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The empty chair missing its faceless man

Tory Maguire

by Tory Maguire

23 Aug 09:30pm

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Filed under: Abc, Election 2010, Julia Gillard, Mark Arbib, Q And A

35 comments

There’s a hilarious saga going on over an empty chair on tonight’s Q and A panel.

This man is a political assassin so we can't show you his face.

The ABC last week booked ALP powerbroker Mark Arbib for tonight’s show, but this evening Julia Gillard’s office pulled the NSW Senator from the show, and offered up backbencher David Bradbury instead.

The Q and A producers politely but indignantly told the PM’s office to bugger off. In the grand scheme of things it’s worth remembering it’s just a TV show, but in the absence of any concrete details out of Canberra tonight it’s set off a bit of a storm.

Gillard’s statement said this:

I have made it clear that this is not a time for campaign analysis. The focus of Labor’s ministerial team must be on providing stable and effective government and discussing Labor’s positive plan for the nation’s future.

Consequently I have requested and Senator Arbib has agreed to not appear on Q & A tonight which is focussed solely on campaign analysis. I have requested Labor Backbencher David Bradbury to represent the Labor team on the panel.

But Q and A executive producer Peter McEvoy tonight wrote this to the PM’s press officer Russell Mahoney.

Dear Russell,

Mark Arbib agreed to be part of the Q&A panel over a week ago. We are now told he has been directed by the Prime Minister that he cannot join tonight’s discussion.

Q&A provides an opportunity for Australian citizens to question their political leaders and has become a model for broader democratic participation in this election. We’re dismayed that Mr Arbib will be prevented from answering the questions of the Q&A audience on the significant issues raised by Saturday’s election.

Contrary to the comment you released, tonight’s Q&A will not focus “solely on campaign analysis”. We expect a significant part of the discussion will be on the nation’s future and the importance of stable and effective government – the very issues Ms Gillard identifies as the focus of her team.

We cannot accept your request that you choose a substitute panel member for tonight’s Q&A since this would be a clear breach of the ABC’s editorial independence. Mr Arbib will be represented by an empty chair at the Q&A desk.

I hope that the Prime Minister and Mr Arbib might still be responsive to the obligations that all Australian politicians have to face Australian citizens and the media on matters of national significance such as the future government of Australia.

Yours sincerely,

Peter McEvoy Executive Producer Q&A

Arbib is one of the NSW powerbrokers many in the ALP are holding responsible for Gillard’s debacle of an election campaign, so it’s not surprising she’s not keen for him to come under scrutiny tonight while negotiations with the independents over who will form government are still so fragile.

But the saga has only added to the sense of chaos around the care taker PM, which I’m sure she could do without.

There’s a bit of a tizz about this on Twitter you can check out here.

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35 comments

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    • Andrew says:

      10:10pm | 23/08/10

      I’m sure we will be flooded with comments about how this was a terrible move by Gillard and how Arbib is gutless. However I think this is a smart move by Gillard and would like to see her use the election result as a platform to tear away power from the factional leaders who clearly are not worth listening to and are toxic in the electorate. No matter who ends up forming the government the Labor party needs to realise that it’s internal power structure needs to be overhauled to restore credibility to the Labor brand and most importantly to the office of Labor leader and the cabinet/shadow cabinet.

      Reply

    • Farmer says:

      01:25am | 24/08/10

      Not ikely while Bill Shorten / Tony Burke are sharpening their knives…

    • Teddie says:

      07:41am | 24/08/10

      Perhaps rigging the vacant chair to spin around would have made a point?

    • Martin G says:

      10:33am | 24/08/10

      Andrew, it was the factional leaders that installed Gillard in the first place. She is hardly in any position to ‘tear away power’ from them. In fact, they are likely to be rewarded with high ministry positions should ALP cling to power.

      Face it - Labor (and therefore the country as it stands) is held hostage to the whims of its factional leaders.

