CANBERRA: The Albanese Government has been left red-faced by leaked data that shows its new National Anti-Corruption Commission will cost three times as much to run in its first three years as stated in Parliament by Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus.

Mr Dreyfus last week told the House the cost of running NACC with a commissioner, three deputies and support staff and a permanent home would be $262 million over four years, with the commission going operational in mid to late 2023.

But the data released by a group of technology and telecommunications experts shows that at least 40,000 phone lines and thousands of casual staff will be needed in place the moment the NACC commences operations to handle the calls from Australians demanding it investigates just one issue alone!

And that is why Barnaby Joyce claimed $675,000 in expenses when he was the government’s drought envoy for nine months, despite only spending less than three weeks on the ground in that role, where he was observed on one occasion writing rough drought notes on the back of beer coasters placed on the bare buttocks of a young barmaid in the saloon bar of The Top Pub in Uralla just south-west of Armidale.

“And only God knows how many other lines and staff will be needed to answer demands for action on so many other shitty, dubious, things the Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison governments spent public money on,” a member of the expert group told The Bug.

“NACC could be fielding calls for years at a cost of close to a billion dollars and that’s before it will be able to get down to serious investigative business.”

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SYDNEY: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton had shown by his willingness to engage in discussions on legislation on the new National Anti-Corruption Commission and by how the Albanese government had weakly acquiesced to his demands for NACC hearings to be held mostly in private that he was ready to lead the LNP government back into power at the 2025 election, two of the nation’s most respected journalists believe.

“He’s ready to govern!” was the heading on a joint statement released by Nine Entertainment Co. scribes Phillip Coorey (The Australian Financial Review) and Chris Uhlmann (Channel 9 News).

“Dutton’s ability to show true leadership and bring the Coalition with him on NACC will give all Australians great heart and confidence and a fervent wish that the chance can’t come quickly enough to redeem themselves for the terrible mistake they made back at the federal election in May when they stupidly threw out the only side of Australian politics capable of providing sound economic management.”