Treasurer “working hard” but Labor asks whether he should be full time on the Budget

“WHO’S actually running the show?” These are the questions being asked as Treasurer Joe Hockey divides his time between a courtroom and parliament.

Hockey vs Fairfax

TREASURER Joe Hockey is “hard at work” on the Budget and his constituency as well as keenly watching as his reputation is examined in a Sydney courtroom this week.

But Labor is questioning the Treasurer’s priorities as the Government prepares its $400 billion Budget, some of which will be aimed at repairing damage caused by its first economic statement last year.

“Is it on hold? Who’s actually running the show?” Labor’s parliamentary secretary to the shadow treasurer Ed Husic said today.

Mr Husic said it might have been possible hearings for the defamation case Mr Hockey launched against Fairfax Media to have been deferred until after the Budget was delivered.

The Treasurer was “perfectly entitled to take court action — that’s a matter for him”.

“But this is usually an incredibly busy time of the year for a Treasurer, who’s supposed to be working on a Budget,” Mr Husic told news.com.au.

“Instead of sitting in ERC and pulling together a better budget than his last one, he’s sitting in a courtroom fighting the media.”

The Treasurer was been in court Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday — as witness and spectator — as proceedings began in his defamation suit against Fairfax Media

But a spokesperson indicated Mr Hockey has a routine of starting the day in his electoral office, working there “when he could”, and returning to the office after the court proceedings ended for the day.

r Joe Hockey's defamation case against Fairfax is currently being heard in The Supreme Court, Sydney. Picture Cameron Richardson

He is claiming he was falsely depicted as corrupt in a story which on May 5 last year the Sydney Morning Herald headlined as, “Treasurer for sale”. Fairfax is contesting the claim.

“The Treasurer continues to work hard in the service of his constituency and as Australia’s Treasurer throughout this process,” a spokesperson for Mr Hockey said.

“He has a number of meetings, media interviews and public engagements, including a speech, this week.

“Over the course of the last three days, the Treasurer has been working in his electorate office at the beginning of each day, through the day where he could and at the end of proceedings each day.”

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has approved Mr Hockey’s court presence, calling it time off in lieu for work over the weekend. But while the Treasurer might not be missing in action, he has had to put off the: ”national conversation” he called for after releasing the Intergenerational Report a week ago, as well as widely defending his roundly criticised proposal for superannuation to be used to buy homes.

Mr Husic said last May’s Budget had been “stuffed up” and had caused “dried up business and

consumer confidence”, and interest rate cuts to boost the economy.

“Australia simply can’t afford another failed Budget from this Government,” he said. “What’s happening with the Budget while he’s busy suing the media?

“It’s probably not the first time some of his colleagues

Originally published as Treasurer “working hard” but Labor asks whether he should be full time on the Budget