For once Barnaby Joyce believes it's best to say nothing.
The deputy prime minister is renowned for his political rants, but when it comes to three federal ministers from Victoria involved in a contempt case, he's staying mum.
Health Minister Greg Hunt, Human Services Minister Alan Tudge and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar face possible contempt charges for criticising Victorian judges over terror sentencing.
The MPs have told the Victorian State Court they regret their language but won't apologise for their comments.
It would make the MPs ineligible to serve in the parliament if they are found guilty, throwing the Turnbull government into chaos because it only has a one-seat majority in the House of Representatives.
"I want to do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't go badly, so I'm going to be saying nothing, and that's unusual for me," Mr Joyce said on ABC television on Sunday when quizzed on the issue.
Another federal frontbencher Josh Frydenberg, who is also from Victoria, declined to comment on the case involving his "very close friends and colleagues".
But he said there was a broader issue about law and order in Victoria which did concern him with crime statistics for Victoria showing a 20 per cent increase in serious crime over the past 12 months.
"I'm not going to comment on judges or on any particular case other than to make that broader comment that the law and order situation is now so bad that every citizen of this great state of Victoria is now concerned about walking the street or even being in their home," he told Sky News.
But another Victorian, Greens Leader Richard Di Natale, said the comments of the three ministers were "utterly disgraceful".
He said it was critical principle in a Western democracy to maintain the separation between the judiciary and ministers.
"Let's call this out for what it is," he told Sky News.
"The coalition sees an opportunity here to, not just dog whistle, but blow a foghorn when it comes to the issue of terrorism."
Share
