Midnight Oil

Subject: Re: [powderworks] Re:PG on the Half Past Seven Show
From: Jeff McLean
Date: 20/08/2009, 8:34 am
CC: powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au

It's so interesting to hear what people think of PG these days. 

I could take your comments one of two ways, Tom - I honestly don't know if you're having a dig, or if you're thinking he's doing things cleverly.  In any case, what follows is not a response to just your mail.

So back to Peter.  I'm glad I'm not him.

The amount of people that have turned from him, after they've consumed a combined total of about 2 hours of news is astounding.  When you think about it, I reckon if most of us have sat through 2 hours of news stories about Peter Garrett, that is probably about average.  That's not a great deal to form an opinion on.  And even if we have listened to and read just about all of the stories, we haven't been there to see the cabinet discussions, or been one of his staffers.  I just don't believe that a man with such strong previous convictions, that has demonstrated his allegiances with years on boards of organizations that we admire, can just enter the Labor Party and say "Bugger my history - I'm going to fall over and do what I can to become a power broker."  It is almost foolish to think that. 

And why have people turned away?  Is it because he sung about politicians that he considered untrustworthy for so long and is now "reaping those rewards?"  Did he do too good a job back then??

That interview was bloody marvellous - I'm sure Kerry was almost knocked off his feet.  Up until the last 2mins he answered every question.  Sure, the last two minutes were - granted - not perfect, but they weren't shocking either. He answered the questions properly.  He answered largely without resorting to oft-tramped out cliches, or repeated harpings in the same interview.  It was a breath of fresh air.

Sure, he might not be implementing exactly what we all want.  But he is not the Government.

I'm so glad he's there; I just wish for him that he didn't have to put up with the pathetic whinings of some of us that expected him to ride in there and take what would amount to an undemocratic coup on his own party.

Cheers,
Joffa

Tom Spencer wrote:
 

Dear David

Thanks for that. He brought up the Environmental Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act again, and he emphasises it on his website
too, as if proper processes and the rule of law are really at the heart
of what he's doing.

t