Off the Record: Queen consulted about Liberal MP Vincent Tarzia’s title

In Off the Record, the Queen is consulted on Vincent Tarzia’s title, Christopher Pyne aims for infinity and beyond, and a senator attacks V8 “hypocrisy” – and children’s mullets.

In the return of Off the Record, the Queen is consulted on a bizarre issue of Vincent Tarzia’s title, former Liberal minister Christopher Pyne aims for infinity and beyond, SA MPs swap offices in Canberra, and controversial senator Alex Antic attacks climate change “hypocrisy” over the V8 race and children’s mullets.

QUEEN TO RULE

The Queen is being consulted on a bizarre issue about a distinguished title awarded to senior South Australian MPs.

The Government Gazette on Thursday revealed a group of former Liberal Cabinet Ministers had been awarded “The Honourable” title for life.

The list, which Governor Frances Adamson had approved, included former Premier Steven Marshall along with Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Vickie Chapman.

Other Ministers who served a minimum three years in Cabinet were John Gardner, David Pisoni, Rachel Sanderson, now Opposition Leader David Speirs, Dan van Holst Pellekaan and Corey Wingard.

But Vincent Tarzia, dubbed “Tardia” over his failure to attend a North-South Corridor debate this week, was omitted despite precedent from 1929 allowing combined time as Speaker and Minister.

Former speaker Vincent Tarzia. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

The Queen, who is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee, is being consulted on the issue. Photo by Daniel LEAL / AFP

But the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s protocol office, and Crown law advice, was unclear despite Tarzia serving more than two years as Speaker and 19 months as Police Minister.

Government House is now clarifying with Buckingham Palace, which has this week celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee for her 70 years on the throne.

At issue is whether modern protocol allows such a move using a precedent that is almost 100 years old after the Australia Act in 1986 gave the Governor-General and Government Houses powers on behalf of the sovereign.

It relates to the Hon. John McInnes, who was speaker and a Minister between 1924 and 1927, whose title Buckingham Palace was consulted on.

Parliament had unearthed correspondence from then Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs L. S Amery (UK Government) to His Excellency the Governor of South Australia, Alexander Hore-Ruthven, The Earl of Gowrie.

Tarzia said: “My understanding is the honorific title is an administrative matter and I am awaiting further advice from Peter Malinauskas.”

A government spokesman said officials, including the Premier, had no problem with the title, which the Liberals had applied for.

“We’ve no issue with it,” he said. “Of course, we’re trying to do the right thing and not break protocol.”

A Government House spokesman said the “matter is being looked in to”.

Tarzia also dismissed his new moniker days after Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis labelled his work “sloppy”.

Shadow Transport Minister fails to show up to move his motion on South Road. The motion has now been discharged. Sloppy stuff.

— Tom Koutsantonis MP (@TKoutsantonisMP) June 1, 2022

Tarzia, the opposition transport spokesman, said a colleague attempted to move the proposal “while I temporarily left the chamber” to remind the public on “Labor’s disgraceful decision to intentionally delay the North-South Corridor”.

“Politicians always appreciate a good nickname, but nothing will top the infamous label ‘Turbo’ given to Tom Koutsantonis,” he said.

PYNE LOOKS TO THE ETHER

Former Liberal minister Christopher Pyne now finds himself in the cold as Labor control both the SA state and federal governments.

But that hasn’t put off high-flying satellite company Fleet Space Technologies, which has hired the former defence minister’s lobbying firm as they progress their plans to explore the Moon and Mars with NASA.

Fleet, headed by Flavia Tata Nardini, was listed as a Pyne and Partners client on the national lobbying register on May 26, just a few days after the Coalition lost the federal election.

And on May 23, Pyne and Partners registered VF Holdings Worldwide, the parent company of VFS Global, as a client. The massive company provides Visa application services for countries around the world and was once infamously incorporated in the African tax haven of Mauritius before it moved to Dubai.

Former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne’s lobbying firm has taken on Fleet Space Technologies and VF Holdings Worldwide as clients.

But back to space. It appears as though Pyne and Partners is possibly looking to become experts of the ether, taking on NSW-based Space Machines Company as a client in late April.

The firm’s managing director, Pyne’s longtime adviser Adam Howard, said he was “delighted” to help Fleet with their global ambitions.

“We have a number of space and defence clients and a particular expertise in that area,” Howard said.

“Similarly working with international companies like VFS Global provide new opportunities – we’re looking forward to delivering many great outcomes for our clients over the next few years.”

Pyne and Partners will need to adjust their strategy to deal with two Labor governments, but Howard says it doesn’t matter “who happens to be in the driver’s seat”.

“Governments do change, but the strategic knowledge of how to achieve outcomes remains,” he said.

SA LEADER OFFICE SWAP

Parliament is not sitting yet, but there has been a flurry of activity on the Hill in Canberra, as new Labor government ministers start getting their heads around complex departmental briefings.

Simon Birmingham posted this photo on LinkedIn as he started the forlorn task of packing up his Senate Leader’s office. Picture: Simon Birmingham/LinkedIn

Further complicating the changeover is the arduous task of literally changing offices in Parliament House. It’s a forlorn exercise for the Liberals, but a time of excitement for Labor.

Former finance minister Simon Birmingham will do a direct swap of rooms with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong, who becomes the government’s Senate leader, with SA colleague Don Farrell as her deputy.

Birmingham said packing up the office into cardboard boxes was “the easy part”. It is saying farewell to staff that’s harder, he says.

“In my office as in others there will be sadness and some tears but our hardworking staff should leave with their heads held high,” he told his LinkedIn followers.

V8 ‘CLIMATE EMERGENCY’

Outspoken conservative senator Alex Antic has taken a swipe at the Labor state government for declaring a climate emergency, while also promising to bring back the Adelaide 500 V8 Supercars race.

Conservative SA Liberal senator Alex Antic has taken a swipe at the state government for declaring a "climate emergency", while still pushing ahead with the Adelaide 500 V8 supercars race. Picture: Alex Antic/ Facebook

The Liberal senator took it upon himself to create a new logo for the race, which Malinauskas has promised to bring back as this year’s Supercars season finale this December.

Uploading his new design on Facebook, Antic added: “Is your ‘climate emergency’ still on?”.

Antic told Off the Record: “I’m glad that the Advertiser (sic) is so interested in my Facebook commentary regarding the state government’s climate emergency hypocrisy”.

Keeping his bizarre war raging against the paper, he sneered that he felt “bad that I might have taken space away from another article about a children’s mullett (sic) competition”.

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