That Mike Pezzullo was in the news earlier this week, for taking offence at what a couple of Senators had to say about his attitude towards scrutiny, and I have been curious to know more about him. I think Bernard Keane doesn't like him much, or at all, but lots of people have been talking about the respect he has from both sides of politics (he has worked with both Labor and Liberal governments.)
Interestingly, I was just listening to Hamish Macdonald on Radio National having a lengthy discussion with John Blaxland from the ANU about Pezzullo.
Blaxland's background is exactly in the same areas as Pezzullo and one would assume they would know each other. Blaxland seemed to me to bending over backwards to smother anything he said as even the mildest criticism for Pezzullo's behaviour this week with praise for Pezzullo's abilities, and even his personality. I wonder if other ABC listeners have some cynicism about this.
I don't care how smart, well read, and how personable-in-person-but-intimidating-when-he-needs-to-be a top public servant may be: if his area of responsibility has taken on a more secretive and authoritarian air (suiting the government in power, particularly under Abbott) he shouldn't be above criticism.
PS: one thing I should give Pezzullo credit for, though, is that I think Blaxland said he believes in climate change as a coming important regional issue with security implications. How does a public servant like that live with having numbskull climate change denier politicians as his boss then, I wonder.
2 comments:
Blaxland is an academic. He needs to talk to people on the inside.
You think that would occur if he disses the big P?
'Blaxland's background is exactly in the same areas as Pezzullo'
John was Military, Pezzullo civilian. John's a leftie, Pezzullo has a well hidden bleeding heart, if he has one. John did intelligence assessment and served in Timor while Pezzullo served drinks at Canberra Christmas parties. John wishes us to become more proactive on Rohingya issues, to prevent further disasters that would push boats towards us, possibly in great numbers. As Pezzullo is gatekeeper for at least another three years, anyone who wishes Home Affairs to commission studies from ANU must pass him first. Flattery can work. Or, it can be interpreted as one man condescending to his intellectual inferior and backfire.
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