That sinking feeling

SEPTEMBER 18, 2021

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This week former attorney-general Christian Porter threw a bomb under the federal government by taking money from an anonymous source to help pay his legal costs against the ABC. Senior reporter Georgia Wilkins, legal correspondent Michael Bradley, and politics editor Bernard Keane all had plenty to say on what Porter’s actions have done to transparency and integrity in this country.

Of course the Coalition did its best to submerge the Porter news with a new nuclear submarine defence pact with Britain and the US, saying au revoir to the $2 billion it had already sunk into a deal with the French. It’s the latest chapter in what Keane called “the most staggering piece of project mismanagement in Australian history”.

We also got our hands on the pandemic report cards for a number of our esteemed political leaders. Don’t agree with their grades? Let us know by writing to letters@crikey.com.au.

Have a great weekend,

Imogen Champagne
Audience editor

We found the PM’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. That’s a national security risk

CAM WILSON 5 minute read

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's personal social media accounts were shockingly easy to find.

Brian Houston steps aside from Hillsong’s boards as his day in court looms

DAVID HARDAKER 2 minute read

Houston's name may be intricately linked with the megachurch, but it is no longer on 18 of 19 Hillsong entities as he faces criminal charges.

The government's Porter problem

An ‘affront’ to democracy: Christian Porter has questions to answer. So does the PM

GEORGIA WILKINS 2 minute read

Porter's position that he can take an undisclosed amount of money from an anonymous source is an untenable one.

Christian Porter’s blind luck a blow to political accountability and transparency

MICHAEL BRADLEY 4 minute read

The former attorney-general's brazen attempt to avoid scrutiny sets up the possibility for his fellow MPs to use a similar loophole.

The end of transparency: former AG lays bare farcical system of non-accountability

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

Christian Porter treats us with contempt over the anonymous donor helping pay his legal costs. His arrogance is breathtaking.

Keneally’s Fowler move exposes the nonsense world of Labor insiders

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 4 minute read

The Keneally-Fowler saga is an instance of Labor’s cooked, blinkered internal politics spilling into the public arena.

Frydenberg’s watchdog: is an ex-banker the best person to assess bank regulators?

GEORGIA WILKINS and BERNARD KEANE 3 minute read

A man who had to front the banking royal commission over his bank's misconduct will now review the regulators monitoring Australia's most powerful companies.

That sinking feeling

Nuclear explosion of taxpayer money as Morrison trashes sub policy

BERNARD KEANE 4 minute read

Having already wasted $2 billion, the government has gone back to square one on a local build of nuclear submarines, likely wasting tens of billions more of taxpayer money.

Consulting firms have made millions off the failed sub deal

GEORGIA WILKINS 2 minute read

The true cost of the deal must include the huge sums paid to advisory groups deployed to plug holes in the leaky project.

Australia beats drums of war with nuclear submarine pivot

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 4 minute read

This deal is clearly designed to send a message to China, and it's a sign of where Australia's national security policies lie for the foreseeable future.

No other employer would tolerate Craig Kelly. Why do the taxpayers?

MADONNA KING 3 minute read

Of all the spam a person can get, perhaps none is more dangerous than that forwarded by Craig Kelly.

Indian trade deal ignores Modi’s erosion of democratic values

KISHOR NAPIER-RAMAN 3 minute read

The relationship between Australia and India appears stronger than ever, but India's record of discrimination and human rights abuses is worrying.

Making the grade

Satisfactory or sloppy? Scott Morrison’s pandemic report card

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

Has Scott Morrison been a model student or a very naughty boy? Crikey takes a look at his pandemic report card.

‘We’ve seen an improvement this year’: Dan Andrews’ pandemic report card

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

Victoria's head boy has stepped up in 2021, although there's definitely still room for growth.

‘More application needed’: Gladys Berejiklian’s pandemic report card

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

Gladys Berejiklian managed to make some progress under difficult circumstances — but was it enough? Crikey got hold of her pandemic report card.

‘Appears unable to get along with other members of the school leadership’: Mark McGowan’s pandemic report card

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

'Preferring to keep to himself and quick to take offence, his is not a calming presence in the school. Nonetheless, it has proved very popular with segments of the student body.'

‘Prone to spats with the school captain’: Annastacia Palaszczuk’s pandemic report card

BERNARD KEANE 2 minute read

'She can be influenced by what the school newspaper reports, but nonetheless she remains a popular prefect among her cohort.'

Question Time: Mystery donors, floating Chernobyls, and it’s time for a new plague!

CHARLIE LEWIS 1 minute read

It's been another action-packed week of news. From nuclear subs to nuclear meltdowns, how much do you remember of the week that was?