    • Andrew says:

      11:46am | 24/08/10

      It was the factional leaders who destroyed Kevin Rudd in the polls with their terrible advice also. If she manages to negotiate with the independents and form government Gillard could put forward a reasonable argument to the parliamentary caucus that she saved the party from being thrown into opposition and that voters disapproval of the factional leaders cost them votes more than her leadership as she always had the lead in the polls as preferred PM. People try to paint Gillard as a puppet of the NSW right but this overlooks the fact that she is actually from the other side of the factional divide. Gillard is a ruthless political operator who has shown that she can manipulate the power structures of the factions and the unions to get what she wants and then turn on them later once she no longer relies on their support. Case in point being her stand against the AEU who I’m sure thought that they had hit easy street when Gillard became minister for employment, education and workplace relations.

      Perhaps my hopes are a bit idealistic but surely at least the members of the parliamentary caucus who are propping up Mark Arbib, Bill Shorten etc as powerbrokers must now be having second thoughts about how worthy these individuals are of commanding such power given their terrible track record of how they have used it.

    • Tarzan says:

      10:26pm | 23/08/10

      Just watched the show, not the usual excitement tonight, but I’m pleased Q and A gave it back to the Labor Party. That surprised me.
      Arbib not someone i would like as the face of my party anyway. He looks sleazy.

      Reply

    • Dexter says:

      10:28pm | 23/08/10

      I guess we were wrong to assume the title ‘faceless men’ was some kind of euphemistic metaphor…..

      Reply

    • kc says:

      11:07pm | 23/08/10

      Yep they walked right into that one smile

    • MarK says:

      10:42pm | 23/08/10

      And the soap opera begins in earnest

      Reply

    • Julie Coker-Godson says:

      11:28pm | 23/08/10

      If Julia Gillard stated that this was not the time for an analysis on the election campaign then why did she offer up David Bradbury as a substitute?  Surely, if the issue is not up for discussion, then you don’t send anyone, do you?  Julia Gillard’s action tonight only confirms for me, if any confirmation were ever needed, that she and her party are not fit and proper persons to be governing our country.  This is the Labor Party’s censorship in action.  They created this wretched mess that now confronts us, but, just try asking them to explain themselves and its: oh no, its not appropriate now we’ve got a stable government to run.  A word to the wise Julia Gillard, there will be no stable government while Labor and the Greens are in office.

      Reply

    • Teddie says:

      08:33am | 24/08/10

      Good point about censorship - if they had control of the media like their proposed internet filter who knows what would have happened to the transmission last night - snowstorm supreme?

    • Dee says:

      11:44pm | 23/08/10

      Considering that Arbib is one of the backroom boys who have the power to decide to oust one PM in favour of another ‘new’ PM - I believe that the only one who decided not to have the intestinal fortitude to appear on Q & A would have been Arbib himself. If he can command/demand/strongly suggest that Gillard knife her boss I’m sure he wouldn’t suddenly start to take orders from her in any way, shape or form. Do they never stop the spin?

      Reply

    • fehowarth says:

      09:05am | 24/08/10

      Maybe he has the power but at the end of the day, the only power resided in members of caucus,  Faceless men can only stir up trouble.  they cannot get rid of any member of parliement.  They have the same power as the media to be shit stirrers, nothing more.  The opposition also have their so called backroom boys and power brokers.

    • Marilyn Shepherd says:

      11:49pm | 23/08/10

      It was one of the most interesting Q & A; for month, but I am watching the millions of Pakistanis up to their necks in water and disease and wonder about the trivial nature of this pathetic frigging country.

      The equivalent of the population of Australia in Pakistan are in the most diabolical mess and we are sending a miserly $24 million for aid while we squander $470 million a year locking up a couple of thousand refugees from Afghanistan, many of whom had been forced to leave Pakistan and Iran after fleeing there, and neither side of the main parties can come up with the simple and direct responses as those from Windsor and Oakeshott.

      Just do the work here in the 90 day rule and stop wasting money and lives.

