Pathetic leadership = pathetic policy = pathetic cabinet = pathetic governance
Is it just a rumour or another timely deflection? Ambassador to the USA, Arthur Sinodinos was rumoured to be ill and would be replaced by a cabinet minister. However, he ruled out any shock early departure, saying he is well.
Another rumour suggested Marise Payne would take up the post. Yet another had Peter Dutton a laydown certainty of being the next Defence Minister. Nevertheless, all rumours aside when one has a pool with such little talent, what does one do?
One rumour on news.com said that Josh Frydenberg organised a women-only dinner with the Prime Minister to praise the work of Senator Reynolds.
When rumours of cabinet reshuffles are imminent, the grapevine becomes alive to the whispers of the political insiders.
So, let us take a look at the current Ministry, analyse the performance of the incumbent Ministers and throw in the changes.
Ministry List
The 46th Parliament Morrison’s second Cabinet.
They are updated after reshuffle made on 18 December 2020. My comments about each are in italics.
Prime Minister and Minister for the Public Service
The Hon Scott Morrison MP
Robodebt had Scott Morrison’s name written all over it when he was the Social Services Minister, and it followed him into Treasury and then the Prime Minister’s Department. Over 2030 people committed suicide because of Robodebt. It also cost the taxpayer $1.2 billion to settle the problem.
The same goes for Aged care. Seven hundred older adults died of COVID-19 because the Prime Minister turned his back on numerous reports demanding action.
It is now known beyond doubt that he took part in the distribution of the Sportsrorts funding.
That he is a liar is beyond doubt. Any honourable man would have resigned.
He alone as leader is responsible for all the irrational decisions, and the corruption that stems from them.
His greatest crime, of course, like leaders before him, is being unable to convince his party that Climate Change is real and requires immediate attention.
An ICAC candidate if ever there was one.
Minister for Indigenous Australians
The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP
Retains his portfolio, but he will never achieve a mention in the constitution for our First Nations People. I think the “know your place” rule applies here. In other words, they will never become equal. He is a good man for a good cause but a member of the wrong party.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
The Hon Michael McCormack MP
How this gay-hating individual ever became the leader of his party let alone Deputy Prime Minister is beyond my comprehension. He has also called for the return of caning in high schools. He has also dismissed climate change as the concerns of “raving inner-city lefties.”
Minister for Agriculture, Drought, and Emergency Management
The Hon David Littleproud MP
A trier at best. Still has a family water problem. Ambition to be the leader of his party (or is that just a rumour?).
Minister for Education and Youth
The Hon Alan Tudge MP
Wikipedia records that:
In March 2020, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal ordered that an Afghan asylum seeker who had previously been a part of the Afghan National Army be granted a temporary protection visa. Tudge, who was Acting Immigration Minister at the time, instantly appealed the judgement of the AAT to federal court, which failed. However, during the 6-day appeal process, the asylum seeker had been kept in the detention centre. Six months later, the Federal Court found that Tudge “engaged in conduct which can only be described as criminal,” and that Tudge had deprived the asylum seeker of his liberty, which has prompted calls for his resignation.
“In the ABC Four Corners episode broadcast on 9 November 2020, former Tudge staffer Rachelle Miller revealed that she and Tudge had engaged in an affair. A moderate Liberal Party member, Miller described Tudge’s opposition to same-sex marriage (based on his support for “traditional” marriage) is hypocrisy.”
A decade ago he would have been sacked for having an affair. Now there is no accountability.
Treasurer
The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP
Yet to prove himself in the court of public opinion.
Minister for Finance
(Vice-President of the Executive Council)
(Leader of the Government in the Senate)
Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham
Steady as she goes. Doesn’t seem to stay in a ministry long enough to make a mark.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women
Senator the Hon Marise Payne
Kept her job despite persistent murmurs of underperformance and incompetence.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment (Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate)
The Hon Daniel Tehan MP
A big promotion given our relationship with China, which has the fragility of a bull in a china shop. Is he up to it?
Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Leader of the House
The Hon Christian Porter MP
A womaniser who is lucky to have retained his job after recent flirtations. You could also add to his titles the Minister for Never Allowing a National anti-Corruption Body.
From Wikipedia:
“On 20 September 2015, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced that Porter would replace Scott Morrison as Social Services Minister as part of a Cabinet overhaul.
In 2016, Centrelink, operating under Porter’s senior oversight as Social Services Minister, became involved in a debt recovery controversy. Despite heightened media interest and complaints, after meeting with the Department of Human Services, Porter stated that the program was working “incredibly well”. The program was later subject to a Senate committee inquiry, and the program was estimated to be responsible for over 2000 deaths.”
An ICAC candidate if ever there was one.
Minister for Health and Aged Care.
The Hon Greg Hunt MP
The workaholic who is good at making announcements about new medicines. Has inherited most of the Aged Care ministry from Richard Colbeck who could not count the dead from COVID-19. Brilliant liar when Environment Minister.
Wikipedia reminds us that:
“In June 2017 Hunt, Michael Sukkar and Alan Tudge faced the possibility of being prosecuted for contempt of court after they made public statements criticising the sentencing decisions of two senior judges while the government was awaiting their ruling on a related appeal. They avoided prosecution by, eventually, making an unconditional apology to the Victorian Court of Appeal.”
Minister for Home Affairs
The Hon Peter Dutton MP
Probably the most disliked Minister of all. Showed a distinct lack of judgment in thinking he was prime ministerial material.
An ICAC candidate if ever there was one.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP
Paul Fletcher was Urban Infrastructure Minister at the time of dodgy land deals worth $30Million at Western Sydney airport. The purchaser was a Liberal Party Donor. Pub test anyone.
Another ICAC candidate if ever there was one.
Minister for Education and Youth
The Hon Alan Tudge MP
He is just getting over a messy affair with former advisor Rachelle Miller.
“A former adviser to Population Minister Alan Tudge has lodged a formal complaint that alleges he engaged in workplace bullying and intimidation that left her “anxious and afraid” in a system that failed to support her and other staff.”
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business and (Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate)
Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
In October 2017, the Australian Workers’ Union offices were raided by the Australian Federal Police, and media were tipped off before the event. Cash denied it was her office. She misled the parliament in doing so and should have been sacked for that alone.
Yep. Yet another ICAC candidate.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology
The Hon Karen Andrews MP
There were no misdemeanours that could be found.
Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia
The Hon Keith Pitt MP
Another one were no misdemeanours that could be found.
Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction
The Hon Angus Taylor MP
Where does one start with this individual? Controversy seems to follow him like a bad smell. Senator Penny Wong, the Labor leader in the Senate, said:
“I do not think there has been a climate minister, energy minister who has been more anti-renewable than Angus Taylor.”
His emphasis has always been on emphasis on reducing the cost of energy rather than reducing energy.
Taylor was accused of using $80 million of taxpayers’ money to buy water licences from two Queensland properties owned by Eastern Australia Agriculture (EAA). Taylor was a director of EAA, though resigned from his position in November 2009
October 2019, Taylor was said to be repeating misleading claims about the previous Labor government’s poor record on carbon emissions.
In July 2019 “An investigation into illegal land clearing against a company part-owned by the family of federal minister Angus Taylor.”
In October 2019, Taylor was accused of having “forged” a City of Sydney Council document and providing that document to The Daily Telegraph. The incident stemmed from a letter the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore wrote to the Minister, asking him to declare “a climate emergency.” In his reply to her, Taylor criticised her own department’s travel – claiming that the City of Sydney Council spent $15.9 million on travel for the 2017-18 period, which he attributed to an annual report document available on the council’s website.
When one looks at his ministerial record it hard to imagine how on earth, he is still a minister. An ICAC candidate if ever there was one.
