Am not Peter Garrett fan in his current incarnation, but there are several levels of responsibility for this tragedy before we even get close to him. Employer, regulatory body, department, political advisers and then minister’s office and minister.

As you rightly pointed out, it’s a work place issue more than anything. Where are the dodgy employers? What’s happening to them over their massive failure?

I think this is partly the fault of the voters themselves, and the key faultlines in the polity at present.

Actually, I do understand. The Liberal party thinks the average Australian is so stupid that they will be influenced by this ridiculous argument. But I don’t think that I’ve even met one person who thinks Peter Garrett did anything wrong.

I just hope the Liberal party isn’t right…a mad monk, budgie smuggling Prime Minister… how delightful.

Helen, your post was a refreshing counter argument.

I for my part think that beyond the decision to join the ALP, subsequent events have been almost beyond his control, in particular because (and this may be a personal compliment to him) Garrett seems to lack the kind of sharp political instincts that win friends and influence in Canbar.

Rarely for me, I had doubts about him joining the ALP. In particular I thought environment was a terrible choice of portfolio (it was always clear they weren’t running big progressive polities there), even more so when climate change got excised.

But then Bob Brown effectively shut the door on him after the initial decision. A mistake I think, the Greens and Garrett would have been political assets to each other.

I feel deep sympathy for him now, a genuine good person who made the call he did I’m sure in the belief that he could get more done, who is now floundering under the weight of cognitive dissonance…

FFS – I thought the whole problem was sending poorly or non-trained people into a work situation where they are likely to meet with some accident or another. But obviously not – as Helen points out so beautifully – this whole thing is just about point scoring. So Julia, when are you going to raise Kevin Andrews’s obvious responsibility for all those holders of 457 visas who have been injured or killed when forced to perform work duties without adequate training, safety equipment or precautions? To quote Mr Andrews from 2007:

“Well, if employers do the wrong thing, if they abuse the process in any way, then they will be banned. And what that points to effective monitoring and an effective policing of the scheme.”

Funny how that line was good enough then but now – well there’s blood in the water, and Abbott is going to use it for political gain.

But you’re dead on re the sudden interest by the Libs in four workplace deaths. I’m just hoping that the ‘Tiser and Herald Sun readers out there can see it for what it is – empty bluster from a party utterly out of touch with the people. Otherwise we’ll be forced to suffer another photo opp of the Mad Monk running out of the sea in his speedos…

another Ace thank you Helen.

I kind of like the idea of him being demoted to Minister who crawls into roof spaces. But alas that’s just my sick little fantasy.