24 June 2009

Who is Godwin Grech?

| johnboy
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The weirdness and wonder of ute-gate is mercifully beyond the scope of RiotACT.

But the fascinatingly Dickensian Godwin Grech is an undeniable product of Canberra.

So, over to you commenters… What’s he up to? What’s he like?

UPDATE: The Canberra Times is running a story with the very same headline which answers some questions.

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justin heywood said :

These suspicions were confirmed when watching his performance in front of Estimates. After leaving the intelligence community I became a psychologist, specialising in lie detection and profiling. I could see that under questioning, Godwin’s left eyebrow was twitching, a sure sign that his sphincter had tightened. I knew then that he was either lying, or that he had recently eaten a Domino’s pizza from Dickson.

thanks justin, as my eyebrow twitches [interestingly, the right one] my sphincter is tightening; so am i liable to have eaten dominoes or am i about to leak?

and echoing ant, are the moody blues still about?

rosebud said :

I’m not trying to tarnish Turnbull, but to address the statement that someone who is already successful in another career would have a better moral compass than a career politician. Power is attractive no matter who you are or what your background.

Beat me to it, nice one Rosebud. Why settle for the power of running a company or two when you can play with a whole nation.

And if you do a good enough job you can create an environment where all your other business interests will do even better, increasing your net wealth anyway.

jessieduck said :

PBO fool who? you? Read to the end….

My Apologies, I thought that he was being serious.

He also admitted to a close and personal knowledge of the effects of Dominos’Dickson pizzas. A very dangerous man, this Heyward.

PBO fool who? you? Read to the end….

justin heywood said :

Allow me to put this issue to rest.
I know Godwin quite well. In fact I both work with him and he is related to me on my mother’s side. I have always held him in the highest regard, until now.

My suspicions about Godwin were first aroused when I noticed a change in his work habits. I have a background in intelligence, and as any former SOE operative can tell you, the double agents are always the diligent and hard working people. I suspected then that he may have been ‘turned’.

These suspicions were confirmed when watching his performance in front of Estimates. After leaving the intelligence community I became a psychologist, specialising in lie detection and profiling. I could see that under questioning, Godwin’s left eyebrow was twitching, a sure sign that his sphincter had tightened. I knew then that he was either lying, or that he had recently eaten a Domino’s pizza from Dickson.

Then I read all the ‘expert’ commentary on this thread -those who rejoice in all this becoming more bold and more ‘expert’ as it looked safer to do so.

Some of you people should have a look at yourselves.

So you worked for SOE? How old are you? I dont mean to say that are a B.S. artist, all i am wondering is if SOE was where you worked or worked with, then you must be at least 90 years old.

However if you worked for the other Executive then you are a fool for admitting it.

I wasn’t paying attention when read justin heywood’s comment. Keyboard: Present. Brain. Absent. Sense of humour: Not enrolled in this class.

I’m not trying to tarnish Turnbull, but to address the statement that someone who is already successful in another career would have a better moral compass than a career politician. Power is attractive no matter who you are or what your background.

rosebud said :

Emlyn Ward – one word: Berlusconi!

Italy has a very different political climate to Australia, and despite Berlusconi’s refreshing contempt for Political Correctness, it is beyond doubt a corrupt lust for power and self-enrichment which motivates him.

You would want to discover some significant new information about Turnbull to try to tar *him* with the same brush as Berlusconi.

Emlyn Ward – one word: Berlusconi!

My point is that very few politicians have a demonstrated capacity to earn decent money outside of politics, unlike Turnball.

That Fitzgibbon loser is a case in point.

The thing that I don’t understand is what is it that grech had to gain by doing this?

Well, apart from an early retirement.

housebound said :

My point exactly – it just doesn’t make any sense.

   I said :

Not that humans behaving irrationally is that uncommon.

justin heywood said :

Allow me to put this issue to rest.
I know Godwin quite well. In fact I both work with him and he is related to me on my mother’s side. I have always held him in the highest regard, until now.

My suspicions about Godwin were first aroused …

  I said :

So much for family loyalty.

