EDITORIAL: Senator’s cone of silence deafening

EDITORIAL: The cone of silence that descended around the CLP on Monday after allegations of Sam McMahon’s behaviour at a Christmas party is a deliberate avoidance strategy.

UPDATE: The Country Liberals have bowed to pressure from the Federal Coalition and retained alleged punch-throwing Senator Sam McMahon in its ranks.

The Party’s management committee met last night to discuss the incident in a Canberra bar last Thursday where the Senator is accused of throwing punches at former Territorian and Nationals director Jonathan Hawkes.

The allegations have not been denied.

Despite some in the party wanting to discard McMahon, who lost Senate pre-selection for next year’s poll to high-profile former Alice Springs deputy mayor Jacinta Price, the management committee ultimately took the path of least resistance.

Senior Federal Coalition figures, including Nationals Leader and deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, are concerned that if McMahon is booted from the CLP she will not vote with the Government when its bills are brought to the Senate.

Senator McMahon has already voted against the Government to support Pauline Hanson’s anti-mandatory vaccine motion and there are fears if she’s cut adrift by the CLP she will do the same with actual Coalition legislation.

“Senator McMahon’s got the Government over a barrel,” a CLP figure told the NT News.

On Monday, a spokesman for Barnaby Joyce told the NT News an incident had taken place but would not be subject to further investigation.

Editorial: Senator's cone of silence

ON the surface, Sam McMahon’s preselection to the Senate back in 2018 had perfect optics. Here was a political party recently dumped in disgrace from government trying to remake itself with new ­people and new ideas.

Instead of recycling the same old faces, the CLP went fresh, pre-selecting a longtime Territory vet from a regional centre with a solid reputation. What could possibly go wrong?

Three years later, the CLP’s choice has blown up in its face. Spectacularly. Now disendorsed – in favour of high-profile candidate Jacinta Price – Senator McMahon has shown she won’t go quietly and will take people with her.

The latest incident – allegations she threw punches at National Party director Jonathan Hawkes – is just another issue from the senator. Whether allegedly rolling up drunk to federal parliament or comparing the Gunner government to Nazis, the past few months have been unedifying and damaging for the CLP.

The cone of silence that descended around the CLP on Monday after the allegations broke is a deliberate avoidance strategy because Senator McMahon has them over a barrel.

Should they sack her from the party the Coalition risks losing her crucial vote in the Senate. Do nothing, and they’re stuck with an outlier seemingly intent on maximum damage. Politics being what it is, the senator’s appalling judgment and behaviour will probably go unpunished. It shouldn’t.

“A contrite apology has been given and accepted. Both parties have explicitly said they want this to be the end of the issue and, out of respect for them, this will be adhered to by our office,” Mr Joyce’s statement said.

The CLP comment, released Tuesday afternoon, carries echoes of their Federal counterpart.

“(CLP) President Jamie de Brenni has spoken with all those involved and has been informed that a sincere apology has been given by Senator Sam McMahon and this was accepted,” the Statement said.

“The CLP management has high expectations of all parliamentarians wherever they are working from, in the Territory or Canberra. The CLP as an organization works hard to support all our Parliamentarians, candidates and staff and will continue to do so.”

Noticeable from the media statement was the absence of names of CLP Federal candidates at next year’s poll, showing the party wants to distance themselves from the Senate incumbent.

As a result of her disendorsement by the CLP, Senator McMahon will cease to be a Senator on the evening before the Federal election.

EARLIER: THE Country Liberal Party has closed ranks behind embattled Northern Territory Senator Sam McMahon following accusations she tried to punch a colleague in a Canberra pub.

Sky News reported Senator McMahon took “multiple swings” against Nationals Federal Director Jonathan Hawkes during Christmas drinks last Thursday night.

The NT News understands the incident took place at the Kingston Hotel and is being treated seriously by senior Coalition figures because of its potential to influence the outcome of votes in the Federal Parliament.

But the Country Liberal Party this morning was refusing to answer questions about Senator McMahon’s future.

Party President Jamie de Brenni did not answer the NT News’ calls and Opposition Leader, Lia Finocchiaro, refused to comment.

Mr Hawkes lived in Darwin and attended Wanguri Primary School and has held senior political roles with then CLP Opposition Leader Terry Mills and with the Federal Coalition in Canberra.

His father, David Hawkes, was the Territory’s Public Service Commissioner between 1989 and 2001.

While there are a number of accounts of the events leading up to the incident, the NT News understands Senator McMahon made only minor contact with Mr Hawkes.

EARLIER: A NORTHERN Territory senator has refused to answer questions following accusations she swung at a fellow ­Nationals colleague at their Christmas party.

Senator Sam McMahon was accused of trying to punch one of her colleagues in a Canberra pub on the final sitting day of parliament.

Witnesses told Sky News Senator McMahon took “multiple swings” at Jonathan Hawkes, the Nationals’ federal director, during the party’s Christmas drinks on Thursday night.

The senator had allegedly been drinking at the event with fellow MPs and staffers when she allegedly took three or four swings at Mr Hawkes.

Senator McMahon’s office was contacted by the NT News for comment, but ­referred all questions to the party leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce.

A spokesman for Mr Joyce confirmed the altercation took place but indicated the leader would not be investigating the issue further.

“The Deputy Prime Minister has been advised that there was an incident at the Christmas party on Thursday night,” the spokesman said

“A contrite apology has been given and accepted. Both parties have explicitly said they want this to be the end of the issue and, out of respect for them, this will be adhered to by our office.”

It is unclear what exactly led to Senator McMahon’s outburst, but at least one witness said it appeared the NT politician was either being walked away or even kicked out of the event at the time.

An ACT Police spokesman said they “had not received a complaint in relation to an ­(incident) in Kingston on Thursday night”.

In June, Senator McMahon lost her preselection battle for the Country Liberal Party’s top spot on the Senate ticket to then Alice Springs Deputy Mayor Jacinta Price.

In the week leading up to the ballot, she had denied allegations she was drunk on the floor of parliament, accusing rivals of undermining her ­during the bitter preselection battle.

Senator McMahon is currently in quarantine in the NT and has not responded to ­requests for comment about the incident.

Originally published as EDITORIAL: Senator’s cone of silence deafening