Friday, November 22, 2002

 
Anniversary of my ascension yesterday. Gave a speech to the Fabian Society - tried to make it fiery, but I'm feeling flat. Still out of sorts from events of earlier in the week. It's been a hard one.

It has been said by more than a few that part of the problem - my inability to inspire the masses - is that I hang around with Martin too much, that we're "too close". Well, we are close. And Martin certainly is a constraining influence on me. As I've said before, he's in the Hanson corner of the party, like her he's of the view the ALP lost the plot after Arthur ("Two wongs don't make a white") Calwell. He hates Whitlam, just hates him.

Martin's instinctive response to the Fred Nile thing was to grab and run with it as party policy. "Mate, mshea s unStrayn" (Mate, them Shealas are unAustralian", see deciphering Martin), he said on the phone. The shealas in question being, of course, Islamic women in full dress. It's difficult to vigorously attack John Howard for simply having prejudices your best friend shares. And because I can see where Martin's coming from, I understand Howard too.

People say Howard hasn't grown into the job, but that's not really so. Take his attitude to blacks. Recall his first overseas trip as Prime Minister, a Pacific Islands conference where he refused the ceremonial kava and asked instead for a cup of tea, and then spent the social time talking to the Australian boat skipper about cricket while the others, including New Zealand PM Bolger, mixed, talked and sipped kava.

He wouldn't do that today.Today he often entertains black people from various parts of the globe: he touches them, laughs with them, has dinner with them. He has evolved, to be sure. I mean, it is progress, isn't it?

Martin, on the other hand, wouldn't entertain a group of black people if you paid him. Maybe he's not the right person to be close with. Perhaps it's time I discarded old friendships that keep me from moving forward.

Perhaps indeed. Bye for now.

posted by Simon 2:41 pm

Wednesday, November 20, 2002

 
I've been busy lately, you understand. Also not inclined to put my thoughts down. I no longer believe Mark is the leaker. I feel a little bad about suggesting he was. I'll get back to you later.
posted by Simon 2:24 pm