Bridget McKenzie’s predictably evasive Senate appearance this week was a fitting reminder of all the chaos she wrought last year.
Clown of the Week Senator Bridget McKenzie has timed her outrages well. Just as the monumental sports rorts scandal was eventually swallowed by the sinkhole of 2020 and forgotten, so too was her Senate appearance (on the same topic) this week.
Her predictably evasive and reluctant appearance might have raised more ire had it not come in a week like this one, with the news cycle being dominated by the ongoing and horrifying revelations of the government’s handling of an alleged rape at Parliament House, and Facebook’s blocking of Australian news services.
The performance was entirely in keeping with the scandal, which in turn is entirely in keeping with the government. McKenzie had resigned as agriculture minister in February last year — not for the blatant and demonstrable abuse of public funds to help the Coalition’s re-election, but for failure to declare a gun club membership. This week, she “took full responsibility” for the program, while not conceding any wrongdoing, throwing staffers under the bus and describing the program as “wildly popular” and “successful”.
