Deceit

by Richard Evans

  ‘It has referred the Appropriation Bill to committee and they’ll vote later this evening.’ Harper had been briefed by his senate leader, Joe Anthony.

  ‘Does that not seem strange to you? Why is the senate sending straightforward legislation to committee, and voting on it after the house has adjourned and we’ve left for the evening?’ Barton didn’t believe in conspiracies, but his question piqued the interest of some of the others. ‘I think we should ask a question about it.’

  ‘If you think it’s a big deal, we’ll give you number nine,’ said Harper. ‘What about the last one, question ten – anybody?’

  ‘Can we leave the last question to the chamber? I suspect we’ll want a follow-up from question nine,’ Stanley said. Harper agreed, and that was the end of strategy for another day.

  ‘I’ll get them typed and distributed,’ said Barton as he arranged his notes, nodding agreement with the whip.

  As they were leaving, Christopher Hughes, the rakish and ambitious member for Warringah, pulled Barton aside. ‘Another waste of time. What are you thinking about the referral of the stimulus bill to a committee in the senate?’

  ‘It seems unusual procedure to me, as if they’re trying to hide something by delaying it coming back to the house until tomorrow. They could vote on it now, so why wait until we close the house this evening before they vote on it? What’s the big deal?’

  ‘Maybe they want to add an amendment,’ Hughes suggested.

  ‘The senate very rarely amends money bills, Christopher, you know that. Even so, if they did amend it, surely we are not stupid enough to stop the stimulus package?’

  ‘We’ll just have to wait and see.’

  Anita Devlin sat in Peter Cleaver’s office, sneakered feet on his desk waiting for the answer to her question.

  ‘Are you sure you want to run this? It is pure speculation on your part. It’s a big call and it may well jeopardise your career, at least with us. You’ve already been linked to the opposition and the government will no doubt come down hard on you.’

  ‘I’m not linked to the opposition in any way, Cleave. You know that.’ ‘What about your mate, Messenger?’

  ‘He’s just a source.’

  ‘If you run this the prime minister’s office will be down on you like a ton of bricks. At best you only have a guess, you’ve got no solid evidence to go on.’

  ‘Of course they’ll come down on me, but it’s their fault, they won’t respond to my questions. Something fishy is going on, I can feel it, and my story might flush out a reason why these apparently unrelated things are happening. If a big stink is what we need to flush out the story, then so be it.’

  ‘Hancock will go off his rocker about this.’

  ‘Since when has that ever affected your decisions?’ Anita dropped her shoes from the desk and sat forward. ‘She’s going to Zurich by herself for Christ’s sake – I tell you, there’s something going on.’

  Cleaver looked at Anita, picked up a crumpled packet of cigarettes from the front of his desk and slowly pulled out a survivor, placing the bent tobacco stick in his mouth. He lit it, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs before exhaling across the desk and coughing.

  ‘Okay, let’s do it.’ He smiled. ‘I don’t believe I just said that. Put a short rumour piece up on the afternoon digital edition, and work on a more substantial column for the paper tomorrow. If we publish it online, the opposition might raise it in the house at question time, and we might get more material, or at least a direct denial from the PM.’

  ‘You’re a saint, Cleave.’ Anita kicked out of the chair and returned to her desk to write a story based upon pure supposition – that the prime minister of Australia was about to announce his retirement.

  ‘Let’s hope you still have a job tomorrow,’ Cleaver yelled after her.

  Anita filed the story to her sub-editor and within thirty minutes it was online; five minutes later she received a call from Barton.

  ‘What are you doing, are you crazy?’

  ‘I haven’t had a call from the PM’s office yet, so maybe I’m not.’

  ‘Have you found out why the prime minister’s wife is going to Zurich?’

  ‘Not yet. I thought this story might help,’ Anita said.

  ‘Get to question time, I may have a question on it.’

  ‘See you there.’

  ‘Gordon, your Miss Devlin is causing a bit of a stir,’ Marjorie said as he prepared himself for question time.

  ‘How so?’ He straightened his lace neckpiece in the mirror making sure everything was perfect. Traditionally, the clerk and his assistant wore black robes and white lace neckpieces. He rued the day his horse-hair wig was consigned to the rubbish bin of history – such a pity.

  ‘She has published a short editorial online implying the prime minister is about to resign.’

  ‘A very courageous thing to do, I would suggest.’ Gordon finished fussing with his neckpiece and began to comb his hair. ‘If you follow the sequence of events, it’s a reasonable guess, I suppose. Except for Mrs Gerrard, leaving for Zurich tomorrow.’

  ‘Maybe she’s off to close her accounts,’ Marjorie joked. ‘Or, maybe she’s about to open one.’

  Gordon stopped combing his hair, struck by the innocence of Marjorie’s comment. It sparked an idea linking trivial scraps of information. He moved to his desk and sat down, reaching for a sheet of paper and taking up his fountain pen. He began listing the things he knew, to try and order his thinking.

  Mrs Gerrard to Zurich

  Loss of majority in the house

  Agreement for no votes in the house

  Loss of government possible, maybe in February

  Indonesian president has now requested all funds

  Speaker misled on Indonesian money

  Funding for Indonesia proposed and then deferred

  Drafting clerk disappears on holiday

  Request for an addition to a member’s interest declaration statement before opening an overseas account?