Emlyn Ward said :

DISCLAIMER: I don’t vote for the ALP and have never been a member of either party, so unlike many I am not approaching this issue from a partisan viewpoint. I also admire Turnbull for being one of the few politicians who is actually capable of a successful career outside of politics and whose participation in politics is therefore clearly motivated by a desire to improve democracy in this country.

Surely there are other motivations other than financial gain or the desire to improve democracy. Such as power or a sense of personal achievement. A mountain not yet climbed. It is unlikely Turnbull would have entered politics if he didn’t believe he had a very good chance of becoming PM. I can’t see why his motivations are clearly purer (to your way of thinking) than someone else who doesn’t have hundreds of millions of dollars already but is prepared to take a cut in earnings or potential earnings to become a politician.

The thing that I don’t understand is what is it that grech had to gain by doing this?

Well, apart from an early retirement.

An astonishing amount of my work time is spent dealing with other people’s manufactured drama – people get bored so they go out and create some excitment. Or they have a long term, stressful project and are looking for a distraction (the main problem that exists in my workplace full of PhD students). It is not always consciously done or recognised by the manufacturer, but man is it a pain. This whole episode has “manufactured drama to ease someone’s boredom” stamped all over it – whether it be Mr Grech or someone else entirely.

caf said :

housebound: The only thing I can think of is that someone found out or strongly suspected he was the “Treasury Mole”, and decided to set him up by feeding him a juicy false email… a canary trap.

I wonder if he was, or if the “treasury mole” is now staying really, really quiet till this is all over?

sounds like the treasury has more holes and leaks than a sieve.

housebound: The only thing I can think of is that someone found out or strongly suspected he was the “Treasury Mole”, and decided to set him up by feeding him a juicy false email… a canary trap.

Woody Mann-Caruso12:28 pm 24 Jun 09

(Allegedly. ALLEGEDLY.)

Woody Mann-Caruso12:28 pm 24 Jun 09

It makes perfect sense. Sometimes people just want to feel special. Must’ve felt good to play secret squirrel, channeling key intelligence to famous, powerful people and receiving their praise.

My point exactly – it just doesn’t make any sense.

It’s not clear what it is you want to pin on the ALP: the rescue-financing scheme that Swan & Grant were discussing has not even been passed into legislation yet, let alone any funding been granted under it.

The Liberals, on the other hand, have been found to have made false accusations based on a forged document cooked up by one or more Liberal-party moles from within Treasury who may well be facing criminal charges.
Additionally, the Liberals have wasted many parliament and senate hours on what appears to be a complete non-issue.

To paraphrase Sun-Tzu; in approaching a battle, it is imperative to choose the field of battle carefully to ensure that it favours you and not your enemy, and then concentrate superior forces to achieve a decisive victory.
Turnbull decided to conduct this battle with an imaginary force from a moral quagmire and the result has been inevitable.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t vote for the ALP and have never been a member of either party, so unlike many I am not approaching this issue from a partisan viewpoint. I also admire Turnbull for being one of the few politicians who is actually capable of a successful career outside of politics and whose participation in politics is therefore clearly motivated by a desire to improve democracy in this country.

The only sure thing is that there’s more grandstanding from both sides than there is truth from either.

…and the moral of this sorry tale is: don’t eat Dominos pizzas from Dickson before Estimates. (thank you for the nice morning chuckle, Justin… are the moody blues still together?).

I’m still puzzled as to how this all got out. Did the libs in Estimates know “something” and go digging? Was Godwin’s appearance routine, or was he there because they had been told to go digging in OzCar? Did he raise the email and the “request” to look after the car dealer, or was he asked about it? And if they already knew something, how did they know?

I still want to believe that no public servant could be so stupid as to fake an email and then raise it in estimates.

justin heywood said :

Allow me to put this issue to rest.
I know Godwin quite well. In fact I both work with him and he is related to me on my mother’s side. I have always held him in the highest regard, until now.

