This ⁦ @CroweDM⁩ editorial lines the ⁦ @ScottMorrisonMP⁩ Govt up in its crosshairs and does not miss - especially on #agedcare and #RubyPrincess ⁦ https://www.smh.com.au/national/it-s-not-just-andrews-everyone-is-running-for-cover-20200813-p55lg5.html

. @CroweDM writes: “Absence of action" – that was the failure on March 19 when the Ruby Princess docked at Sydney's Circular Quay. Federal officials were at the ship at 6am to decide on disembarkation. This is what Morrison wanted...

Four days earlier, with infections spreading on cruise ships around the world, the Prime Minister had promised special measures "directly under the command of the Australian Border Force" to put protections in place for cruise ships....”

“The ABF "command" stopped nothing. All passengers disembarked..... So much for Peter Dutton's claims, as Home Affairs Minister, about tough border security....”

“The special commissioner looking into what happened, Bret Walker, SC, was denied a chance to question those federal officials. He asked to question at least one of them but was blocked by Morrison's bureaucrats in a legal tussle that took 17 letters over three months.. “

“Because he could not question those on the ground, it was harder for him to examine the chain of command.... So much for Morrison co-operating with the inquiry.” @CroweDM declares.

On @AusBorderForce & #RubyPrincess - @CroweDM says: “The ABF officers no doubt did their best, but ABF leadership has been precious under scrutiny. When the ABC reported some of the failures on July 30, the ABF issued a statement so evasive it bordered on outright dishonesty...

"Human health is not the responsibility of the ABF," it said. That will be news to the ABF's own Surgeon-General, who proudly claimed last year to preside over 920,000 medical checks from 9 million visitors. It makes ABF commissioner Michael Outram look like he is in denial.”

So, there we have it: claims of “direct command” (and trophies of boats in PMs offices) but when @ScottMorrisonMP & @PeterDutton_MP fail to stop the one boat that mattered #RubyPrincess - they duck, weave, and deny.

. @ScottMorrisonMP & @PeterDutton_MP talk tough - on boats & borders - beat their chest, play the tough guys, build trophies to themselves.
But when the going gets tough, with the one boat that mattered #RubyPrincess, they abandon ship. They’re not leaders, just dishonest cowards.