  Overseas account? Switzerland?

  All government members in the house on last day

  Bill for stimulus delayed in Senate – why?

  Prime minister retiring?

  Tax haven account?

  What and where is the money?

  Gordon carefully folded the paper and slipped it into the inside pocket of his jacket. He made his way to the chamber, mentally working through the issues on the list. Could the prime minister possibly be considering somehow swindling the government with the Indonesians and then resigning to cover his tracks? It was a preposterous idea.

  He wandered into the speaker’s office for the usual briefing before question time. The speaker was robing herself as the clerk entered. ‘Have you seen the latest from Hancock Media?’ Gordon inquired. ‘It seems the prime minister is about to announce his retirement.’

  ‘Rubbish,’ Bagshaw sniffed. ‘He has never even suggested anything remotely like that to me.’

  ‘And you would know, of course,’ Gordon said, but the speaker didn’t respond. ‘Has the government made any changes to the program today?’ Gordon was trying to get any clues to add to his list.

  ‘Just another day I suspect, Gordon. Today and tomorrow and you’re all done with the politicians, so Friday should be a relaxing last day for you. Are you looking forward to it?’

  ‘Yes.’ Gordon surprised himself with his answer. ‘If there are any questions based on the story from Hancock’s, how do you want to play it?’

  ‘The prime minister has not advised me, so I suspect I will allow them.’ Bagshaw was now adjusting her robe. ‘The story is out there in the public domain. No doubt the prime minister can look after himself, and give the evening news a good grab or two – he normally does – and he doesn’t need my protection.’

  ‘Best we go then,’ Gordon suggested.

  The speaker moved toward her door, where the serjeant-at-arms was already waiting to lead her to the chamber. Tradition has its place and the p
rocession was one tradition the politicians wanted to keep. Gordon stepped back and allowed the speaker to leave the office and then followed, a half-dozen steps behind. Speaker Bagshaw stepped out after the serjeant-at-arms who was resting a thin gold staff, about a metre and a half long, on his left shoulder. He was dressed in the traditional garb of the serjeant of the parliament, a black tunic with long tails, black breeches, white stockings, lace jabot and black shoes. Gordon followed, also in step, and the three walked in single file through the glass tunnel, across the black marbled alcove, down six carpeted steps and waited at the door for the precise moment to enter the chamber. A security officer stood waiting for the serjeant’s nod to open. The serjeant stood looking at the clock above the door and as the second hand clipped to 1.59.59 he nodded and the officer opened the door so the three could move off as one into the chamber.

  ‘Honourable members, the speaker.’

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  WEDNESDAY 2.00 PM

  The speaker entered the chamber and resumed the chair, mounting the three wooden steps to the podium as the speaker panellist vacated the chair for her. Bagshaw composed herself, straightening her robes as she sat, and looked about the chamber. ‘Order, it being 2.00 pm, debate is interrupted in accordance with standing orders to be resumed at a later time. It is now time for parliamentary questions. Are there any questions?’

  James Harper stood at the despatch box on the opposition side of the parliamentary table.

  ‘The leader of the opposition.’

  ‘My question is directed to the prime minister, in what may be, according to the very latest news reports from Hancock media, his last question time.’

  ‘Hear, hear.’ The opposition members cheered.

  ‘Order, the leader will ask his question,’ Bagshaw said.

  ‘Yes, of course, Madam Speaker.’ Harper bowed slightly to the speaker. ‘Can the prime minister reassure the house that the Indonesian detention centre policy his government is implementing over the next few years will eventually stop the people smugglers’ boats and bring order to our nation’s borders? Can he explain to the house why the boats keep coming?’

  As Harper asked his question, Gordon looked through the questions the party whips had delivered to his staff to check for intended or unintended controversy. Nothing problematic on the government list, which was to be expected; they were all easy questions to allow a minister to speak in glowing terms about the achievements of the government, while at the same time verbally kicking the opposition and highlighting their inadequacies. Surprisingly, nothing listed on the opposition questions was anywhere near provocative, other than question nine asking about the progress of the stimulus package through the senate, and there was nothing listed for question ten.

  ‘The prime minister.’

  ‘Thank you, Madam Speaker, and might I say it’s a pleasure to see you, as always.’ Gerrard smiled rather too long at the speaker.

  Bagshaw paid no attention. The prime minister flouted protocol, saying and doing whatever he wanted, and ignored political correctness, but Gordon knew from long experience that this compliment was Gerrard’s way of asking the speaker to provide protection if the opposition got too lively during his answers today.

  ‘Madam Speaker, I first want to address the spurious claim by the leader of the opposition that this may be my last question time, and address the recent article in the Hancock Media on its digital news site today.’

  Opposition backbenchers hooted and heckled.

  ‘Order, the prime minister will be heard in silence.’ Bagshaw had taken her cue.

  ‘It seems the opposition are overly eager for me to retire. They would rather have their own leader compete with someone with less experience than test their policies on me.’ Gerrard was never modest when talking about himself.

