The Year That Was – 2017

Posted on by

It’s the end of another year, and that means another look back on the year that has been.

Leadership Spills: 0
Yep, they kept their cool again this year, but only just. There were rumours through the year that Coalition Backbenchers were annoyed enough with Malcolm Turnbull that had there been a viable alternative they may have sounded out numbers.

MPs/Senators caught by Section 44: ?
It has gotten to the point where so many people have been potentially affected by this section of the Australian Constitution regarding their citizenship status, that I’ve stopped counting. Last time I was paying attention to the number it was over 10.

Cabinet Reshuffles: 1.5
One proper one just before Christmas, which saw George Brandis sent to the UK to be High Comissioner, and sparked rumours of instability within the Nationals Party. The other was only a temporary one that saw Malcolm Turnbull and a few other Ministers temporarily take over the ministries of Matt Canavan, Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash who were caught up in the first wave of section 44 victims.

Women in Cabinet: 5 (as of Dec 20, 2017)

  • Kelly O’Dwyer – Minister for Women, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services
  • Bridget McKenzie – Minister for Regional Communications, Minister for Rural Health, Minister for Sport
  • Julie Bishop – Minister for Foreign Affairs
  • Marise Payne – Minister for Defence
  • Michaelia Cash – Minister for Jobs and Innovation

There are five others in the outer ministry, but they are not Cabinet Ministers.

State and Federal Elections: 11 (by-elections included)

  • WA State Election – saw the Labor Party victorious against the Barnett Liberal Government
  • The NSW State By-elections for the seats of Manly, North Shore and Gosford
  • The NSW State By-elections for the seats of Cootamundra, Blacktown and and Murray
  • The VIC State by-election for the seat of Northcote – a win for the Greens who got their first Victorian Lower House seat
  • New England By-Election – Banarby Joyce re-elected after his section 44 snafu
  • QLD State election
  • Bennelong By-election – John Alexander ] re-elected after his section 44 snafu, but had a tough fight on his hands after Labor put former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally on the ballot.

Scandals: 2
Both the work of Sam Dastyari, through his links to a big donor who is involved in a Chinese State Owned Enterprise.

The ABC’s Year in Review

 

Leave a comment