My suspicions about Godwin were first aroused when I noticed a change in his work habits. I have a background in intelligence, and as any former SOE operative can tell you, the double agents are always the diligent and hard working people. I suspected then that he may have been ‘turned’.

These suspicions were confirmed when watching his performance in front of Estimates. After leaving the intelligence community I became a psychologist, specialising in lie detection and profiling. I could see that under questioning, Godwin’s left eyebrow was twitching, a sure sign that his sphincter had tightened. I knew then that he was either lying, or that he had recently eaten a Domino’s pizza from Dickson.

Then I read all the ‘expert’ commentary on this thread -those who rejoice in all this becoming more bold and more ‘expert’ as it looked safer to do so.

Some of you people should have a look at yourselves.

oh, we do. and we realise that if it was us in the spotlight, we would probably come away a fair bit cleaner. in my line of work, an indiscretion like this would be costly. My credibility would be gone completely, and I would be forced to sell used cars for a living. I prefer to sell honestly and without favor and be accountable to all of my clients.

Thank you for your insight Justin.

justin heywood9:22 am 24 Jun 09

Allow me to put this issue to rest.
I know Godwin quite well. In fact I both work with him and he is related to me on my mother’s side. I have always held him in the highest regard, until now.

My suspicions about Godwin were first aroused when I noticed a change in his work habits. I have a background in intelligence, and as any former SOE operative can tell you, the double agents are always the diligent and hard working people. I suspected then that he may have been ‘turned’.

These suspicions were confirmed when watching his performance in front of Estimates. After leaving the intelligence community I became a psychologist, specialising in lie detection and profiling. I could see that under questioning, Godwin’s left eyebrow was twitching, a sure sign that his sphincter had tightened. I knew then that he was either lying, or that he had recently eaten a Domino’s pizza from Dickson.

Then I read all the ‘expert’ commentary on this thread -those who rejoice in all this becoming more bold and more ‘expert’ as it looked safer to do so.

Some of you people should have a look at yourselves.

I’d be very worried if I was in any way complicit in what appears to be Mr Grech’s behaviour as reported this evening. Somehow I don’t think Mr Grech would do very well in prison and will therefore be more than willing to tell the police anything they may want to know in return for not having to make any new shower friends.

Joker said :

If the 7:30 Report is anything to go by he’s quite a treacherous weasel

Yeah, but if A Current Affair is anything to go by… sorry I can’t even finish this sentence as a joke- I feel so dirty.
I’m just thrilled I got the Mel Torme reference.

Firstly, I agree with those who urge we await the outcome of the AFP’s investigation before we condem this fellow. Having said that if he is guilty of the sort of treachery mentioned on the ABC news and on the 7.30 Report, he’s buggered.

In fact when watching his performance before Estimates two things struck me; his introductory statement – that he always tried to develop positive relationships within the Treasury and elsewhere, and that he was shitting himself. At the time I thought he’d a) missed the plot – this wasn’t about him or his relationships and b) that he was about to say somthing explosive, as he then did.

To those of you who think he’s been set-up as the fall guy, ask youself this question; who set him up? If the media reports are correct he was a fifth columnist, operating in support of the Opposition and with the clear knowledge of the Oppostion leadership.

On a final point (reflecting back on the coverage of estimates) is there a politician, living or dead, who makes your skin crawl more than Eric Abetz? There is something evil in Tasmania, and its name is Eric.

Greech should disappear in a closed community like Elsternwick.

Two words for Godwin Grech; deed poll.

That, or open a Dr Seuss themed restaurant.

who cares who he is?

Woody Mann-Caruso10:25 pm 23 Jun 09

If he’s been bleeding Treasury info to the Libs, I don’t care if his puppy has cancer and he wears adult diapers – shoot him.

Two words for Godwin Grech; deed poll.

Deadmandrinking said :

Poor, poor bastard. I hope everyone else in Australia bar parliament recognizes how badly he’s been used.