  Messenger jumped quickly to the despatch box.

  ‘The prime minister will resume his seat. The manager of opposition business?’

  ‘Point of order, Madam Speaker, on relevance. The prime minister was asked about illegal boats arriving continuously on our shores, and about his policy for stopping them. He is now talking about the opposition, and I request he be brought to order.’

  ‘The prime minister has barely begun his answer, there is no point of order. I call on the prime minister.’

  Gerrard resumed his position. ‘Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I was saying, the opposition has no-one worthy of leading our great nation, and they would like me to retire to increase their puny chances of winning government at the next election. I can assure them and the good people of Australia, Madam Speaker, that I have no plans to satisfy them by retiring any time soon.

  ‘To the question of the honourable gentleman, we face serious challenges associated with people smugglers, the very worst of human beings, and their trade in human misery for profit. These pirates leave Australia to pick up the dead bodies when their rickety boats sink and the lives of innocents are lost. Who could forget the recent images of one of Australia’s finest, a navy officer, cradling the body of a dead toddler? It was a terrible image and one we should never accept or allow to happen again. We understand the pain this despicable trade brings, we understand the desperation of people seeking sanctuary, we condemn their exploitation by profiteering people smugglers, and we intend to stop it.

  ‘We have initiated a policy in partnership with Indonesia that includes the building of offshore detention centres in Indonesia. As you no doubt know, Madam Speaker, the president of Indonesia, a very good friend of Australia’s, and for many years a personal friend of mine, has agreed to build and operate detention centres in his great country. Indeed, you may recall, Madam Speaker, the president’s and my government jointly announced the funding for the centres and the immediate commencement of construction of the first of these new centres on the island of Ambon. It is hoped that, with the opening of this and other detention centres, we will be able to stop the scourge of people smuggling and maintain the sovereignty of the borders of both nations. Just in the last few days our Indonesian friends have begun preparing for construction on Ambon, which I am sure you will agree is a sign of tremendous goodwill. They began work when we agreed to release government funds to them.

  ‘The government has received a formal request from our friends in Indonesia as late as last Friday to provide all the agreed funds immediately to help with the work they have commenced, and we have agreed and will transfer them as quickly as we can, although I am saddened that our initial plans to get funds through this week were prevented by other tragic circumstances. We will now need to wait, perhaps until next year, unless we can think of other ways to get the money to our friends without further delay. The Australian people have told us they want action to end people smuggling, and we say to the community we are doing our best, if only the opposition would work harder to save lives and secure Australia’s borders.’ The prime minister concluded his answer and sat as the speaker called a government backbencher to ask a question of a minister. Gerrard leaned back in his chair oblivious to the question and smirked at Harper. ‘You’d love me to retire, but that’ll never happen while you’re leader,’ he called across the table.

  Harper ignored him and watched as the health minister approached the despatch box to answer a government question about the growing waiting lists for elective surgery in public hospitals, and what the government had planned to cope with demand.

  Messenger heard Gerrard’s comment and scooted across to the chair beside Harper, engaging him in whispered conversation. ‘He’s too smug today, Jim, let’s bring forward question nine.’

  ‘Why, and have Gerrard belt us around the ears about the Christmas bonus? No thank you.’

  Messenger withdrew and confided in Stanley, who sat beside him on the long green padded frontbench. ‘Pete, I think we should bring question nine forward.’

  ‘What did the boss say?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then no it is.’

  Harper had ag
ain received the speaker’s call as the health minister completed her answer. He asked the prime minister a follow-up question on health policy, which Gerrard had anticipated.

  ‘Is this the best you can do? Is this it? Is this the type of question we can expect from the alternate government? This question is unworthy of the attention of any government minister, let alone the prime minister. It’s weak and without any basis in fact, yet the opposition leader thinks he should ask it. Whenever the leader of the opposition stands at the despatch box he is always carping and complaining. You may recall, Madam Speaker, the great servants of this house who have stood behind that very despatch box and worked with government for the betterment of the nation, but no longer, not this miserable example of a leader.’

  Messenger was again on his feet asking for the prime minister to answer the question, and again he was dismissed by the speaker.

  ‘Time and time again, as that mob try and get themselves in order, they come into this honourable place humbled by their dearth of ideas. Politics, Madam Speaker, is about ideas, and as we know, ideas win the hearts and minds of Australians. Ideas grow a nation, and we need ideas from our politicians no matter who they are. Instead we have a simpering, whimpering, complaining Negative Nancy, who we reluctantly call the leader of the opposition.’

  Messenger was again on his feet at the despatch box asking for support from the speaker, and again receiving none.

  ‘Just look at them, Madam Speaker. Their party attracts the ragged and the wretched. They attract the dregs of university coffee shops and miserable failed corporate lawyers. The latte sippers and the champagne plonkers. The only bright spark they had was tragically killed last week.’

  Gerrard’s comment sparked an immediate uproar from the opposition benches. Messenger scrambled to the despatch box, but before he could make the call, Gerrard apologised. ‘I withdraw, I withdraw. I understand the sensitivity around comparing this opposition leader with colleagues dead or alive, for there is no comparison.’