      This was simply the most boring and meaningless election I have ever seen and even in redneck ville where I work 9% of the vote went to the Greens, 5.6% independent and over all 22% didn’t vote for the major parties.

      Arbib, Shorten, Feeney and Farrell and those who conspired with them to do this should be lined up and metaphorically shot.

      Reply

    • thatcherschild says:

      12:01am | 24/08/10

      In the UK there is a fab satirical TV show, Have I Got News For You, which features a mix of comedians and pollies of every week.
      When the MP Roy Hattersley pulled out of doing the show for the third time cos he couldnt handle the lampooning, the producers replaced him with a tub of lard.
      They ran a whole show with the lard sitting in the guest chair, it certainly made the point and tub of lard sort of slipped into UK media speak to sum up various politicians activities.
      So come on Punchers, would should the QandA crew have replaced Arbib with to make the point?

      Reply

    • Moo says:

      12:29am | 24/08/10

      Gutless ...100% pure and simple.

      Reply

    • Shane says:

      09:22am | 24/08/10

      Smart ... 100% pure and simple

    • dead to me says:

      09:11pm | 24/08/10

      Gutless + Spineless….....100% pure and simple.

    • Richard says:

      12:34am | 24/08/10

      And I thought it was just dentists who couldn’t show there face on tv (shrug). But srsly, for a grown up senator to by grounded by his “mummy” is so unbecoming and undignified~ it cheapens our democracy to have elected representatives running away scared, unwilling to face the people and advocate for the platform they were elected on. It just seems that they tried to trick us into supporting them and now as soon as the votes are in they wanna forget about us again and get back to whatever shadowy plans they’ve been hatching for the advancement of their own career. I am so over Labor’s lies and deceit and power at any cost attitude. Please give us Tony with his open honest attitude and principled integrity.

      Reply

    • Steve says:

      04:15am | 24/08/10

      Just let Sky / News Ltd run the ABC it would save a lot of money.

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      06:59am | 24/08/10

      Yes both Julia and Mark were guttless. When they agreed to the show they would have known that there was a chance of victory and defeat in equal measure.
      The proceeding show (not media watch) was about another faceless man Paul Howes, it was a very bad look to have an empty chair, and he did cop it a bit for being a faceless/bodyless and souless man of labor.
      Andrew dreaming is free, if you think labor will take power from the factions, I suggest you take to watching disney channel. Fantasia was on the other day.

      Reply

    • Marg says:

      07:44am | 24/08/10

      Malcolm Turnbull reminds me of Kevin Rudd, bitter and out to get Abbott. What he needs to understand is that he would never have had the support of the voters if he had continued as leader. The worst thing that Abbott could do would be to allow this man back on the front bench. I thought Graham Richardson was the most impressive of all last night.

      Reply

    • Tails says:

      09:07am | 24/08/10

      Last night, Malcolm Turnbull reminded me of The Fonz. Ehhhh….

    • Robert says:

      10:15am | 24/08/10

      I disagree Marg.  I thought Richo was nauseating in his sucking up to the Independant, Tony Windsor.  It was blatantly manipulative.  I was surprised he could be so smarmy (if that is still a word?).  Although Turnbull did admit he didn’t wear a tie in order to appeal to the increasing informal vote.. ... boom boom

    • Luke04 says:

      08:51am | 24/08/10

      Clearly the Labor Party are far from “stable” if the Prime Minister has to stand in and say Arbib will not be appearing on Q & A.

      Reply

    • Francis says:

      08:56am | 24/08/10

      What was more telling to me was the bit on Australian Story about Paul Howes. I knew that people talked about unions and the infulence they have on who run the country but this is a whole new level. Paul Howes run the country he was part of the execution squad. He say jump and Gillard asks how high it very very concerning, My problem is that he is unelected and is a very powerful man. The unions need to look after the worker,I think we need to seriously look at limiting the union power that has a foot on the throat of Australia.

