Chris Kenny: Hong Kong ‘incident’ no reason for Jamie Briggs to be sacked by Malcolm Turnbull

JAMIE Briggs’ sacking is a complete over-reaction — and just plain old partyroom payback.

• Briggs’ Hong Kong hangover that won’t go away
• Turnbull ministry upheaval after Jamie Briggs, Mal Brough resign

“IT’S the hours of sleep before midnight that really count,” my mum always warned us in vain, “and nothing good ever unfolds after midnight”.

This, surely, would have been good advice for Jamie Briggs. The former Cities Minister has been forced to resign after late-night drinks led to a complaint from a public servant.

In November, Briggs had finished a busy day of meetings in Hong Kong and was spending his own money in his own time.

Whether we think it was wise or not, he had every right to be there — as did the public servant who also was there in her private time by personal choice.

She apparently enjoyed the night — photos show her in a “familiar” party pose with Briggs’ chief of staff, Stuart Eaton — and said nothing to admonish Briggs or Eaton about what they said or did at the time.

But some time later (minutes, hours or days depending on which version you subscribe to), she decided Briggs’ behaviour was “inappropriate” because he said she had “piercing” eyes, put his arm around her at some stage and kissed her on the cheek (she suggests possibly her neck).

To be clear, for a married father of three overseas representing his country, this is not a good look. But there is no suggestion of sexual harassment — just a murky suggestion of some level of unwanted familiarity.

Nothing would have been said or done if a male public servant joined the minister for such drinks so some perspective is needed.

We, of course, should seek to support any woman claiming to be harassed or bullied but it is important to stress there is no such claim here, even if we take the public servant’s version of events at face value.

It seems a ridiculous episode over which a government minister should lose his job.

Rather than create a crisis for the government, this should have been a matter for Briggs to discuss quietly with Malcolm Turnbull and, presumably, his smart, lovely and supportive wife, Estée, a former Liberal staffer and now mother of their three children.

Getting rid of Briggs proved too attractive to resist for the Prime Minister because it provided cover for standing Mal Brough aside — a quandary that was dragging on — and it makes more room for a reshuffle in which Turnbull might have to mollify the prickly Nationals with another ministerial spot.

We also can’t overlook the fact Briggs was a Tony Abbott supporter and has long been at odds with Deputy Leader and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, stemming back to when she was undermined as shadow treasurer in 2009.

Many people have looked at the Briggs resignation and thought “there must be more to it” and they’re right — but the “more” is not some unreported additional misbehaviour by Briggs but rather the internal political dynamics.

The trouble for Turnbull is that this treatment of an Abbott supporter has inflamed internal divisions. And if this is the new standard for ministerial accountability it will be impossible to live up to or enforce.

The trouble for Briggs is that a promising career has suffered a substantial setback. And, sadly for South Australia, one of the government’s more effective and rational advocates from this state has been sidelined.

Briggs is a young man and, as someone who first moved to Adelaide as a promising grade cricketer, he knows the importance of digging in and regaining form.

All in all, getting home before midnight might sound boring but, as mum says, you seldom regret it.

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While I’m on homespun wisdom, let me reflect on kids, money and holidays.

We’ve just spent two weeks or so on a road trip back to the South-East, Adelaide and the Fleurieu.

For all the talk of theme parks and other exciting holiday destinations, or fancy gifts and gadgets, all of the things the kids loved best on our trip were free.

Watching combine harvesters, loading cattle onto a truck, walking in a pine forest, spotting kangaroos, running into the ocean, talking to uncles, aunts, cousins and grandparents, and cricket — endless backyard cricket.

Summer days in SA are hard to beat.