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April 12, 2006

Harry the Hero

I travelled down to Canberra yesterday to hear Senate Clerk Harry Evans at the National Press Club.

While Alexander Downer wasn’t answering questions properly at the AWB Cole Commission in Sydney, hearing Harry in Canberra felt like a breath of fresh air. Certainly what Harry had to say about how the AWB scandal had unfolded (and the Government’s Senate response) was more interesting than Downer’s dishevelling.

Here was public servant speaking frankly and fearlessly about Government abuse of power, the need for robust accountability and the threats posed to our democracy by a Government controlled Senate.

Check out his full speech here.

I was able to ask Mr Evans a couple of questions during the Q and A session at the end of his talk. I asked him if the Government directive in Senate estimates earlier this year to ban public servants answering questions about the AWB was a ‘lawful’ directive. Not a bad question if I don’t say so myself! Anyway, the Senate Clerk answered frankly and directly that it was not a lawful directive. The media were quick to pick up on the issue and covered the response to my question here, here, here and here. There was also a short piece on ABC’s Lateline and the wonderfully erudite Geoffrey Barker had a top piece in the AFR but both are not available on line.

One worries though about who will replace Harry. Will someone as independent minded, tough and loyal to the institution of the Senate be allowed to replace him? Is Harry Evans the last great Senate Clerk?

 

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I hope you enjoy some of my ideas and analysis. I am unashamedly Green and much of what you will find here relates to Green politics however I write about a range of current state and national political issues that might have wider appeal.