Oh good ...

A political crisis closer to home that is also incomprehensible. Yippee!

Australia, like much of the Western world, has seen the easy availability of finance curtailed as a result of the Global Financial Crisis. Given that some industries, like car dealerships, rely on credit to function, the government has stepped in to arrange financing to help (which is reasonable enough given that the scheme should end up costing little by its very nature, and certainly saving the money spent in terms of jobs and keeping the economy going.) The financing scheme is known as Ozcar.

One of the recipients of aid under the Ozcar scheme is a man named John Grant, who is an old friend of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. Grant loaned Rudd a ute (a car with a tray on the back) for his electoral campaigning, and is also connected with Wayne Swan, the Treasurer.

The Opposition has been attempting to make the case that Grant's inclusion in the scheme was blatant favouritism. The PM and Treasurer have held to the line that Grant is a businessman whose company meets the criteria for finance and so had been selected purely on merit.

Today, the remarkably named Godwin Grech, a senior Treasury official, spoke to a Senate Committee and told them it was his understanding that the Prime Minister's Office had contacted him regarding Grant at the beginning of the process and he believed that favourable treatment had been encouraged.

If this is true, it is very bad news for the government, because Rudd and Swan have both denied being involved in response to questions in parliament. Should it turn out that they have lied, they will be guilty of misleading parliament, which is an offence that generally sees a person quickly removed from office.

However, the testimony given by Mr Grech was frankly bizarre. Grech was nervous and stuttering and did not give a clear account. In fact, his testimony included the phrase 'My recollection might be totally false'. There is no paper trail, no record of the alleged email can be found in the computer systems involved (which are archived and include deleted emails) and the auditor general has now been called in to conduct an inquiry.

So, in the next week, we could have a new PM, or it could all turn out to be another of those mad incidents that happen when you overwork public servants for too long and they finally snap. (NB, for my American friends: in the UK , Australia and New Zealand, that involves either running naked through a public space or developing complex theories that may or may not involve a degree of paranoia, however –happily – no guns.)

I swear, if Malcolm Turnbull ends up PM, I am going back to England. The man's a weasel.

Oh good ...

A political crisis closer to home that is also incomprehensible. Yippee!

Australia, like much of the Western world, has seen the easy availability of finance curtailed as a result of the Global Financial Crisis. Given that some industries, like car dealerships, rely on credit to function, the government has stepped in to arrange financing to help (which is reasonable enough given that the scheme should end up costing little by its very nature, and certainly saving the money spent in terms of jobs and keeping the economy going.) The financing scheme is known as Ozcar.

One of the recipients of aid under the Ozcar scheme is a man named John Grant, who is an old friend of the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. Grant loaned Rudd a ute (a car with a tray on the back) for his electoral campaigning, and is also connected with Wayne Swan, the Treasurer.

The Opposition has been attempting to make the case that Grant's inclusion in the scheme was blatant favouritism. The PM and Treasurer have held to the line that Grant is a businessman whose company meets the criteria for finance and so had been selected purely on merit.

Today, the remarkably named Godwin Grech, a senior Treasury official, spoke to a Senate Committee and told them it was his understanding that the Prime Minister's Office had contacted him regarding Grant at the beginning of the process and he believed that favourable treatment had been encouraged.

If this is true, it is very bad news for the government, because Rudd and Swan have both denied being involved in response to questions in parliament. Should it turn out that they have lied, they will be guilty of misleading parliament, which is an offence that generally sees a person quickly removed from office.

However, the testimony given by Mr Grech was frankly bizarre. Grech was nervous and stuttering and did not give a clear account. In fact, his testimony included the phrase 'My recollection might be totally false'. There is no paper trail, no record of the alleged email can be found in the computer systems involved (which are archived and include deleted emails) and the auditor general has now been called in to conduct an inquiry.

So, in the next week, we could have a new PM, or it could all turn out to be another of those mad incidents that happen when you overwork public servants for too long and they finally snap. (NB, for my American friends: in the UK , Australia and New Zealand, that involves either running naked through a public space or developing complex theories that may or may not involve a degree of paranoia, however –happily – no guns.)

I swear, if Malcolm Turnbull ends up PM, I am going back to England. The man's a weasel.