Joyce, a member of the Coalition leadership group, presumably would have been in the know if this question had been discussed by that grouping. The manner of his withdrawal from Monday night's program suggests it was not.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is expected to make a statement on Bronwyn Bishop on Saturday. Credit:James Brickwood

It is also clear that Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, the minister responsible for the national broadcaster, was out of the loop. Why do we know this? Because he was due to appear next week and, surely, would have argued against such silliness had he been consulted.

The immediate impact is to reduce the focus on much more important issues, like the summit of Indigenous leaders at Kirribilli on recognition of the first Australians and Joyce's white paper.

The medium-term impact is to deny the government a voice from its most able communicators for a period of months on a program that, on a good night, is watched by more than a million Australians.