Minister for the Environment
The Hon Sussan Ley MP
Came back into Ministry after serving time for misusing parliamentary expenses.
“Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Ms Ley’s replacements in the health, aged care and sport portfolios would be announced next week.”
She was using the flights to negotiate her property investments.
Another one for the ICAC.
Minister for Defence
Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC
Despite the rumours, she has held onto her Ministry. Journalists had formed the view that she was unqualified for such a significant portfolio.
Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel
The Hon Darren Chester MP
Chester is one of the few honest politicians left in the Coalition (and not because he is in the electorate of Gippsland where I reside).
Minister for Families and Social Services
(Manager of Government Business in the Senate)
Senator the Hon Anne Ruston
There were no misdemeanours that could be found.
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Minister for Government Services
The Hon Stuart Robert MP
Both he and the Prime Minister attend the same church and are personal friends. He has a list of controversies as long as one’s arm that genuinely make him unfit to be a minister. This article provides the truth of his misdemeanours.
Outer Ministry
Because this piece addresses significant decision-makers in the government l have left the Outer Ministry off the list in order to concentrate on the Ministry’s themselves.
Notwithstanding that, it is beneficial to mention some names which would prevent decent policy decisions. Names like Moylan, Canavan, Christensen, Joyce and Kelly, who are questionable in terms of intelligence, and have far too much influence.
People such as these are nothing more than enemies of progress.
I contend that my comments are a reminder of just how poorly equipped the Coalition is to make decisions that effect this great nation and its future.
Hardly any of the personal listed are qualified for the positions they hold. Particularly the Prime Minister.
My thought for the day
I feel people on the right of politics in Australia show an insensitivity to the common good that goes beyond any thoughtful examination. They have hate on their lips, and their hate starts with the beginning of a smile.
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Matters Not
Return to home pageA most important and helpful article, though a spell check might have been used to advantage. Impressive too how misdemeanours are reported at second hand, thus avoiding legal problems.
Could we please have an article next about the dealings of the other MPs listed? Then after that one on the Labor opposition, shadow ministers and at least some MPs?
Well, I don’t see THIS article raising too much comment!
I’m sure, in the fullness of time, each Minister’s memoir will reveal perfectly rational explanations for, what at present appears to be greedy, corrupt incompetence.
For example, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP in 15 years time will be able to reflect back his handling of the Sydney airport land with pride knowing that the $30 million was well spent because the land is now in 2035, worth $35 million. He will be able to remind us of Labor’s waste of $3 million on “Blue Poles” only to have it valued after 15 years at $30 million. Same, same!!
A great giggle this morning, lord with an excellent summary of a mob of politicians for whom many of us have little respect for their efforts.
Melding your words with those of josephus gives the impression that if you are describing the winners WTF we must wonder what the losers are like?
What a thought, lord, do they hate what you love???
ARF power list 2020
number 1 scummo History will show that Australia has probably been a standout in doing things early. A lot of other countries are catching up.
Nicola Wakefield Evans(wonder what nicola said of labor’s efforts in the GFC??
number 2 Josh and the Treasury team have been outstanding in understanding and quickly implementing measures to help the corporate sector navigate their way through the pandemic. He’s working 24/7, and has been very willing to talk to business to understand the pressures that business
is under.
Nicola Wakefield Evans
Hunt has really improved his standing through the way in which he’s been very reassuring in his public appearances. To have a health minister who seems to know what he’s doing, talking in very empathetic terms, I think it’s been very effective in the public being prepared to go along with Team Australia.
Michael Stutchbury
Did you see this list for Karen Anderson, lord?
