Barnaby Joyce’s decision to dump Darren Chester from the ministry is a big loss to the Morrison government and should have been resisted by the Liberals. Chester is the Nationals best minister, was widely respected in the Veterans portfolio and an asset to the government.
But Joyce has never been about the national interest, only self-interest. Instead, he used his re-elevation to the Nationals leadership to reward supporters and punish detractors. Merit, obviously, plays no part in which Nationals MPs are made ministers with Joyce in charge. It is all about revenge.
Keith Pitt was also ejected from cabinet in order to promote Bridget McKenzie and Andrew Gee. Mark Coultan has been relegated from the outer-minister to the backbench and there was no spot found for Michael McCormack to remain as a minister.
When McKenzie was last in cabinet, 18 months ago, she was forced to resign over the sports rorts scandal. Gee has such a low profile that most MPs would not know who he is. By demoting Pitt, the resources portfolio is now out of cabinet. So much for backing the mining sector.
Much has been made by Nationals and Liberals about how they are separate parties even though they work together in a Coalition. Nationals and Liberals say that they should not interfere in each other’s parties. But this is a false reading of the Coalition tradition.
Robert Menzies, the principal founder of the Liberal Party, recognised that an effective partnership between the two parties was essential for stability and for electoral success. But it did not mean the junior Coalition partner can simply dictate its terms. John McEwen, the greatest Nationals leader, also understood this.
Menzies and McEwen worked well together but they did occasionally have strong disagreements during the 1950s and ‘60s. There were differences on policy and political matters, and the composition of the ministry.
In my biography of Menzies, I revealed a previously unpublished interview where Menzies explained how he worked with McEwen on appointing ministers.
“The leader of the Country Party selected the fellows he wanted unless I objected to them,” Menzies explained. This happened on more than one occasion. Note the words: “unless I objected to them”. Menzies would tell McEwen: “Now, I won’t have that man.” And they would agree on an alternative MP to be promoted.
The point is that Scott Morrison should have told Joyce that Chester had to remain in cabinet as minister for veterans’ affairs, especially as a royal commission into defence and veteran suicide has been established. In other words, Morrison should have stood up to Joyce.
But it should never have come to this. Joyce is not in the league of other great Nationals leaders. The party idolises McEwen. But Joyce should read McEwen’s memoir in which he said the secret to his relationship with Menzies was “mutual respect”.
Joyce has not showed respect to his Nationals colleagues, the Coalition tradition or to Morrison. And he has only been in the job for a week.
Troy Bramston is the author of Robert Menzies: The Art of Politics (Scribe)
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