Change of face
THE conga line of dual citizenship is the dance that just keeps dancing.
The Hon. John Alexander MP waited until the weekend before he dropped his Bennelong bombshell.
Apparently he discovered (on the Saturday) that he had served up a double fault on his nomination form.
J.A resigned and a by-election has been called to determine the fate of the Turnbull Government.
The numbers are so tight right now that this one seat could bring a new PM into the Lodge.
The ALP wasted no time. Bill Shorten enlisted Kristina Keneally to oppose Alexander. It’s a bold move. But it’s just so crazy it might work.
Keneally is a former NSW premier. Recently she has made a name as a well-versed political commentator on Sky. Keneally is co-host on
with Peter van Onselen. These two are a wonderful change of pace in the metronomic Australian political game.
They don’t share allegiances, they have different opinions but these opposing views are underpinned with a sense of humour and respect. Hard to believe, isn’t it? They debate and discuss but they don’t descend into the gutter of name-calling. They are the best of the next generation of politics in this country.
Alexander played tennis for Australia and that’s about it. He’s got his hands full in this by-election. If he manages to win the match point, he will walk out exhausted and fully informed of what it is like to be in a championship battle.
Personally, I hope Keneally wins. Not because of her party, but because of what it could do for the country.
We need new faces. New leaders.
Everywhere we look we are drowning in Baby Boomers.
Grey old men smiling for the camera and committing to the same old story of the past. We have reached saturation point and this is why we spent over a hundred million dollars on a “national survey” rather than making a decision.
This week Jacqui Lambie stood in the Senate and delivered an emotional farewell. Another one who did not read the nomination form correctly. The directions are clear on the top right hand corner, but Lambie only realised her error this week.
Lambie is a loss. A remarkable politician. A livewire who shook up Canberra and learned how to fight overnight.
She truly is a Senator for Tasmania. Lambie arrived under the pull up banner of the then Clive Palmer United Party but soon realised that her first loyalty was to her voters.
She left the yellow bunting behind and launched herself into the work of representation. She never backed away from an argument, she constructed policy based on her beliefs and her perceptions of the needs of her fellow Taswegians. She was focused on the future and bringing change.
When she left the chamber, there were speeches from both sides. Senator Doug Cameron from the left of the left praised her for upholding the rights of workers, while his mortal enemy Senator George Brandis honoured her ability and her “passion”. Many politicians use this word to describe their own actions. But Lambie lived it in her deeds. Brandis detailed her impact on Canberra and articulated the respect that she has earned; “The Senate has been the richer for your membership of it.” This is how you walk away. But Australia has not seen the last of Lambie. She may stand for the House of Reps next time, there are many ways back into the Capital, but when she does return she will hit the ground running, she’s got the code to the photocopier. It’s going to be a fascinating second chapter in her career. You may not agree with Jacqui Lambie or Kristina Keneally, but you’ve got to admire their willingness to grasp the opportunity to lead. These women are living proof that strong leadership does not have to be dominated by gender or income. Real passion in politics does not have to rely on a slogan. The ability to form an argument does not come from years on the tennis court, nor does it flow from your time in an old school debating team. The boys club is not churning out outstanding candidates. They just have the money and the numbers to keep getting elected. Until that essential equation changes, we are condemned to the old boy mistakes.