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.