Public servant takes holiday; pictures at 11
Media, Rightwingers say the darndest things - - Posted on June, 27 at 11:50 am by Tim
After spending the last few months berating “27/7 Kevin” for working public servants too hard, we are now meant to be appalled that one of them is taking a holiday:
THE man at the helm of Australia’s troubled economy will leave his post for nearly five weeks to look after a colony of endangered wombats. Ken Henry, the Treasury Secretary, will miss an important Reserve Bank board meeting and be without a mobile phone as he ventures into remote Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland.
The Coalition has questioned who will be running economic policy at a “crucial time”, with key decisions pending on carbon trading, tax reform and foreign investment.
All his professional duties, including completing a first draft of the Government’s “root and branch” tax review, will be delegated to other Treasury officials. But Dr Henry is unapologetic for his wombat vacation, which comes as the nation’s 226 Federal MPs and senators leave Canberra’s chill for the winter recess.
While Kevin Rudd has been accused of running the public service into the ground, Dr Henry said everyone “is entitled to have balanced lives”.
The Coalition is questioning the timing of his animal odyssey, arguing it will leave Treasurer Wayne Swan badly exposed.
“Who will be looking after the muddle-headed Treasurer in Dr Henry’s absence?” Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull asked.
“Everyone is entitled to take annual leave, but this is a crucial time for economic policy and the wombat’s gain will be Wayne’s loss.”
At lest you can see why so many conservatives are worried about the damage being done to the Liberal “brand”.
Posted in Media, Rightwingers say the darndest things |
June 27th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Gosh, these professional journalists really know how to pick up on the big issues.
Wayne Swan must issue Ken Henry with the latest Blackberry immediately and instruct him that it is to be kept on at all times.
June 27th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Pathetic journalism! We know that what this lot really wants is Brendan11:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OztI5gAw5pk
June 27th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
It’s highly unlikely Ken Henry would get mobile coverage at wherever the wombats live anyway, so not a lot of point in taking one. I’m still not sure why the Terrorgraph thinks we’ll all be rooned if he takes a few days off, though. I’m sure he’s briefed his 2IC adequately.
June 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
what amazes me about the libs is they jump on whatever pathetic story the daily terror of the government in exile gazette is spinning, no matter how baseless and pathetic the story is. When Glenn Milne smeared the Gippsland Labor candidate as a pervert for the crime of chairing a local arts festival Nelson jumped all over it. They just dont know what to do other than attack.
June 27th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
On the Henry income,it is already a balanced life!? Can’t we have a little decentralisation please!? I will run the Mint from my 1950s Dunny.I have an old bottle cap press for making your own grog,I could squash the beer bottle tops already in currency,and leave the glass at that National Park.Isnt that normal for Australians!? To make life easier for those who are paid more than oneself!? And has he counted his emissions for that activity,after all its further than I can hitchhike illegally.
June 28th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
And what about the “furore” about Rudd’s butler — yet another example of how Rudd works his staff to death. Shocking.
June 28th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Lets just swop the wombats for the libs I am sure they would make more sense and have a better feel for the environment
July 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pm
jesus christ brendon nelson’s press officer is a dill for thinking this one up, and NEWS are a pack of f*ckwits for running with it.
it all smacks of condescension to the reading public, to think they’ll buy this crap for an instant.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Oh I forgot to say, big props to ken henry for doing that with his leave!