Downer is finished, according to the Murdoch press:
Short of a neon sign flashing “Saddam bribes hidden here” it is hard to imagine what more Mr Downer and DFAT would have needed to comprehensively investigate AWB, long before the Volcker inquiry belled the cat. The most innocent explanation of Mr Downer’s behaviour is that he has been at DFAT too long, and, like his senior public servants, did not want to rock AWB’s boat. A worse one is that Mr Downer did not want to know what was going on and hoped that nobody would notice how renegade Australians were trading with the enemy, right up until the shooting started in 2003. Neither explanation is acceptable. After 10 years of largely competent service, Mr Downer has demonstrated he no longer has the judgment to serve as Australia’s foreign minister – or in any higher office. His department needs a shake-up and a new minister. And talk among friends of the Foreign Minister that he could be a candidate for the deputy leadership of the Liberal Party, or even The Lodge, is simply not credible in light of what we now know about Mr Downer’s judgment. The wheat-for-weapons scandal has claimed its first scalp – Mr Downer’s credibility is crippled.
Update: Cole has rejected opposition calls for an expansion in his terms of reference, in an interesting way:
It would not be appropriate for a commissioner to seek amendment of the terms of reference to address a matter significantly different to that in the existing terms of reference. It is of course open to the executive government to change the terms of reference.
Alert readers might recall that Jack originally flicked this question to Cole:
He’s already asked for two extensions to his terms of reference. If he wants another extension, he will have it. If he wants me to appear or any of my ministers to appear, we will do so. In no way has the Government tried to obstruct the inquiries conducted by the commission.
Tony Jones: You’re happy for your ministers to appear before the Cole commission and even yourself, you’re prepared to go before the Cole commission?
John Howard: Yes. I have said that. This is the third or fourth occasion on which I’ve said this.”
So, no more passing the parcel, it’s all back to you Jack.
“Mr Downer’s credibility is crippled” - & this is news? & who were the souls promoting him for Deputy Lib party leadership or even another tilt at the Lodge? I have a Nigerian lottery ticket I’d like to sell them…..
Sadly, not going to happen without a most effective cover story, a fair way down the track. The issue has all but disappeared from the public radar and they aren’t going to revive it with any sudden movements. Hope … what’s the opposite of “springs”?
Yes, he’s toast. Only the howard regime’s complete disrespect for Westminister Conventions will keep him in office. In every other sense, he’s a dead man walking. Howard’s already chopped him off - he’s on his own as the patently bullshit story coming out of DFAT unravels.
Meanwhile, the OZ notes that Cole and Ratty are old uni debating pals, class of 61. How nice for everyone concerned. Im sure Coley’s straight and true, yes, but erm, “apprehended bias”, anyone?
And of course, Howard staffers have been caught out coaching AWB witnesses, just to establish how up to their eyeballs senior govt figures were [link]
You know, they really are doing some good work down there at the OZ these days. Ive started reading it again.
And if I may draw a wider conclusion: look how half-arsed, disorganised, corrupt, and comically inept the government turns out to be under the hot light of media scrutiny. Ive been saying it for years - these guys wouldnt go two rounds with a revolving door without a free pass from the media.
You something’s up when even the Australian editorial wants Downer out of Foreign Affairs.
Brian Matthews got it right:
‘In politics, an agreed protocol theoretically governs our elected leaders, ensuring they resign when honour and, more importantly, inescapable realism dictate. This protocol is an aspect of the Westminster system, one of whose tenets is that if you stuff up, you fall on your sword with a stiff upper lip (physically very difficult but a non-negotiable requirement). It’s a Pommy invention and I must say the British politicans by and large concede to it.
… Antipodean politicans, on the other hand, hang on grimly … Caught out in this or that catastrophic mistake, misjudgement or underhand ploy, they are washed over by tides of opprobrium, outrage and objection — but, like the honourable oyster, they do not move.’ (’Resign, You Bastard!’, in As the Story Goes)
This last bit wasn’t always true either. Anyone remember Mick Young resigning over an irregular teddy bear at the Customs desk? How quaint does that look now?
And John Moore resigning over a tv at customs - that was the precedent for Young, wasn’t it?
