. That narrows it down to the immigration portfolio. Problem is, no one in that portfolio ever drops stories to News Corp tabloids to suit their own interests. The mystery continues.
Foreign Story? Australian Corespondent? Are we about to see a dramatic change to the ABC’s Monday night line up? Talk from inside Aunty’s Ultimo bunker say that the venerable Australian Story and the wandering Foreign Correspondent are slated to start sharing the same timeslot. Some suggest the 8pm Monday slot, or Tuesday evening. The Monday slot is favoured because it is highest rating for ABC during the week.
The rationale appears to be Australian Story’s declining ratings and the desire to find a permanent home for Foreign Correspondent. Previous to that it had been broadcast on Tuesdays. Australian Story’s figures have fallen sharply in the past few years. For example, an episode that aired February 22, 2016 rated well, averaging 1.16 million viewers nationally. The national viewing figures this week dropped to 903,000. Meanwhile, Foreign Correspondent’s ratings have bounced around as the ABC moved it from different time slots, thought mostly they’ve been solid.
Some in the ABC say the two programs will see budgets, staff and facilities shared and the Australian Story budget suffer a big cut.
Shameless Cash-in. So it’s come to this: at Estimates this morning, Michaelia “Chuckles” Cash — the minister best known for appointing lawbreaker Nigel Hadgkiss to head the ABCC — grew frustrated at Labor questions about her staffing arrangements in light of the ongoing investigation into another highlight of her recent career, the leaking of a pending raid on the AWU to the media.
An agitated Cash told Labor’s Doug Cameron that if he wanted to ask questions about her staff, “be very very careful because I’m happy to sit here and name every young woman in Mr Shorten’s office over which rumours in this place abound … I will do it”. An hour later Penny Wong walked into the committee, gave Cash an almighty serve about these “outrageous slurs” and forced Cash to withdraw the remarks — which she did so “if anyone was offended”. Surely both sides know that the last thing voters want after the antics of recent weeks is a sleaze war in Canberra.
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In a long and stellar career of “Estimates Moments”, Penny Wong’s “mic drop” this morning was a peach. 🙂
Too right Paddy.
Cash couldn’t look up while she was being lasered by the Wongsters eyes.
A joy to behold
“Surely both sides know that the last thing voters want after the antics of recent weeks is a sleaze war in Canberra.” Really Crikey?? That’s your only comment on a minister’s outrageous behaviour?
I watched the exchange between Cameron and Cash. Cameron asked about appointments to Cash’s staff. She advised she had appointed a new chief of staff and when Cameron asked, quite reasonably in my view, for the name of the new appointee, Cash totally lost it and started throwing slurs about all the women staff in Shorten’s office.
Cash was the Minister for Women and now represent that minister in the Senate. I know that this LNP government doesn’t get it but I thought Crikey did.
cash is the best thing labor has going for it, every time she opens her mouth and starts screaming like an enraged cockatoo and starts falling off her perch another hundred voters come over to shortens camp, keep it up cash, you really are bills blessing in disguise
Meanwhile over at New Matilda, for a measly $20 you can send a middle -finger salute card to the pollie you find most repugnant.
Malcolm just got one from me in gratitude for his attacks on GetUp and the ABC, and I feel much better.
I’m with you MJM – there is an implication there that both sides are equal in the sleaze wars, when in fact the LNP are way out in front.
Cash is clearly demented, but doubtless still a star performer in Turnbull’s gutter team.
A silk-draped fish-wife, incandescent with rage at the temerity of members of the lower classes questioning her judgement in public – based on her own record?
From :-
* Past embarrassing, in hind-sight, appointments;
* The “face-saving(?)” spectacle of a member of her staff taking the wrap, by “leaving” her office, over a leak to the media (about a pending AFP raid on AWU offices – dripping in potential PR returns?);
* Conspiring with Cormann, to stitch up a deal with Hanson’s WA franchise in the last WA election to benefit her state Liberal Party?
The woman is a meandering perpetual motion powered wreck of self-indulgent Kismet – typifying this government.
100%. Why is there a need for this pretend balance. The behaviour of the LNP is disgraceful and repugnant and I do not see sleaze being thrown around by both sides – it is only by the LNP.
Michaelia Cash’s outburst was outrageous. Why would she not give the name of her new chief of staff. What has she got to hide about this person. And then to imply rumours about the Leader of the Opposition’s staff took the cake. This lady has a problem – she needs to curb her mean and nasty streak when agitated and stop her mouth running off with words she will regret saying.
regarding the government announcement of a nationwide recall of vehicles for possible air bag safety issues I contacted 2 local Holden/ Mitsubishi dealerships for clarification, they told me they have no information regarding this and are waiting for clarification from the manufacturers, I find this very sloppy as this issue has been known for well over 12 months re some vehicles and I recently noticed a woman at the local shopping centre getting out of her Toyota Rav 4, knowing this vehicle( by way of the limited publicity of some makes) had the problem I asked if she was aware of the issue, she looked at me blankly and I think she thought I was some sort of a nut, but when I asked if she used the vehicle to transport her kids around and she said yes I was able to impress on her the danger they could be in and strongly suggested she contacted the dealer she bought it off to arrange repairs and sincerely hope she did. this whole matter does not appear to be being handled well at all.
OMG Leave Cash alone: she makes me sound like the product of years of elocution lessons! I can’t lose her,the voice, the chalk on the board, the bandsaw banshee! What a lying, duckshoving, entitled git, indeed a gift to the ALP. A totally reprehensible, excuse as member of Parliament under the LNP banner!! Par for the course.