The notoriously outspoken public servant was stood aside pending an investigation after theHerald published an extraordinary trove of messages exchanged with key Liberal powerbrokerScott Briggs.
CBD last encountered Iron Mike seated next to then Qantas chief executiveAlan Joyce in Parliament House’s Great Hall for TreasurerJim Chalmers’ post-budget address to the National Press Club in May.
Pezzullo was invited as the airline’s guest,with Qantas picking up the $200 seat. Call it the curse of Alan Joyce because just months later,Pezzullo’s reign seems to be unravelling,and the former Qantas boss retired early as Australia’s least popular CEO.
Mike Pezzullo and Alan Joyce during Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ National Press Club address.Alex Ellinghausen
And what about Briggs,the bloke who received all those hot takes on the future of the Liberal Party and disses on journalists? Well,last we heard,Briggs was a very remote outside shot at succeeding Scott Morrison as member for Cook,if the former PM ever quits parliament (and at this point it might not be until the next election).
Briggs was head of the Cook federal electorate conference,but the latest news only strengthens the lead of presumptive frontrunner,popular Sutherland mayorCarmelo Pesce.
ROUGH ESTIMATES
Sticking with Pezzullo,this week’s revelations that a leading light of the “apolitical” Australian Public Service,was,well,anything but,got us reminiscing about one of his more memorable outings in Senate estimates.
The year was 2019,and Pezzullo had been involved in a collision between his BMW and Canberra cyclistJason Sievers late the previous year,with the two men’s versions of events differing sharply.
When Labor senatorMurray Watt tried to get into Pezz over the accident at a Senate estimates months after the crash,Queensland Coalition senatorIan Macdonaldstepped in to protect his man,ruling Watt’s question out of order.
“I’m not quite sure what political purpose there is with Mr Pezzullo,” Macdonald said. “He is an apolitical public servant.”
Poor old Ian clearly wasn’t being kept in the loop.
NERD PREMIER
On Monday,NSW PremierChris Minns posed next to a giant pile of confiscated vapes along with Health Minister Ryan Park and chief health officerKerry Chant to announce yet another crackdown on the digital darts.
Look out kids,we’re sure this one will actually work!
After a 30-minute press conference,Minns made a telling admission. Asked by Nine’s Liz Daniels if he’d ever tried to suck down a lungful of toxic lolly air,the premier admitted that,no,he’d never tried a vape in his life.
He must be the only person in NSW Labor to remain so untainted,given the ubiquity of the death sticks around Macquarie Street. Indeed,ahead of the last state election,Minns’ predecessor Dominic Perrottet conceded that the rumours were true,and he was partial to the occasional puff,telling comedianDave “Hughesy’ Hughes that his favourite flavour was mixed fruit.
Now,CBD firmly does not endorse the use of electronic cigarettes,but we’re nonetheless surprised to see Perrottet edging out Minns on the naughty habit stakes.
VAN HIRE
It’s well documented that former army officer,senator and Victorian Liberal presidentGreg Mirabella is dreaming of a return to Canberra’s red chamber,nominating for the third spot on the party’s Senate ticket for the next election.
Mirabella,who’s married to former Liberal MPSophie Mirabella,was a senator for about five minutes,filling a casual vacancy in late 2021,only to lose his spot toClive Palmer’s $110 million manRalph Babet in last year’s election.
Now,Mirabella is after the position left vacant by the turfing-out of the party of sitting senatorDavid Van,who faces allegations of sexual harassment – which he denies – and now sits as an independent.
But some in the party hierarchy are daring to dream that the winner of the preselection contest,might be able to get their bum onto coveted the red leather seat without first having to face the electorate.
The investigation by the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service into the complaints against Van – is expected to be concluded within about six weeks,with aforementioned Liberal dreamers speculating that the findings might force their erstwhile colleague right out of politics.
It’s hard to know what might happen,this being the first investigation of its kind by the fledgling standards outfit,but some circumstantial evidence has emerged suggesting Van – who did not respond to our invitation to discuss these matters on Monday – doesn’t plan to go anywhere.
He’s looking to hire a Parliamentary Officer to join his team,splitting their time between Melbourne and Canberra.
If you’re keen you’ll need a fairly wide skill set,with political experience up there on the list and including a “demonstrated professional integrity and the ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality”.
Well,you’d hope so,right?
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