      The other thing on QandA was the role of the speaker and question time.I think we need an independant speaker like a judge or a magistrate. Question time need to be overhauled and pollies have to be accountable for thier answers. This necessary as we are quickly entering into pop politics. It is rife in Qld and really bad to the point of fasical.  As Australians we deserve better.

      Reply

    • Andy says:

      10:30am | 24/08/10

      Why people vote for a Party that allow unelected Union officials decide who will be the Prime Minister of Australia is beyond me. Bill Shorten was the Union Secretary before Labor gave him a job and Shorten chose Howes to replace him as Union secretary. So you can now expect Howes will eventually be given a job with the Labor Party some time in the future too. Labor and “unelected” Union officials are running this country while Labor are in power. Wake up Australia.

    • Jane says:

      09:05am | 24/08/10

      More like Arbib himself decided, after all the talk about him and his mates running Labor and the Government at the moment they have decided to make it look like Gillard is in control of Arbib, by sending a statement from the PM. I find it doubtful it came from the PM herself, it’s just another ALP tactic, trying to make it look like Arbib is toeing Gillards line.

      Reply

    • Mike S says:

      10:07am | 24/08/10

      Arbib is a gutless individual for not appearing on Q&A to answer the tough questions. Hiding behind Jool’s skirt is poor form mate.

      Reply

    • David says:

      11:20am | 24/08/10

      The timing of Australian Story piece about Paul Howes is interesting. Surely this would have been a pertinent episode before the election was held…

      Reply

    • Dee says:

      11:37pm | 24/08/10

      For the life of me I can’t see the pertinence to the Paul Howes story before or after the election. A few weeks back we had Julia Gillard, last week it was Van Rudd and this week it’s Paul Howes. Give us back our Australian Story. Time to stop pushing the barrow.

    • astrid says:

      11:47am | 24/08/10

      I am really asking myself now, who does govern Australia?
      After the Rudd capping and now the possible removal of Gillard who is the person who say who goes and who stays. Why do they have so much power? How are they being funded? Is there any overseas interest involved?

      If Bill Shortern was PM and his mother in law is the GG I think there would have to be a problem.

      Reply

    • Robert S McCormick says:

      02:20pm | 24/08/10

      This just goes to prove that no-one in the ALP is Free. They are forbidden to Speak. They are forbidden to have Opinions. This ruling by, reportedly, Julia Gillard, smacks of the worst of the limitations put on people by the Stalinist regime in the old USSR or Hitler’s Nazi regime in Germany during the 1930s/40s.
      The tentacles of repression & suppression by the ALP even spread beyond the Parliaments. At present there is no Parliament. We simply have a care-taker government - a government which may as well not exist.
      How gutless! How pathetic! How cowardly!
      Gillard owes us an explanation as to why she, with the help of Swan,Arbibe & others lost her majority.
      No matter the eventual outcome if Gillard manages to get across the line it will be to lead the most unstable, untrusted, untrustworthy & despised government this country has ever had.
      How long will Swan, Arbibe,Shorten & the un-elected Paul Howes allow her to remain in the top job? Days? Weeks? Months?
      How long will it be before they drag us into another Federal Election? 2 or 3 months?
      Why should we trust them? They broke or shelved practically every policy they said they had. With almost the sole exception being the cost-free “Sorry” the policies they did enact were total disasters. One even killed people.
      What will a new Gillard ALP Government deliver? They, like the Coalition, spent so much time telling us of the faults & shortcomings of the Coalition they had no time to even offer us any new policies.

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      03:56pm | 24/08/10

      “The focus of Labor’s ‘ministerial team’ must be on providing stable and effective government ” Gillard’s words. Guess Mark is gunna be a minister on the team now. Is this his reward for the execution of KR. Probably. What a sleezy bunch.

      Reply

    • dead to me says:

      06:28pm | 24/08/10

      KRudd should have done more to expose Gillard and the men behind his demise. The ALP will always be whats wrong with Australian politics.

      Reply
 
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