“You something’s up when even the Australian editorial wants Downer out of Foreign Affairs. ”
Yes, but what is it that’s up? There must be something going on behind the scenes. Why is the Murdoch press taking the moral high ground on the AWB issue? They only investigate and attack this govt when it suits them. I’m curious about their hidden agenda. Does anyone have clues?
The Oz editorial is a remarkably hard creature to peg.
Jibbering nonsense one day, finely honed knives for the coalition the next. Downer is not their first target in 2006 - they’ve been giving Costello a bollocking whenever and wherever possible.
Curious days.
Why is the Oz circling the bodies in the water?
1. Big business likes compliant governments, not incompetent ones.
2. Murdoch’s empire is international, with some very poor performers in the SE Asian markets, & ambitions in China. Dolly’s fumblings in Asian relations are not a liability Murdoch would wish to have to maneouvre around.
3. While Howard may be high in the polls, the Coalition as a whole isnt pulling away from Labor. A few gentle signals that media support isn’t automatic would serve nicely to remind Coonan that relaxing media ownership rules can go a long way to repairing the government’s position.
4. By any standards, Dolly is in big trouble. Even the Oz would like to have so semblance of journalistic standing. & a minister who is such a liability is an easy target.
That and the OZ have their own preferred successor to Howard and want to bury Downer’s pretences for good.
Rumour also has it that Murdoch is preparing to dump his support of pro-war leaders. Difficult to tell, given the size and reach of the empire.
As well the Oz has a definate idelogical bent and going after the AWB is a way of undermining the “single desk”.
Astute, Bill.
Murdoch’s angle (or that of his independent newspaper and television editors LOL) is clearly shifting as civil war comes to Iraq and Bush starts polling like the retard he is.
Of course he can see the tide turning, so a gentle “we should start reporting the actual stories instead of reguritating propaganda” memorandum seems to have come down.
Overdue, and nefarious as always, but I must say I approve.
Re the Australian’s editorial direction, I think Chris Anderson hits the nail on the head. The Australian and Rupert barrack for the air miles crowd, as typified by Thomas Friedman.
They would be deeply offended by the single desk - a national marketing board conspiring against international traders to earn higher returns for farmers. The gall.
I’ve added an update to the post, in light of Cole’s response to the call for expanding his terms of reference.
If Paul Kelly had his way, he’d probably want Tony Blair to come and be PM after he finishes his stint in the UK. Have rarely read more slavish nonsense in the Australian, for someone who’s badly on the nose with his own party, Parliament, and voters.
I still haven’t got over the gastro at the meeja’s fawning, Mark.
Jeez, its a single desk supported by a majority of farmers who they act for.
Cole dumps tiny’s request by saying that he wanted the inquiry to be “untainted by political considerations”.
So “untaint”.
Sheesh, rog, are you on message?
Can you link to your past denunciations of Kofi Annan and calls for him to resign? And how many times have you denounced AWB as a “non-story” this news cycle?
Yes, but what is it that’s up? There must be something going on behind the scenes. Why is the Murdoch press taking the moral high ground on the AWB issue?
As I read it, the motivation is to cut out the cancer before it metastasises and infect the whole body of coalition credibility.
Mark, chill out, no I can not link to my past denunciations of Kofi Annan and calls for him to resign as I didnt make any.
AWB did not wilfully corrupt they complied with an already corrupted commercial system that was under the supervision of the corrupted and ineffectual UN.
Most reasonable people understand that.
Its still an non issue, unless you are glued to radio national.
Fascinating interview with His Darkness on 7.30 Report tonight. Departing from his dismissive parliamentary stance, Jack blindsided Kezza by producing an earlier document from Cole, on the basis of which he argued that Cole in fact does have the power to do what Cole has today said he doesn’t the power to do.
Jack, who was jumping, but looked none too flash, seems to me to have done something rash here, effectively conceding the point by arguing that today’s Cole missive is wrong. The shame was that Jack’s defence obviously took Red Kezza and his minders by surprise, and they did not have the presence of mind to fully pursue the difference between the two Cole documents. Lateline and the morning press promise to be good media.
Yes but Cole has already made his determination. Where to now?
Kim I think it was McKellar (Fraser govt) who quit over the undeclared telly - Fraser was a poor manager.
Jason Stokes is right. The Australian is as close as you will get to hear the inner workings of Howard’s office. Downer is being sacrificed. Or at least being held up as a big fat target while everyone else scurries for cover.
