After reading about ex PM Paul Keating's intervention in the machinations of the NSW Labor Party, I have to agree 100% with what he had to say read it here . John Robertson is one of the key players responsible for the fourth term Government going completely off the rails into Greek tragedy, and now he wants the leadership as a reward? And I'm so glad to see him also fingering that God awful Mark Arbib for special mention too.
Keating is one of a dying breed of Labor figures with a vision, courage and character. A man who was never interested in opinion polls, but rather led from the front and changed the public's view of a policy through the force of the argument, not the other way around of listening to a bunch of whingeing Wendys in a focus group.
In fact Keating was the first to publicly warn Rudd when he was still Opposition Leader that listening to mealy mouthed advisers who need to rely on a focus group to "decide which side of the bed to get out of" was a recipe for disaster. But after a barrage of criticism, he stayed silent thereafter to give Labor a clear run through to the election.
So while it's easy for every blow in commentator and party hack to come in now and take a shot at NSW Labor, the record clearly shows that when Keating has something to say, party figures should listen.
I saw Keating on Lateline last night. He ended up bagging ONLY Robertson. He not once bagged the NSW Right. I am confused.
ReplyDeleteSavvas Tzionis
Here is a link where Keating is attacked for his role in NSW ALP demise. http://johnquiggin.com/index.php/archives/2011/03/29/costas-catastrophe/#more-9652
ReplyDeleteSavvas Tzionis
I've only read the online comments, haven't seen the actual interview yet. But in the online version he also bagged Arbib and Bitar. But you have to put this in perspective, the institution of the NSW Right rebuilt the party after the Whitlam demise and set them up for successful reformist Govt in the 80s. So it's not the institution that's the problem (in Keating's eyes), but the current heirs to the throne are are clearly self interested disgusting human beings.
ReplyDeleteAnother one is Ed Husic! LOL
ReplyDeleteFrom Skynews this morning...
"And my issue with Mr Keating is, he’s always here after the event picking holes with what’s gone on. I never see him with shoe leather on the ground like others.
I accept that the party needs to deal with criticism, it needs to deal with advice.
But if it was Mr Hawke for example, who is out there with candidates all the time trying to help out … well I’d accept that.
But if Mr Keating wants to continue the way he does, and get his jollies chortling into his Twinings in whatever Labor heartland seat he is in these days, all well and good. But I don’t think it actually helps us."
Savvas Tzionis