PETER VAN ONSELEN: Anthony Albanese sinks to his very own 'I don't hold a hose' moment

Spin, secrecy and passing the buck. These are the approaches Team Albanese is increasingly using rather than taking responsibility for improving the job of government. 

A hallmark of Labor's election victory was supposed to be improving government after the goings on of the Morrison years.

However, the divide between what the new government says and what it promised before the election is growing.

This week the PM found himself engaged in a war of words with an anti-domestic violence campaigner. He sought to move on from the weekend saga by claiming what really matters is the actions being taken to curb the scourge of domestic violence. Few would disagree.

Yet when Daily Mail Australia revealed that of 500 domestic violence case workers promised as part of a $165million funding allocation two years ago, only 17 have been confirmed as active and now in fact working, the PM used morning radio to dismiss the discrepancy. 

Asked on Thursday 'why are there so few that have been deployed?', Albo answered: 'Well, we're not responsible for employing them.' That's where the ABC interrogation ended, with Albo dumping her blame at the feet of the states. 

It was buck passing 101. The Commonwealth allocated the funds to state and territory government to do the doing. So he just blamed them, wiping his hands of the matter. The PM's responsible minister, Amanda Rishworth, did similar when responding to questions from Daily Mail Australia, refusing to tell us if the dismal figure of 17 had lifted in recent months.

Remember when Albo attacked Scott Morrison for his buck passing during the bushfires? 'I don't hold a hose, mate' was Morrison’s turn of phrase. It even featured in Labor attack ads. Is this really any different? 

Surely the federal Labor government doesn't just give up if states - having already received the money - aren't getting on with hiring the promised personnel? That's just pathetic, especially when seven of the eight states and territories are Labor. Pick up the phone Albo!

Besides, when announcing the policy, the Albanese government harped on about the importance of the 500 new positions, as well as providing timelines around the delivery of the workers. Yet it now acts like its responsibility for the program ended entirely when the cheques were written and sent out.

If the money has gone out the door, but only 17 of 500 new frontline domestic violence workers are actively working, how is all that cash doing anything to help address domestic violence? It's just sitting there. Also, is that how this government casually throws taxpayers money around in other policy areas as well? That is a disturbing possibility as we countdown to budget week.

Then there is the horrific bashing of 73-year-old Perth woman Ninette Simons, allegedly by a former detainee released into the community. Bail was not opposed by the Commonwealth and the PM has blamed the federal Community Protection Board for making the 'wrong decision' when it agreed to remove the former detainee's ankle monitor. 

'I think that's a wrong decision by the board, but they make the decisions,' Albo said. Buck passing once again. Never mind that the government is responsible for the legislative rules within which the board operates. The responsibility of the federal government not state governments. 

CHEAT SHEETS 

This week also included revelations that briefing notes were prepared showing bureaucrats required to answer to parliamentary committees how to avoid giving comprehensive answers. 

An exercise in pre-emptive cover-up. Prepared under the nose of the Prime Minister no less – in his parliamentary office – the cheat sheets direct senior public servants on how act like spin doctors.

Before being elected PM, Anthony Albanese said 'the Australian people deserve accountability and transparency, not secrecy'. It was a powerful attack against the Morrison government deployed time and again by Team Albo in opposition.

Fast forward to today and as PM he's embracing the same approach, the PM's office even putting the cynical tactic in writing as a directive to bureaucrats who are supposed to be independent of political spin. 

There is an argument that providing lessons in how to obfuscate when fronting senate committees could be in contempt of the chamber. At the very least it goes against principles of open government Albo spruiked ahead of the election.

If this was happening in court proceedings it would be akin to tampering with witness statements, illegal actions to be sure.

Did the PM know this memo was sent out? If he didn't, and lets hope he didn't, will he condemn it and reverse the directive to avoid giving fulsome answers to democratically elected members of parliamentary committees? Will we find out who in his office thought it appropriate to send out such a directive?