But Cole probably won’t even skewer Downer at the end of the day. He’ll read the riot act. Howard will pension Dolly off in Paris, Abbot’ll start travelling more and that’ll be that.
rog, I’m sure Moore walked the plank for something too. But maybe I’m wrong.
wbb, I think Downer should go for the consistent principled option and become Australia’s ambassador to Iraq. Since he thinks our role there is so important and all… and perhaps he could flog some wheat for the farmers into the bargain.
Ruddy did OK on Lateline, although I had a slightly sinking feeling that he knows the issue so well that he’s unknowingly skipping a few beats for irregular punters.
Rudd resolved the contradiction between His Darkness’ paliamentary and 7.30 Report performances. What Howard was saying to Kezza may be true, except in that this still does not open the government’s conduct up to the commissioner’s scrutiny, as Cole has said in today’s missive.
This is because the government is only indirectly exposed in relation to AWB’s illegal (or not) acts. It is not exposed directly in its own right, say in relation to breaking UN and customs law, for example. In other words, this was Jack and his word games, as usual; pretending at large that he has a “transparent” inquiry, but meanwhile in the fine-print only having an opaque inquiry. Or, as Ruddy must have said 37 times tonight, it’s a cover-up.
This seems fertile political ground. Howard is in the business of posing as one thing, while relying on being something else. We’ve seen this Howardian shape-shifting many times. The difference between the promoted perception and the legal reality is a thin reed, but it has so often worked ….
Kim, as I recall both MacKellar and Moore were forced to resign, one of them, MacKellar I think, as the Minister who had brought the TV into the country and who failed to declare it and the other as the Minister of Customs who hadn’t, in Fraser’s eyes, followed up on the matter properly.
After the dust had settled it turned out that MacKellar had brought in a small black and white TV which, under customs regulations at the time, he had not been required to declare. But by then it was too late for both of them.
Presumably the resignations were at Fraser’s insistence?
To the tune of “Hello Dolly”
Hello, Saddam
Well, Hello Paul
It’s so nice to not hear what went wrong
You’re looking swell, Amed
I can’t tell it smells funny
You’re still growin’, but you’re not stowin’
Who cares what’s wrong
For the band’s playin’
One of my old favorite songs from way back when
So bridge that gap, fellas
Feed me that crap, fellas
But Dolly’d going away again
Anyone with more patience for numb bum musicals than me is welcome to spin this out further.
Very much so. There was a period of high drama for about 48 hours with Fraser holding a marathon Cabinet meeting before the word was put on MacKellar and Moore, both junior Ministers so not part of Cabinet, that they had to go. You might say they were dragged kicking and screaming out of office.
Bring back Fraser at LPA!
I don’t think the original needs much alteration Nabs. Just imagine, the bills are piling up, yet the millions keep rolling in from good old Oz:
Hello, Dolly,……this is Sadders, Dolly
It’s so nice to have you back where you belong
You’re lookin’ swell, Dolly…….I can tell, Dolly
You’re still growin’…you’re still crowin’…you’re still goin’ strong
I feel the room swayin’……while the band’s playin’
One of our old favourite songs from way back then,
So….. take her wrap, fellas…….find her an empty lap, Fellas……
Dolly’ll never go away again
(instrumental break)
I feel the room swayin’… while the band’s playin
One of our old favourite songs from way back then,
So……golly gee, fellas…… have a little faith in me
Fellas……
Dolly’ll never go away, fellas……
You’ll never go away……
Dolly ain’t goin’ away again.
Ah, Groucho Marx, ever apt:
And who could forget that Vanda/ Young classic:
Downer ‘mong the dead men…
Michelle Grattan has her Michelle Grattan take here.
This issue is so dull and boring. Almost as boring as the ALP leadership. The beauty of it is that no one will lse their jobs…. except Kimbo.
I think Moore was found to have some undeclared shares in Bligh Oil at one stage (now Horizon Oil). It hardly seems a plank-walking offence by today’s standards and I can’t remember whether he actually did.
It is clear now that only a criminal offence will be a cause for sacking. That’s the direct implication of all the blather Howard is going on with IMHO.
“dull and boring”. Hell, next thing you know, Andrew, you’ll also find it dry and tedious, almost as dry and tedious as your comment. How did you struggle to stay awake long enough to type three sentences?