âPlausible deniabilityâ threatens our democracy Weâre sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss February 27, 2021 â 12.02am Save Normal text size Credit:Illustration: Andrew Dyson To submit a letter to The Age, email letters@theage.com.au. Please include your home address and telephone number. ACCOUNTABILITY âPlausible deniabilityâ threatens our democracy The Westminister system collapses if âmy staff didnât tell meâ is an acceptable defence. We must insist that if formal advice has been lodged at a ministerâs office, the minister accepts responsibility for his or her subsequent action or, as in Brittany Higginsâ case, inaction. The scurry to avoid accountability in this scandal is another example of the way we are allowing this foundation of our democracy to be stolen.