Comments on: Ministerial Responsibility – ave atque vale http://clubtroppo.com.au/2006/03/16/ministerial-responsibility-ave-atque-vale/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:01:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Ken Parish http://clubtroppo.com.au/2006/03/16/ministerial-responsibility-ave-atque-vale/#comment-30419 Ken Parish Thu, 16 Mar 2006 08:34:09 +0000 http://www.clubtroppo.com.au/2006/03/16/ministerial-responsibility-ave-atque-vale/#comment-30419 I wish I could say I'm surprised as well as appalled (and I am indeed the latter). Of course it fleshes out the reasons for Barratt's termination, and makes it all the sadder that the High Court held that, while he was entitled to natural justice in relation to his sacking, the government could still dismiss him for no more substantial reason than that the Minister "no longer had confidence in him". We now know <b>exactly</b> why the Minister no longer had confidence in him, and exactly why all public servants ever since (especially in relation to children overboard, AWB etc etc) are acutely aware of the need to consider carefully what the Minister does and doesn't need/want to know!!! Sadly, although it's one of the more disgraceful, disgusting and depressing stories one could imagine if you have any real understanding and respect for the principles of Westminster government, it isn't a barbecue stopper and most people don't give a stuff. Australians really aren't well served at all by our kneejerk "so what?" response to such revelations, grounded as it is in the fashionably cynical view that all politicians are crooks and liars anyway so what else would you expect? if we don't expect any more, we're certainly not going to get it. I wish I could say I’m surprised as well as appalled (and I am indeed the latter). Of course it fleshes out the reasons for Barratt’s termination, and makes it all the sadder that the High Court held that, while he was entitled to natural justice in relation to his sacking, the government could still dismiss him for no more substantial reason than that the Minister “no longer had confidence in him”. We now know exactly why the Minister no longer had confidence in him, and exactly why all public servants ever since (especially in relation to children overboard, AWB etc etc) are acutely aware of the need to consider carefully what the Minister does and doesn’t need/want to know!!!

Sadly, although it’s one of the more disgraceful, disgusting and depressing stories one could imagine if you have any real understanding and respect for the principles of Westminster government, it isn’t a barbecue stopper and most people don’t give a stuff. Australians really aren’t well served at all by our kneejerk “so what?” response to such revelations, grounded as it is in the fashionably cynical view that all politicians are crooks and liars anyway so what else would you expect? if we don’t expect any more, we’re certainly not going to get it.

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