Of course, people are free to question the judiciary. That’s democracy. But the mulling over and undermining of Bell’s credentials for political reasons by federal politicians who, frankly, should know better, is the beginning of a slippery slope best avoided.
It risks making normal the sort of repugnant stigma Donald Trump has used to survive in office by compromising the US judicial system, with multiple appointments made along political and ideological lines.
The Coalition suffered in the election for holding Trump as a leading light and Albanese, a leader famed as a practitioner of Machiavellian politics where pragmatism rules the day, was still making them pay until he wasted much political capital by dithering over the royal commission.
He gave Sussan Ley her first winning hand since she became opposition leader.
She and the Coalition championed the royal commission early and planned to compel the government to initiate the inquiry when parliament resumed next month. Now, Ley says the Coalition’s “preferred model” was not to have a single commissioner running the royal commission.
The Coalition should rest on its laurels. The squabbling and point-scoring should end, too. Pollsters suggest Australian voters hate nothing more than politicians perceived to be making mileage from tragedy.
Bondi Beach showed the fragility of our social cohesion. Now, political cohesion, not division, is needed. The federal royal commission is our best chance to learn how it happened, to prevent more terror and to ensure no Australians are forced to live in fear.
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