How so? Sure, I look forward to the AFP advising whether or not Grech is Rudd’s Oswald. In the meantime, I’m not sure we’re ready for speculation on who is the modern day Jack Ruby, or even David Ferrie, for that matter. Now that would be weird!

cranky said :

The ABC have reported that Mr Grech has apparently been feeding Treasury related info to the federal Liberal Party for some time, including whilst the Liberals were in Government.

In some countries, this would be classed as treason. Fortunately we are above that.

Misleading Senate Estimates comes awfully close. It’s the modern-day equivalent, any way.

muFasa said :

I’ve also heard heis a hard worker and I feel sorry for him – he was put in a very difficult position by his Minister.

He should take some lessons from Jane Dalton from the Health Dept – she knows how to handle estimates quite well!

Halton. The operator, and scourge of refugees, who seems to have had so much dirt on Howard during the Children Overboard inquiry that she was rewarded for evasiveness and aiding the cover-up during the inquiry with a bigger and better department to run …

jessieduck said :

hmm- inneresting. I just read an article where Hockey is quoted as saying that he called Godwin on Saturday to enquire about his health.

AND said he had talked to Grech, um, 18 months to two years ago. Er, during the election campaign. He also said he had left a message on Saturday … so one wonders, had he reached him, what would the conversation have been?

Berra,

I agree with your sentiments re Mr Grech’s wellbeing. The term ‘fish out of water’ sprang to mind when viewing the TV coverage of Senate Estimates.

If these claims of ‘insider’ are correct, it does raise the question of the potential for ‘Deepthroats’ in other Departments.

A can of worms may well have been opened.

cranky said :

The ABC have reported that Mr Grech has apparently been feeding Treasury related info to the federal Liberal Party for some time, including whilst the Liberals were in Government.

In some countries, this would be classed as treason. Fortunately we are above that.

Arn’t we?

No. Public servants are supposed to serve the Gov’t of the day without fear or favour. If what the ABC is reporting is true, then Mr Grech has been unfaithful to his employer and all Australians. I would, therefore, have no problem in holding someone who actively subverts the democratic process, purely to achieve personally held views, in the highest contempt ‘IF’ the charge is proven.

After all, how could such an act be differentiated from the rigging of ballots in countries such as Iraq or Zimbabwe? If Kerr was vilified for what he was perceived to have done to Whitlam, then this would be so much worse, if proven.

Again, until Mr Grech proven to be guilty, however, I feel he has the right to my sympathy and care for his mental and physical ll-being.

The ABC have reported that Mr Grech has apparently been feeding Treasury related info to the federal Liberal Party for some time, including whilst the Liberals were in Government.

In some countries, this would be classed as treason. Fortunately we are above that.

Arn’t we?

If the 7:30 Report is anything to go by he’s quite a treacherous weasel

AussieGal83 said :

Emlyn Ward, could you be any more of a bitch? You know nothing about the man or his past.

False.
I know what has been made public by the AFP following their raid on his home.
His past is irrelevant.

Another thing I know is that he is on a very high rung of the public service and nobody earning hundreds of thousands of $$ per annum gets my sympathy without good reason.

AussieGal83 said :

Emlyn Ward, could you be any more of a bitch? You know nothing about the man or his past.

Only Time will tell, AussieGal, whether your support of Mr Grech is warranted. EW’s views may just be right.

Emlyn Ward, could you be any more of a bitch? You know nothing about the man or his past.

I’m reserving my judgment of the guy. If its found he had a hand in trying to bring down an elected official through fraud, then he should, at the very least, lose his job and face the full force of justice. If he’s innocent he should be left alone.

Either way, it seems at this point he needs support of a trusted mental health practitioner and to be left alone pending the outcome of official investigations.

LlamaFrog said :

I find this post totally inappropriate.

I agree. The poor man is clearly suffering enough without internet sites encouraging people who know him to post gossip.

old canberran5:53 pm 23 Jun 09

It all just proves, once again, what a filthy game politics is and how innocent people get caught up in the web.

From the ABC:

“But federal police yesterday raided Mr Grech’s home, uncovered the email and declared it a fake. They suspect Mr Grech was involved in creating it.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/

If this is true, he is in a whole lot of trouble – and rightly so.

