Oh, Barnaby. How many times have words flowed freely from your mouth before syncing up with your head?
To be fair, it’s not a matter of you putting your foot in it. You genuinely, wholeheartedly, believe the tripe you peddle. But today especially, it showcased you for what you are: A man (in a party comprised principally of other like-minded men) who is fundamentally out of touch.
Appearing on Seven’s Sunrise this morning, Joyce claimed the newly-established federal anti-corruption watchdog, The National Anti-Corruption Commission, has already been politicised. Over the weekend, The Greens referred beleaguered consultancy giant PwC for its tax leaks scandal but also named Stuart Robert’s controversial dealings with consultancy firm Synergy 360 as a case needing review.
Robert, who resigned from parliament in May, has denied repeated allegations that he assisted Synergy 360 (a business owned by his friends) to win, and then personally benefit from, a number of government contracts.
Interviewed beside Labor frontbencher and Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, Joyce dropped a casual threat designed to instil fear in the Albanese Government.
“The thing I would be really careful about would be weaponising things before elections like the Brittany Higgins case and if we get a repeat with the Stuart Robert case, if it does not stack up the way you thought, it reflects very badly on the government,” he said.
“Now I imagine the commission will make its decisions about Mr Robert just like it might make them about the excess of $2.5m payment that was made to Ms Higgins under the auspices of the finance minister who apparently was in strong communication with them.”
And just like that, in the space of two sentences, Joyce proved why the coalition fails to comprehend the basic tenets of a corruption watchdog and why good governments commit to them.
Because for Barnaby and many others in the coalition, the agenda is always on keeping themselves covered rather than covering the interests of Australian taxpayers. A corruption watchdog is unfathomable for a party utterly entrenched in bro-culture and protection rackets.
(Not to mention the bare faced lie about Katy Gallagher signing off on Brittany Higgins’ compensation.)
And yes, I’m sure the Prime Minister has considered whether skeletons hang from the ALP’s closet. He may even be aware of some. But he’s at least unwilling to let the fish rot from the top by turning a blind eye.
Kiboshing a policy that will bring about change, and make it harder for individuals in the next government and the one after that to get away with the same dirty tactics would be a weak leader’s call.
True reform isn’t always the cleanest path. But for Barnaby Joyce and his friends in the dino alliance, the short term mess is never worth a long-term social gain. And it’s this mentality, demonstrated time and time again, that’s fast losing them favour with any remaining voters.