ON THE WALLABY- 15th June 2007

“Leadership only ever had two ingredients- imagination and courage – and it’s no use having imagination and no guts , and no good having all guts and no imagination” – Paul Keating, former Australian Prime Minister

PAUL KEATING- SPOT ON WITH HIS LEADERSHIP COMMENTS

There are probably few politicians in this country, dead or alive, who raise an instant passionate comment, either “for or against”, as fast as former Prime Minister Paul Keating.

Love him or loathe him, no one can ever say that the man did not have the courage of his convictions and I find his comments about today’s crop of politicians, irrespective of party, are poll driven just 110% spot on.

Certainly the Parliament is a lot less colourful through his absence and in his place sit mainly a bland, non inspiring group of political nonentities and I believe we are the poorer for his movement from the House of Representatives.

Given that I never voted for him, it would be easy to view what I am writing through somewhat cynical eyes but like many Australians (not enough though, unfortunately) who think about politics and the quality of those who are our representatives, I am bitterly dismayed at what we have “on offer”.

Where are the men and women who, like Paul Keating, have the courage of their convictions?

I can tell you in a simple sentence.

Buried under party politics and having to “toe the line” and in that statement, with the generally supposed imminent demise of the Australian Democrats, there lies much pain for my partner Sam Hudson and myself for we both gave much time, effort and shekels to the on going movement of that party.

They were, I think, alone in the Australian parliamentary system, to have a policy that allowed Senators, when addressing the Senate or elsewhere, if they disagreed on the Democrat Party view, to dissent with no penalty or rancour provided the Party line was put first, followed by the Senators personal view.

One of the great political tragedies to overtake Australia over the last 30 years has been the increase in “executive government” as against the Parliament itself and this, accompanied by ever growing “Presidential” style politics will cost this nation sorely in the future.

However, to return ti the subject of this OTW and that is Paul Keating. Watching him perform on Lateline a couple of weeks ago with host Tony Jones, the realisation came to me (again) of what we are missing with his absence and what a magnificent performance it was.

As Sam always says ,“listen carefully to the words they use and actually say” when tuning into a politician railing forth on some issue but unfortunately many ABC viewers didn’t and tended to see his spray as simply anger that his work done in the early and mid 1990’s was not appreciated.

Certainly that was, and is a consistent , feature of his public speaking but what was missed by many were his other comments on union relevancy and business attitudes.

In a point that seems to have evaded many in the ALP, the world today is not, unfortunately in many ways, what it was “way back when” and if we are to survive and prosper in the global world we now live in, then they must adjust if they wish to be politically competitive.

I think it is patently obvious that the key issue in this coming election will be industrial relations and whilst other vital topics such as global warming and associated issues will loom large, to gain the votes needed to win government (or retain it),a party will have to satisfy the voters that they, “the party”, will be able to add up and keep the economy going ahead.

Paul Keating alluded to that. It’s a great pity it seems that many in the ALP “think tank” didn’t hear it that way!

Carpe diem

Tony

Tony Fountain

Professional Speaker, auctioneer and author

tony@fountainandco.com

Sydney NSW Australia

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