…the hard workers are no less likely to let you down than slackers.

That is the most fascinating thing I’ve learnt today. Thanks!

Woody Mann-Caruso4:23 pm 23 Jun 09

He’s apparently very professional, dilligent, puts in long hours.

So was everybody I ever investigated for fraud or misconduct, including those who were guilty. Not saying anything about Grech’s character – I don’t know the first thing about him beyond name, rank and serial number – just saying the hard workers are no less likely to let you down than slackers.

The Libs have been nurturing this “email” hoax for weeks, if not months.
Turns out it was a fake all along, produced within Treasury by a liberal flunkey, and sent to Grech’s *home* email.
Probably started as a joke, but that doesn’t explain why Grech (a long-term friend of the Liberal Party) tried to pass it off as something he’d received from the PM’s office.

I too was full of sympathy for Grech after last Friday, but after yesterday I have no qualms in wishing him all the best in his future as a Taxi Driver.

Estimates – the only place where a public servant can be held truly accountable….and where most ses officers actully earn their dollars!

I found all these sly digs from pollies about his health (mental and physical) a bit odd, and pretty damn inappropriate.

Skidbladnir said :

He is a public servant who is already beseiged by national interest in what is certainly a bizarre incident.
Do we need to go all privacy breach on him now, when his house has already been egged?

(Save it at least a week if you wanted to do it, currently there are police crawling all over him)

Really? I didn’t think people cared enough about politicians to want to egg some poor Pube’s house over a supposed email. And to make the effort to go out to Calwell in this weather…..

Granny said :

I think it’s awful that they can grill you with questions then not let you answer how you want. There’s something very wrong about that.

Many do answer how they want… I guess it depends on experience and/or front of both the Senator and the Public Servant how things pan out.

I think it’s awful that they can grill you with questions then not let you answer how you want. There’s something very wrong about that.

yep. the poor guy is suffering enough.

yet another reason not to go too high in the public service.

That was nice of the neighbour to go and wash it off.

He is a public servant who is already beseiged by national interest in what is certainly a bizarre incident.
Do we need to go all privacy breach on him now, when his house has already been egged?

(Save it at least a week if you wanted to do it, currently there are police crawling all over him)

Holden Caulfield said :

It strikes me as an odd quandry of our political system that an “expert” in his/her field can be grilled mercilessly by a farmer from the back of Bourke (or wherever, the inquisitor needn’t be a farmer or from the back of Bourke, haha).

actually, holden, it strikes me as a very civil and honest way to construct a democracy – if the ‘expert’ in any field can’t interpret their work in the language of the community as a body, then either they require appropriate interpreters or they should perhaps wonder if they truly understand their own expertise. a cat may look at a king.

How do we know that he is not Mel Torme?

OOOhhhh, so obscure yet so funny.

Holden Caulfield2:20 pm 23 Jun 09

From jb’s opening piece “The weirdness and wonder of ute-gate is mercifully beyond the scope of RiotACT.”

This is a very worthwhile subject, though, but realising it is a bit out of RA’s scope I have been meaning to start a thread asking for feedback from those who have been involved in Senate Estimates either first hand, or been close to someone who has.

It strikes me as an odd quandry of our political system that an “expert” in his/her field can be grilled mercilessly by a farmer from the back of Bourke (or wherever, the inquisitor needn’t be a farmer or from the back of Bourke, haha).

Has there been anything on the origin of the fake email? The feds could probably get some info from the mail headers

I have it on good authority that the Feds Computer Forensics guys are all over it.

He should take some lessons from Jane Dalton from the Health Dept – she knows how to handle estimates quite well!

Small point, it’s Jane Halton. And yes, I have experience of sitting in Estimates with her and she handles it very well indeed.

I’ve also heard heis a hard worker and I feel sorry for him – he was put in a very difficult position by his Minister.

He should take some lessons from Jane Dalton from the Health Dept – she knows how to handle estimates quite well!

Please tell me his friends call him God for short.

