Scott Morrison’s secret portfolios smacks of control freak tendencies
While Scott Morrison remains a friend of mine, I must ask the question that millions of Australians are asking in the light of the revelations of how he was sworn in as a minister in a series of portfolios when he knew full well that those positions were already filled with capable people. It smacks of a tendency to be the control freak his critics have often complained about. He is providing ample supplies of grist for their mill. The former prime minister is not one to apologise easily. Like Paul Keating, he must be dragged, kicking and screaming.
If I were the likes of Josh Frydenberg or Keith Pitt I would be furious to know that the boss had only limited faith in my abilities. I would be livid if I thought he was second guessing me. These men knew what they were doing and enjoyed stellar reputations with their colleagues and the press gallery. Their records are just about flawless and are littered with successes, not failures. It makes you wonder just what had to be done to gain the confidence of Morrison. The revelations will taint his legacy and colour the way history treats him. At the core of cabinet government lies trust and that must go both ways. The ministers must have faith in the PM and that trust must be reciprocated.
Our particular version of the Westminster system has developed over more than a century. It has been robust enough to withstand the test of time. We must not allow it to be chopped and changed on the whim of any one man or woman. When you are on a good thing, stick to it. Some prime ministers cannot resist tinkering with the words written for them by their staff. They do so at their own peril. Too much pride in authorship can easily lead to a downfall.
There was always one way to stop Bob Hawke in his tracks and that was to ask him to put down his vision for Australia on paper. He could pick up the pen but the words would not flow. Hawke was not a visionary leader. What made him special was that he was what so many blokes wanted to be. He was a natural leader who people wanted to follow. He loved women and they were attracted by his magnetism and charisma. He loved spending time with blokes as he held a beer in his hand. He loved shaving off his body and would often conduct what we called “shower patrol” during which you were called in to discuss whatever he wanted to talk about while he luxuriated in the shower. Males and females alike were summoned to witness this ritual.
The Albanese story is vastly different to the Hawke saga but no less interesting. To come from such humble beginnings and to scale the heights of political office in Australia is a compelling yarn. To be so unaffected by fame and the occupation of high office is truly unusual. These are just some of the reasons Albo will govern for a decade or more. He has relative youth on his side and faces no challenge from within. The Labor Party, despite its history of fierce factional rivalry, is totally united behind him. No one sees themselves as a rival to him. It is not merely his ability that makes him look so unbeatable. His manner is such that he has made very few enemies and for someone in his position that is truly remarkable. You know just by talking to him that if he wanted to cross the Red Sea by foot, the waters would quickly and automatically part for him. He is an unstoppable force.
No since Hawke has Labor been able to confidently talk about a decade in office. Australians prefer not to talk about politics. They want to be able to trust that their politicians will in the main get their decisions right. The propriety which surrounds us suggests that mostly they have made the right calls. They want government not to be so much about the arguments and differences between us but about the quiet efficiency good governments have when they have found their rhythm. The Albanese government has found its rhythm very quickly. A highly competent Treasurer makes the boss’s job so much easier. Jim Chalmers certainly passes that test with flying colours. Each press conference he holds is a tour de force in both politics and economics. What is more is that this is a highly competent cabinet which bats down past number 10.
When confidence in the cabinet is so high, this enables the boss to focus on other important matters. To that end Albo has been able to show support for Volodymyr Zelensky, the embattled Ukrainian leader who has become a hero in the eyes of the rest of the world. Remaining in Kyiv as the Russian shelling and bombing continues gives his people hope and inspiration. This bloke deserves all of the praise that has been heaped upon him. It is typical of Albo that he would go out of his way to help someone being bullied by a bigger country like Russia. Zelensky’s penchant for wearing a sleeveless shirt with Kevlar protection simply adds to the image of a fearless fighter. That is exactly what his people need to see. The US needs to step up its provision of military aid to Ukraine. The heroism of Zelensky and his people must be rewarded by the West.
If Putin is ever to be stopped and his ambition to take more and more territory is to be thwarted then Ukraine is where the line in the sand must be drawn. Zelensky is a proxy for NATO.
Everything he and his people are experiencing is what the NATO countries would experience should Putin ever get even more adventurous. Given that Putin’s territorial ambitions are nowhere near satisfied, who knows what the future holds. If you were the betting type, short odds only would be available for those who think he will try to scoop up even more ground.
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