Scott Morrison is facing new questioning over the sports rorts affair, after former cabinet minister Bridget McKenzie issued a statement denying she had made last-minute changes to a list of grants.
Phil Gaetjens has released submissions to the Senate inquiry into the "sports rorts" scandal, the government continuing to resist releasing the formal report.
Parliament's first week for 2020 was a hectic one, with the fallout from the 'sports rorts' affair requiring a Cabinet reshuffle, and Adam Bandt being elected the new leader of The Greens.
Michael McCormack moves on from his near-death experience.
CC BY31.3 MB(download)
On this podcast, the Nationals leader defends his new frontbench line up against criticism it's short on women, mounts a strong pitch in favour of coal, and rejects claims that he's a weak leader.
Whatever our differences, Australians’ essential empathy and yearning for connection always come out in times of crisis. We have a responsibility to make sure it stays that way.
Scott Morrison dodged a bullet when the Nationals clung on to Michael McCormack. There was palpable relief when the news came through to the Liberals. “We still have a Coalition,” one MP was heard to say…
If the PM continues to hide behind cabinet confidentiality and precedent, it won't just be his skin that sustains bruises, but that of his right hand bureaucrat.
Natale's shock resignation comes as former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce announced he would challenge Nationals leader Michael McCormack if there was a move for a leadership spill on Tuesday.
It's much harder to remove a minister these days than it used to be – and there's no sign Bridget McKenzie's departure will prove a damaging blow for the Morrison government.
The number of coronavirus cases in Australia is likely to be quite small, but there could be substantial broader effects.
Stringer/EPA
The government’s approach to Bridget McKenzie reveals a remarkable misunderstanding (or perhaps a remarkable misrepresentation) of the respective roles of ministers and administrators.
With parliament returning next week, Morrison can’t dally with the McKenzie affair much longer.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Despite Morrison saying how much he respected the “professionalism”, “expertise” and “skills” of the public service, his remarks won't be lost on federal bureaucrats.
Sport Australia wrote to McKenzie’s office before the election expressing concern it was being compromised by political interference.
Morrison's hope for clear air for his messages is being stymied by the crisis around deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie, as more damaging information emerges against her in the sports rorts affair.
Bridget McKenzie’s political future could be determined by Scott Morrison’s inquiry into whether she breached ministerial standards.
Lukas Coch/AAP
The damaging longer-term risk for Prime Minister Scott Morrison is that some people have re-thought their view of him over the sports grants saga and his missteps in handling the bushfires.
Bridget McKenzie was a member of a shooting club that received $36,000 in grant money.
Lukas Coch/AAP
Morrison says he referred the auditor-general report to the head of his department last week to determine if McKenzie breached ministerial standards in her sports grant dispersals.
Bridget McKenzie has said she didn’t break any rules and won’t resign.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
An audit office report has accused the government of using grants to influence votes. So what are the consequences?
‘More generally, this does reflect a lot of tension and angst within the National party,’ says Michelle Grattan on the Hanson dairy deal.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Speaking with The Conversation's politics podcast, McCormack said in hindsight, it would have been better to have told Nationals who'd been agitating for the code that negotiations were underway.
The Deputy PM urges farmers considering leaving their farms to ‘take every bit of good advice available before they take that ultimate step’.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Deputy PM Michael McCormack on the drought and restive Nationals.
The Conversation, CC BY33.7 MB(download)
Following tensions in the Nationals party room over the bring-forward of the dairy code for Pauline Hanson, the Deputy PM admits that the party leadership mishandled the situation.