By David Ayliffe
I have some questions for Prime Minister Scott Morrison, and for the Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet who is currently investigating whether the former Sports Minister did naughty things with money prior to the last election.
Somehow I don’t think my questions will be answered but I’m convinced the truth will out soon.
Primary focus is on former Minister for Sport, Bridget McKenzie who ignored advice from Sports Australia, the independent body charged with giving her advice on matters like this to allocate $100 million in grants to electorates identified in a colour coded spreadsheet of being deserving of some vote buying dollars.
But surely there’s a much bigger story.
My questions are central to that. Consider:
- Was the former Minister acting on her own with a plan to allocate funds according to her own criteria? Was it her idea or someone else’s?
- Was it only her department involved in this process?
- Was no-one outside of the Department aware of her actions?
- Was she acting completely alone or actually at the behest of the Coalition and if so who was pulling her strings?
- More especially who in Cabinet was privy to these decisions? The Prime Minister? Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack (leader of the Nationals of which Bridget is Deputy Leader) or someone else?
Those questions are just a beginning. Well, the reality we know. The funds were allocated. Many community groups benefited but not the ones that Sports Australia recommended.
So where does the buck really stop? Someone has to take the blame unless by some miracle the Secretary of the Department can somehow blame Chinese interference for blurring the decision-making process that led to this debacle. If the blame rests on Bridget who might she bring down with her unless she is happy to fall on her sword or the sword of someone else’s forging?
Interesting times.
If I was Bridget and saw that Buck moving, I’d get my rifle out and I’d be quick to take a shot. Why should I go down alone?
But then maybe we will all forget about it just like we forgot about Prime Minister Scomo reportedly spending $185 million, much more than Bridget’s measly effort, to reopen Christmas Island detention centre and many millions more since to imprison a mother, father and two very dangerous children since! As some of us recall that expenditure was of course all about the elections too and not about any alleged scare of boat people flooding us.
And some people like to talk about Labor’s mismanagement of money. Sheeesh!
[textblock style=”7″]
Like what we do at The AIMN?
You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.
Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!
Your contribution to help with the running costs of this site will be gratefully accepted.
You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969
[/textblock]
