MARK DREYFUS MP

Member for Isaacs

Doorstop Interview Canberra 4 February 2020

03 February 2020

SUBJECTS: Nationals leadership turmoil; Government divisions; Sports rorts.

MARK DREYFUS
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
DOORSTOP INTERVIEW
CANBERRA
TUESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2020

SUBJECTS: Nationals leadership turmoil; Government divisions; Sports rorts.

JOURNALIST: What do you make of the chaos in the Nationals?

MARK DREYFUS, SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Today the Parliament is coming together to express condolences to those who've suffered during the tragic bushfires, to express condolences for those who have died, to pay tribute to the magnificent firefighters who've done their all to protect life and property during the months of fires that we've endured.

It's a shame that the National Party has chosen this day of all days, a day on which the Parliament is coming together, to tear themselves apart again in leadership turmoil. Mr. Morrison promised us stability. He promised an end to this kind of leadership chaos and here we are on the first day of the Parliament for 2020, back again, with the Coalition parties tearing themselves apart.

JOURNALIST: Has Barnaby Joyce done enough to rehabilitate his image to be able to stand for the leadership of the Nationals?

DREYFUS: It's not for me to choose the leader of the National Party. I can't, for the life of me understand why they are tearing themselves apart again. But I would say this: Barnaby Joyce shouldn't be allowed to paper over the reasons why he was removed from Cabinet and from the leadership of the National Party some two years ago. It wasn't anything to do with his personal life - whatever turmoil has occurred in his personal life - it was to do with very serious allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct. He seems to be trying to pretend today that those allegations were never made. He seems to be trying to pretend today that it is something about his personal life that was the reason why he ceased to be the leader of the National Party. Let's not allow a rewriting of history.

JOURNALIST: Just finally is this setting a bad omen for the start of 2020 of chaos?

DREYFUS: The Government is in chaos. Mr. Morrison promised stability. He's delivering anything but that.

Thanks very much.

ENDS