Ministers have stood aside for less - The Canberra Times

If the government thinks it has drawn a line under the allegations that have dominated Parliament in recent weeks, it is mistaken. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accepted the word of his cabinet minister Christian Porter. One could wonder what was discussed in the phone call between the pair, given they have shown little effort in trying to understand the allegations or the hurt felt across Australia. "There are no matters that require my immediate attention," Mr Morrison said following the exchange this week. The anger that many are feeling will not go away just because the Attorney-General denies the allegations. Mr Porter's media conference was scheduled to follow the closing of the matter by NSW Police, but it is anything but closed in people's expectations of a cabinet minister. An independent investigation could give the public a reason to feel confident he should remain in the nation's highest-ranked law office. But that is, for now, denied. Nothing has changed and nothing has been resolved. It will only fester and get worse for everyone until there's a commitment to a proper, impartial investigation. It is untenable for someone with an allegation over his head as serious as the rape of a 16-year-old to be sitting at the cabinet table. He is entitled to a presumption of innocence, but appears to have made little effort to understand. He pleaded for Australia to consider "just for a moment" his innocence, as the Prime Minister had, on faith alone. He asked that he be allowed privacy to work on his mental health, and for the public to move on. He appeared a broken man, tearfully apologetic that to save his career he would have to tarnish the woman who accused him. But mostly it was about him. "I have absolutely given everything I had in the tank over the last year to our government that's been desperately trying to help the country out of its worst crisis in its modern history," he proclaimed. Hours before Mr Porter stood up, tearfully professing his innocence, saying he couldn't step aside based only on an allegation and that the rule of law should suffice, Grace Tame was asked how to ensure discussions about abuse amplified the right stories. "We keep encouraging and empowering survivors," she said. "It's that simple. That's where we need to redirect our support and our sympathy, our empathy." Only weeks ago the Prime Minister agreed, seeking to show that he would have given Brittany Higgins the empathic response she needed. In 2019 the Prime Minister agreed, saying it is important that their stories are believed and that they know that if they come forward, their stories will be believed. Ms Tame again showed how to be consistent, noting that it's the issue itself that is going to keep inspiring her. "Cover-up culture, the abuse of power, is not unique to Parliament," she said. "It is heightened right now, but it's not unique to Parliament. It happens everywhere."

If the government thinks it has drawn a line under the allegations that have dominated Parliament in recent weeks, it is mistaken.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accepted the word of his cabinet minister Christian Porter.

One could wonder what was discussed in the phone call between the pair, given they have shown little effort in trying to understand the allegations or the hurt felt across Australia.

"There are no matters that require my immediate attention," Mr Morrison said following the exchange this week.

The anger that many are feeling will not go away just because the Attorney-General denies the allegations.

Mr Porter's media conference was scheduled to follow the closing of the matter by NSW Police, but it is anything but closed in people's expectations of a cabinet minister.

An independent investigation could give the public a reason to feel confident he should remain in the nation's highest-ranked law office. But that is, for now, denied.

Nothing has changed and nothing has been resolved. It will only fester and get worse for everyone until there's a commitment to a proper, impartial investigation.

It is untenable for someone with an allegation over his head as serious as the rape of a 16-year-old to be sitting at the cabinet table.

Cover-up culture, the abuse of power, is not unique to Parliament.

Grace Tame

He is entitled to a presumption of innocence, but appears to have made little effort to understand.

He pleaded for Australia to consider "just for a moment" his innocence, as the Prime Minister had, on faith alone. He asked that he be allowed privacy to work on his mental health, and for the public to move on.

He appeared a broken man, tearfully apologetic that to save his career he would have to tarnish the woman who accused him. But mostly it was about him.

"I have absolutely given everything I had in the tank over the last year to our government that's been desperately trying to help the country out of its worst crisis in its modern history," he proclaimed.

Hours before Mr Porter stood up, tearfully professing his innocence, saying he couldn't step aside based only on an allegation and that the rule of law should suffice, Grace Tame was asked how to ensure discussions about abuse amplified the right stories.

"We keep encouraging and empowering survivors," she said.

"It's that simple. That's where we need to redirect our support and our sympathy, our empathy."

Only weeks ago the Prime Minister agreed, seeking to show that he would have given Brittany Higgins the empathic response she needed. In 2019 the Prime Minister agreed, saying it is important that their stories are believed and that they know that if they come forward, their stories will be believed.

Ms Tame again showed how to be consistent, noting that it's the issue itself that is going to keep inspiring her.

"Cover-up culture, the abuse of power, is not unique to Parliament," she said. "It is heightened right now, but it's not unique to Parliament. It happens everywhere."

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2021-03-03 09:19:00Z
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