Clown Killer1:24 pm 23 Jun 09

No that’s Michael Schumacher

Deadmandrinking1:23 pm 23 Jun 09

Poor, poor bastard. I hope everyone else in Australia bar parliament recognizes how badly he’s been used.

Is he the Stig ?

Clown Killer1:14 pm 23 Jun 09

He’s got to be SES level.

Mr Grech is an Assistant Secretary.

Why LlamaFrog?

I find this post totally inappropriate.

Judging form the org chart hes a fas or Band 1

Has there been anything on the origin of the fake email? The feds could probably get some info from the mail headers

Scapegoat, poor bastard. I bet he rules at DnD though.

The whole thing is very, very odd indeed. And if he is blameless, I hope the APS will protect him from unfair treatment. What level is he? EL or SES? Given that he’s running a distinct program, I’d guess EL?

you can probably replace the word ‘taking’ with ‘receiving’? lol

DawnDrifter said :

What are you implying, a senior Public servant taking a bullet for a politician? never

He better be careful he doesn’t end up Secretary of the Department of Health.

What are you implying, a senior Public servant taking a bullet for a politician? never

*sigh*

I know it’s wrong, but there’s still some optimistic little part of me that believes in politicians taking responsibility for their actions, and, you know, taking the ‘self’ out of ‘serving’ in the role.

I’ll just go hang out in fairyland over here, with the unicorns and rainbows.

It might be implied that another senior public servant thought he could bring down another minister, happened before, just recently.

Seems to be happening more lately.

Or maybe he was just aspiring to get back to working in Hockey’s office and went the wrong way about it………..

In the grand scheme of things though, this whole matter is just becoming boring, I mean is the best that Turnbull can find to play with in Parliament? Is there not more pressing matters to work through, oh and this whole debacle has covered their recent backflip on the alcohol tax hike as well, now they agree to it but the noise from this has covered that up almost.

Still its entertaining to watch the muppets at play………

Jenny Bryant came back okay after the children overboard senate inquiry. I’m sure this guy will survive.

What are you implying, a senior Public servant taking a bullet for a politician? never

It is getting heated in Parliament again today, Rudd off the hook according to Malcolm, but he hasnt given up hope on getting some mud to stick on Swan.
If that attempt over the next 12 hours fails, there are massive question marks over this whole debacle and Turnbull as a leader…

im sure he can cry in his beers later tonight then go back to the 100+million he has in the kitty

It sounds very much like they’re setting him up for a fall…and Turnbull is quoted as saying that he’ll only apologise to KRudd if KRudd apologises in return for suggesting he had anything to do with the writing of the email.

Doesn’t sound like someone who’s up for taking responsibility, does it?

barking toad11:50 am 23 Jun 09

If you get the chance, watch the Senate C’tee hearing if it’s repeated on Fox. He was pretty stressed but appeared to want to answer honestly questions posed by Eric Abetz. Attemps to answer were blocked by his Treasury boss ably assisted by the labor chairsheila.

Probably a very dedicated, diligent and capable public servant caught in the crossfire of politics which he never expected.

Both sides have taken potshots at him/his health, depending on who thinks they are winning at the time. It’s really a bit outside the rules of the game.

It’s all very weird. I wouldn’t be in his shoes for a million dollars.

hmm- inneresting. I just read an article where Hockey is quoted as saying that he called Godwin on Saturday to enquire about his health.

I was watching Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey on Sunrise today and they seemed to imply that he was perhaps mentally unstable, making continual reference to him being put under ‘extra’ pressure for someone already having difficulties. Did I read too much into that, or are they deliberately trying to discredit him?

I assumed with a name like that, Malcolm had made him up at the same time as making up the email (using a name from a Tolkien novel).

His name sounds like he could be a professor at Hogwarts or working for the Ministry of Magic!

Clown Killer11:29 am 23 Jun 09

A couple of people I know in PM&C have worked with him. He’s apparently very professional, dilligent, puts in long hours. I suspect though he’s about to entre a world of pain.

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