Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the House in question time last week, it was revealed that the Deputy Prime Minister has appointed his mate, the retiring Mayor of Tamworth, as the head of Infrastructure Australia. Mr Murray's appointment is an insult to the very concept of a merit-driven process. The Northern Daily Leader, the journal of record in New England, reported last week that Mr Murray was appointed to the role after what they described as an 'informal chat' with Mr Joyce. It quotes Councillor Murray:

"We were sort of having a chat. This wasn't a formal chat, it was an informal chat about what I was going to do when I was finished in council," he said.

"I said 'well it looks like I've got a position at the University of New England on their board, I said I wouldn't mind one other thing to give me something to do, something to keep my mind active and keep myself engaged.'

"I said 'if there was a vacancy on something like Infrastructure Australia that'd be really good for me. I like that sort of thing.'"

Mr Joyce's mate's wish is Mr Joyce's command.

But Infrastructure Australia is a very important organisation. It provides advice and research for all levels of Australian government about tens of billions of dollars worth of critical infrastructure. It just shows what has happened at the rotten heart of this government, which is so corrupted that it can't see the public interest—only its private interest. Questions of merit become irrelevant. You see, the National Party has become a jobs board for National Party mates. This government no longer deals with questions in terms of the public interest. It has become a men's shed for mates—a jobs board for mates. It has totally lost its way. (Time expired)