[First filed: March 28, 2009 @ 10:18]
There’s no way that the functional review, should it ever be released, will live up to the expectation generated by the saga of its secrecy.
But it’s become the rope in a much needed tug-of-war between executive and parliament here in the ACT. It’s fascinating watching a quintessential round-head like Jon Stanhope playing the role of King Charles while the cavaliers of the Liberal party form up a New Model Army with the Greens.
The Canberra Times reports that in the next step in the battle the Former NSW Supreme Court chief justice (turned professional investigator/reviewer) Sir Laurence Street* has been appointed under the new transparency regime to be an independent arbiter and decide the matter.
Street’s got to be costing a pretty penny but even our Chiefly Leader will struggle to get on his high horse and dismiss the findings should they go against him.
UPDATED: The CT now reports that the fast moving Sir Laurence has found in favour of the executive. The reasons won’t be published until they can be tabled at the next sitting on 5 May.
ANOTHER UPDATE: His Chiefliness is being rather gracious in victory.
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* In full that’s Sir Laurence Whistler Street AC, KCMG, QC, HFAIB, KStJ. If you’re unfamiliar with those old initials we’ve got a Companion of the Order of Australia, Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, Queen’s Counsel, Honorary Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building, and Knight of the Order of St. John.