Voted very strongly against
A carbon price
A fast transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy
A minerals resource rent tax
A Royal Commission into Violence and Abuse against People with Disability
An NBN (using fibre to the premises)
Carbon farming
Community right to say no to nuclear waste disposal sites
Creating a federal Anti-Corruption Commission
Decreasing the private health insurance rebate
Doctor-initiated medical transfers for asylum seekers
Encouraging Australian-based industry
Ending illegal logging
Ending immigration detention on Manus Island
Ending immigration detention on Nauru
Government action on animal & plant extinctions
Increasing Aboriginal land rights
Increasing access under Freedom of Information law
Increasing competition in bulk wheat export
Increasing consumer protections
Increasing fishing restrictions
Increasing funding for legal aid
Increasing funding for university education
Increasing funding for vocational education
Increasing government support for the dairy industry
Increasing housing affordability
Increasing investment in renewable energy
Increasing marine conservation
Increasing penalties for breach of data
Increasing political transparency
Increasing protection of Australia’s fresh water
Increasing restrictions on gambling
Increasing scrutiny of asylum seeker management
Increasing the age pension
Increasing the diversity of media ownership
Increasing trade unions’ powers in the workplace
Increasing transparency of big business by making information public
Letting environmental groups challenge the legality of certain government decisions
Making the cashless debit card program voluntary
Parliament continuing to meet during the COVID-19 pandemic
Protecting the Great Barrier Reef
Re-approving/ re-registering agvet chemicals
Removing children from immigration detention
Requiring every native title claimant to sign land use agreements
Restricting donations to political parties
Same-sex marriage equality
Stopping tax avoidance or aggressive tax minimisation
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
Tobacco plain packaging
Treating government action on climate change as a matter of urgency
A scummo girl for sure?
Great & so very true article John! This list of all the bloody useless lying toerag so-called “Cabinet Ministers” is so bloody true it is not funny! How any normal thinking Australian of voting age could ever vote for this rabble is beyond me, & yet they still bloody do. WTF?? Please keep up the good work, sir!
Every last one of them shitkicking, corrupt and incompetent as their record attests,none more so than the Liar himself.They all wallow in the trappings of power behind the large, ugly shadow that Morrison casts,not to mention the mountain of bullshit that surrounds him everywhere he goes.Their sins would embarrass the Peanut farmer’s reign of corruption.
You left out that Ley, when on holidays, also doubles for Annabelle when a new movie comes out.
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f1a41d0a93ffc8d6802cec61ab913b34574c52ac/901_0_4131_2480/master/4131.jpg?width=1020&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=30e3293d8aff292ea1ace2d10d7e2c17
https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Profile-Pic-Sussan-Ley-600×600.jpg
John
The baffling one is David Coleman who is rumoured to be our Immigration Minister but who took compassionate leave in December 2019 – yes twelve months ago – and still appears to be on compassionate leave but with no reason given.
When Mike Kelly (Labor) became unwell he resigned from the parliament and a bi-election was held ; that’s how it’s done. But with Coleman he continues to receive his parliamentary salary but evidently isn’t up to resuming his duties after twelve months.
Questions by the media as to was why he had taken such an extended leave of absence, and why he won’t resign and allow his electorate an opportunity to elect a member who can adequately represent them, have gone unanswered.
In the meantime, the federal court has been highly critical of the department and its minister over the case of a 34-year-old refugee put back into immigration detention where he remained until he was released this year after several legal challenges and an appeal. In a scathing judgment, Justice Geoffrey Flick said the acting minister’s decision (Alan Tudge is acting minister in Coleman’s absence) to keep the man in detention and deprive him of his liberty after a tribunal awarded him a visa was “disgraceful”.
Clearly, Morrison doesn’t want Coleman to go as this would bring about a bi-election so he is happy to have a non-performing minister on indefinite leave rather that risk his thin parliamentary majority.
Yeah ! Scottie’s had a good year, Newscorp told us so !
‘being unable to convince his party that climate change is real…..’
I see similar comments made repeatedly. What does it take for people to realize that Morrison is not some white knight,only constrained by his coleagues? Did J.Lord not watch Morrison’s ‘coal stunt’ speech ? The scientific evidence supporting anthropogenic climate disruption is overwhelming,and has been for decades. Only a scientific ignoramus could have given that speech. Morrison is front and cantre of the deniers in his party, not constrained by them.
