Say what you like about Christian Porter’s moment on the stage on Wednesday,the production was brought to you by the Prime Minister,Scott Morrison.
Morrison is the producer and director of this craven show of political stage management. The Prime Minister alone appoints and discharges the members of his cabinet. He alone decides the standards he will accept and the terms on which his ministers serve.
If he cared about standards,he would require his Attorney-General to be a fit and proper person to be Australia’s first law officer.
And while Porter can never be charged over this rape accusation,neither can his name ever be cleared. Because his accuser is dead,there never will be a trial.
From the moment the story broke six days ago that a cabinet minister stood accused of rape,it has never been about criminal justice.
The government’s cover story – that it was a matter for the police – was just that. The government hid behind it until the police made the inevitable announcement that there was no investigation.
In truth,it has always been a character test. Morrison and Porter failed the first phase by hiding behind an imaginary police investigation,and on Wednesday they failed the second phase.
Morrison should have announced an independent inquiry. Not into the rape accusation. That’s impossible. He should have announced an independent inquiry to establish whether Porter is a fit and proper person to hold such high office in the face of such a grave accusation.
It’s the only way to restore Porter’s reputation,to recover public confidence in Morrison’s government,to repair Australia’s credibility in the world. Can we accuse other countries of violations of human rights or justice or women’s rights if they can accuse Australia of sheltering an accused rapist as Attorney-General?