Sharri Markson: Deputy ruling ends nightmare week
BARNABY Joyce’s eviction from parliament by the High Court ends a catastrophic week for the Turnbull government — its worst since the federal election.
Opinion
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BARNABY Joyce’s eviction from parliament by the High Court ends a catastrophic week for the Turnbull government — its worst since the federal election.
The loss of the deputy prime minister and a cabinet minister, leaving the government without its majority, is unprecedented. It is a shocking loss that has thrown the Coalition into disarray.
Until Joyce in all likelihood wins the December 2 by-election and re-enters parliament, Labor will exploit the government’s weakened position to introduce parts of its legislative agenda that command the support of the crossbench, like holding a royal commission into the banks.
This will be a further embarrassment to Turnbull.
After 21 Newspoll losses to Labor, the Prime Minister is already on the back foot. He cannot expect to claw back support when he is jumping from crisis to crisis.
And this verdict has wounded him personally given his overly confident declaration to parliament that the High Court would back Joyce and that this matter went to the very heart of democracy.
Worse for Joyce, he has admitted he knew in his gut he would be ineligible, yet he flouted the law and remained in parliament anyway.
He could have quit immediately and gone to a by-election.
But now a Pandora’s box is open, with Labor threatening to challenge laws introduced during this time, particularly those pushed through by the skin of their teeth.
This will further the perception of a shambolic government barely maintaining its grasp on power.
Turnbull initially put on a brave face as he fronted the cameras.
But he struggled to muster enthusiasm as he ran through his achievements during a time of uncertainty, heading off after one question.