Former Howard Government staffers tell the OC that there are big question marks over Mayo Liberal preselection aspirant Jamie Briggs.
"Politically naive, arrogant and stupid," was one tough summary from one of his former colleagues this morning. "Plays power games constantly" was another.
Briggs' personal style and competence has been questioned with one well-informed patriot reporting that a majority of then ministerial staff and those who had to work with him in PMO.
They say as Howard's industrial relations adviser Briggs exhibited poor judgment, alienated everyone while being obsequious to senior people including the then PM and Alexander Downer.
Flattery got him everywhere they say. "He's nauseating, he turns on his country boy Mildura charm only to those above him. Those ranking below are treated like the sh*t on his shoe" one told the OC.
NO POLITICAL JUDGMENT
But his job performance is the biggest issue as he played such a large role in mismanaging the government's response to its most controversial policy, Workchoices.
Insiders say Briggs blocked decisions just for the sake of it, to prove how big and powerful he was.
They say he his political smarts were non-existent.
In one instance cited by an insider who thinks Briggs is a political doof, Briggs demanded statistics from the Office of Employment Advocate about the percentage of people who were "worse off" under Workchoices.
Up until then, the OEA had only been able to refer to vague estimates, which were obviously less damaging than precise statistics generated because of Briggs' demand for a sample.
Labor's Julia Gillard still uses those stats to this day making Jamie Briggs a gift that keeps on giving for the ALP, according to Liberal insiders.
Game on.
since failed candidate 
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