The fall of Fitzgibbon?

All of these AFP roles suggest that if the AFP does not already have main carriage of the Fitzgibbon affair it should have.

It is therefore a puzzle why no government minister is talking about what should be a pressing AFP investigation into Mr Fitzgibbon and Ms Liu. The government’s one liners that ASIO is satisfied appears to be yet another government attempt to economise with the truth.

It is significant that the Fitzgibbon affair is happening or has been timed to occur while Mr Rudd is away. This conveniently minimises Australian media access to Mr Rudd and any direct political damage to him.

Mr Fitzgibbon's "credentials"

Mr Joel Fitzgibbon has little in his background to justify him representing the Defence portfolio or qualifying him for a Cabinet level post in general.

Wikipedia states that:

Before entering politics Fitzgibbon was an automotive electrician, electorate officer, part-time technical education lecturer and small business operator. He was a member of the Cessnock City Council in the period 1987-95.

Fitzgibbon was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in October 1998 and was Shadow Minister for Mining, Energy and Forestry in 2003-05. In June 2005 he was appointed Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Revenue and for Small Business and Competition.

His father used to be Federal Labor Member for Hunter (1984-1996). That assisted Mr Fitzgibbon in immediately filling his father's shoes as Labor Member for Hunter from 1996 until now.

He completed a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration but did not complete any undergraduate degree.

He became Defence Minister on November 29, 2007.

In addition to the family connection Fitzgibbon’s elevation may be a political reward. As Michelle Grattan wrote in The Age, March 27, 2009:

But the PM will need to act quickly.

He installed Fitzgibbon in the defence portfolio partly as a reward for his support in the coup against former Labor leader Kim Beazley. Eyebrows were raised at the time about whether Fitzgibbon was up to the job, and he has clearly struggled in it.

If he is allowed to remain, it would discredit the Government and be seen as a special favour.

The Defence portfolio and our troops who are being asked to fight and die in Afghanistan deserve better.