The Nationals’ loss
27-Jan-2006The recent defection of Julian McGauran to the Liberal Party reminded me of a very surreal Tony Jones Friday Forum piece on the ABC with an earlier reincarnation of Mark Latham. I’ve finally tracked down the transcript.
Money quote:
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: I do believe in the Easter Bunny.
MARK LATHAM: Do you? Well, that says it all. Game, set and match.
But, wait, there’s more!
TONY JONES: Julian McGauran, I can’t let you go without asking you about this. I think you were the first politician to take advantage of the politicians boot camp idea. Did the discipline do you any good?
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: A bit of discipline did me some good. It wouldn’t hurt Mark to go in either. I wonder when he’s going to sign up.
MARK LATHAM: Julian, I can’t keep up with you Tories. I mean, you’ve got Downer doing karaoke, you’re in the boot camp, Heffernan’s getting around like Inspector Gadget.
I can just look on in wonder.
TONY JONES: Did the boot camp do you any good?
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: It was fantastic. The aim was to go to the sharp end of where our decisions are so often made in Parliament.
TONY JONES: A bit of cold steel.
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: I joined ‘D’ company who were just about to go off to East Timor and I saw the activities that they undertake prior to leaving.
TONY JONES: Finally, Mark Latham, I know you probably don’t want to be put in the role of a music critic but how do you think Alexander Downer’s performance went down?
Will it enhance our international reputation or otherwise?
MARK LATHAM: He looked like a goose. That’s the bottom line. It’s not the first time he’s looked like a goose. He’s known for fishnet stockings and the like. I suppose for politicians it’s hard, isn’t it?
One of the criticisms is we don’t do the things that ordinary Australians do. Tony, believe it or not, there are tens of thousands of Australians out there singing tonight.
They’re not actually watching our program. So there’s a politician actually doing something but he’s on TV and he shouldn’t give up his day job.
TONY JONES: Julian McGauran, you’d have to agree he looked a little better in a tropical shirt than fishnet stockings.
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: Well, what I will say is stop me if I ever stand up at a karaoke bar.
MARK LATHAM: In boot camp there would’ve been none of that. You would’ve been kicked straight out for such a floral shirt.
SENATOR JULIAN McGAURAN: Probably Alexander Downer should do a bit of time in the army.
TONY JONES: Mark Latham, what sort of duet do you suppose Peter Costello and John Howard would be doing right at the moment, given the opportunity?
MARK LATHAM: Not many harmonies. Not many harmonies at all.
TONY JONES: We’ll have to leave it there. Mark Latham, Julian McGauran, thanks to both of you for joining us tonight.
I had forgotten how long ago it was: July 27th 2001!
It’s a shame that Mark Latham and Julian McGauran are now too irrelevant to get back for a reprise interview.
Julian McGauran…AN INCONSEQUENTIAL PEBBLE IN THE POND OF AUSTRALIAN POLITICS
Who cares if Julian McGauran defected? He has just moved his uselessness to another party. Hopefully, the Liberals will have the courage to free his spot for someone that actually wants to work for the people of Victoria, rather than someone who has enjoyed a minimal effort life on the political gravy train.
Julian McGauran is not a people person, and he probably doesn’t know or even relate the sufferings and concerns of the average punter.
A newspaper article written shortly after his defection stating that he can point to no road or bridge that he has inspired the construction of, is a fair assessment of him and his capacities.
Julian McGauaran is hardly an animated reformist with reputation for making change to improve governance and policy. His strategy for maintaining power is not action. To use his own words in a recent interview, he plans “to get through this term with as little ripples as possible” — political speak for more inaction!
De-forest the dead wood of politics to make way for the new inspired, motivated people-caring engaged politicians. Let’s start with lazy McGauran!
He’s certainly not the sharpest tool in the Senate shed.
He can’t put his defection down to wanting to serve his constituents better. Public perception is that he’s shoring up his parliamentary superannuation by getting away from a shrinking base. If fewer people voted above the line in the Senate he’d be in big trouble — Kernot style.
2006 June – Perhaps Julian McGauran needs to spend less time researching his ho hum christian pursuits such as plastic surgery and hair dye (notice the difference of pics of him from about 3 years ago!) and spend more time with the people of Victoria and genuinely wanting to help them rather than serving his selfish personal power aspirations.
His long run in politics has more to do with his money and the decline of voter interest and education, than his abilities.
Who would vote Costello for PM if he counts Julian McGauran among his valued political friends. A PM needs to be a good judge of character and a non-squanderer of resources. McGauran is a waste of taxpayer money!