Most of us are still waiting for good government to start. Although to be fair it’s hard to remember what a good federal government looks like.
Publicly acceptable religious superstitious deluded insanity is common, and the usual christian types like Morrison the rock solid turd “know” that all the other idiots of religion, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, even Jewish, are “wrong” because they are different, unsubstantiated, untrue, deceiving. All religious superstitious idiots “know” that everyone else is wrong. No wonder fascism, nazism, hero worshipping military dictatorships have arisen and thrived. But.., I and perhaps you “know” that Morrison and similar turd types are saturated with lying fantasy, bent and corrupt and make up and cover, all for the advancement of egofixated self. Scum and filth. It is impossible to have peoples’ government, democratic and fair, with these defective, unpleasant supremacists in office.
should be ‘colleagues’ and ‘centre’.
The prime minister and his ministers have either been corrupt, criminal, delinquent or missing in action in the performance of their ministerial duties or in Scott Morrison case he has managed all of the above with no shame or any sign of a conscience.
Scott Morrison, the sideshow alley spruiker, gish galloper and con artist with his gang of L/NP over promising and under delivering charlatan grifters and shysters in tow, are a confused and ignorant cabal of ideological sychophants that are a problem looking for a solution.
2021 is the year we need to stop talking about “unwitting” “unintended” or otherwise bad decisions these criminals make and call this out as an extended plan of self enrichment, job and $’s for “mates”, being puppets of the lobbyists and anti-worker/poor/disabled/old/infirm/mentally ill/emotionally vulnerable/et al.
What they do is “By Design” it is thought out, planned, scheduled and funded to deliver their desired outcomes which to a lot of us are cruel, punitive, unfair, dishonest and illegal.
What has changed is that there is no act too low as to result in accountability and dire consequences for them individually or as a party, these Murdoch Munchkins are “off the leach” and running rampant.
They are aided and abetted by the mainstream media who hide their “Canberra Bubble” antics and dealings.
Time to unleash the truth, there should be no cosy coverups and tacit “understandings” that protect these (and any) miscreant. Time to clean out the stables.
Time to clean out the stables. Too true. Imagine the mountains of turds to be disposed. Perhaps they would be useful as fertilizer.
The ones with nothing against them, were not really doing anything.
Breaking News !!! The criminal who’s leaving the White House in a few weeks, has just awarded the Australian thug prime minister, an American military award for furthering, ahem, mutual country ties (bashing China ). Now watch the Chinese ramp up the pressure even more.
Does anyone have any doubts anymore, why Scummo called for an enquiry into the origins of the corona virus ? As usual, conservative australian PMs arselicking the americans.
We have the best politicians that money can buy .
I just realised what the photo reminded me of; Saint Scotty and Taylor laughing as they practice their “KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!” routine. Lurking in the background out of camera view is Duttonuci doing his impression, and succeeding beyond anyone’s expectation, of Non.
I was living away from this country during the Hawke/Keating years but have read many times Hawke had the most talented Cabinet this country has ever had before & since.Is this the opinion of aimn. readership? One thing is certain though this current crowd from the top down is the most bumbling talentless crew imaginable.
Dave G. Hawkes first cabinet was considered by political historians to be the best ever.
Dave G. – re most talented Cabinet. Until talented is defined in some form or other (‘meaning’ is given to the concept), then the possibilities are almost boundless. Hawke’s first Cabinet (plus his outer Ministry) included only one woman – the recently deceased Susan Ryan. But perhaps women in that era lacked talent? In the Whitlam era, there were no women in Cabinet – apart from the occasional visits from a tea lady. Perhaps Labor women and their talentwere/are in evolutionary mode because in later years they were almost in plague proportions? A bit like today.
One wonders who the political historians were who supposedly made these rather extraordinary claims and what ‘definition(s)’ of talent they employed, whether any female historians were consulted and if so was there more than one with the required ‘talent’?