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The Forum > Article Comments > Challenges for Real Bob Carr > Comments

Challenges for Real Bob Carr : Comments

By Julie Bishop, published 8/3/2012

Wiping clean and reinventing his personal slate is just the first of the tasks foreign minister Bob Carr must undertake.

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The first problem to face is the mechanics of his appointment.

All denied Carr was being considered for the post up until it occurred; that included Gillard and Carr. Either those claims were false or Gillard’s decision making is haphazard seat of the pants approach. If the latter is the case then Gillard is neither a considered leader nor a consultative one. If the former is the case then Carr arrives as a deceptive character repeating the sins of the past.

The next issue Carr will face is NSW; long will voters in that state remember Carr turned government into spin driving the state into financial turmoil. Having the same dross reappear in Canberra will harm Gillard’s opportunities at the next poll.

One does not do well in foreign policy using perception to drive the debate. Genuine and reflective substance is required or else Australia’s Foreign Minister will be sidelined and Australia’s interests harmed. Carr, as a former media person, is master of manipulation of perceptions with little else to commend the government he led in NSW.
Posted by Cronus, Thursday, 8 March 2012 8:50:14 AM
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Foreign Minister Bob Carr certainly has a lot of work ahead of him in aligning Australia's foreign policy with the needs and priorities in our region and beyond. Kevin Rudd promised fresh thinking and new leadership when he was the Prime Minister and then the Foreign Minister but failed to deliver innovation and diplomatic impact on many issues.

Carr needs to place more effort on making Australian diplomacy and in particular its public diplomacy more effective by projecting a positive image and adopting a more collaborative style of managing Australia's relations with the world. In particular, Mr. Carr now has a unique opportunity to improve Australia's image and reputation at the UN and elsewhere by recognising the Republic of Macedonia under its legitimate constitutional name.

Every Australian Foreign Minister from Senator Evans to now have not found the courage to do the right thing when the Macedonian issue has needed to be addressed. This needs to change as a matter of urgency and can be accelerated if the Coalition abandons its unscrutinised bipartisan foreign policy position on Macedonia.
Posted by Macedonian advocacy, Thursday, 8 March 2012 8:57:30 AM
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Bob Carr; a wiley man

A highly slyly man

Sometimes a smiley man

A shyly man never,

But mostly a wryly man

An honest man ever
Posted by diver dan, Thursday, 8 March 2012 9:44:40 AM
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the Republic of Macedonia ........ is where?
Posted by sarnian, Thursday, 8 March 2012 9:48:56 AM
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"I wish him well " yes I'm sure you do Julie!
Cronus your liberal party memebership number is
Posted by Kenny, Thursday, 8 March 2012 12:47:46 PM
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Julie. The chasm that was evident in the level of communication between the PM and the Minister for foreign affairs, as was evidenced in the examples of 'off the cuff' decisions you highlight, make me wonder 'what were they thinking' when giving Rudd the ministry. Australia's best interest are ill served by the bizarre internal party politics we have endured of late!
I feel that, despite the 'baggage' Carr brings to the office, he will serve Australia well in his new role. As you say, only time will tell.
I do pray that the array of 'dissenting' views frequently displayed on OLO will not be sensured/filtered through a regulatory authority as proposed by Sen. Brown and the Finklestein enquiry.
Posted by Prompete, Thursday, 8 March 2012 1:54:30 PM
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Yes Bob Carr was Australia's second most powerful politician for many years and he clearly thinks for himself. All useful selection criteria for a Foreign Minister.

But who is this Julie Bishop? Bronwyn's grandaughter?

Or Madame No?
Posted by plantagenet, Thursday, 8 March 2012 3:54:30 PM
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When Bob Carr took that part time consultancy with Macquarie Bank 2 months after resigning as Premier ,I knew he was for sale like most pollies.

This left and right political sparring is like World Championship Wrestling.We the masses fight over contrived agendas while the elites screw us even more.

This short clip by the comedian George Carlin spells out a cold reality. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlzjp_Y3OVM
Posted by Arjay, Thursday, 8 March 2012 9:15:56 PM
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I wonder if we aren't seeing some succession planning here, with Bob Carr's appointment - in preparation for when Julia decides she's had enough of all the in-fighting, the ego-massaging and the facade-maintenance. After all, a Rudd return is now out of the question, and heaven forbid a Wayne Swan as PM - so a Faulkner or a Carr?.

Behind the scenes wheeling and dealing are obviously very much the name of the game (and who doubts Kevin was promised Foreign Affairs if he stepped aside quietly), so it's not a great stretch for some to envisage BC as a possible Bob Hawke reincarnate?

Anyhow, I've never been too keen on Bob Carr, and it's going to take a lot of smoke and mirrors to gloss away his outspokenness of late in criticism of Rudd/Gillard Labor - but not to worry, things will get a lot more interesting when Julia gains appointment to that position on the UN Security Council that Kevin was so keen on. Don't you think?

Or Dame Julia Gillard, ambassador to the UK or the US? In any event, in the meantime we are in for some interesting debate in the Senate, with BC taking a leading role.
Posted by Saltpetre, Friday, 9 March 2012 3:06:06 AM
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Saltpetre,Julia is to depart the political scene? This has been pre-ordained.

I think Bob Carr is the annointed one,since he is an environmentalist who like Bob Brown believes in "Global Governance" ie a totalitariarn state that needs to save the planet by subjugating the masses.
Posted by Arjay, Friday, 9 March 2012 8:44:22 PM
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Whilst the previous personal posts by Sen. Carr will cause him some anxious times as they are revisited by the press and commentariat in the future, it is to our (electorate) benefit that we can see where his adjendas may be coming from and will help us in understanding the background to some of his comming policy positions/decisions, whether we agree or not.
How often have we elected people without as much knowledge of where the person is 'comming from'. With him we will have to deal with less of a 'hidden agenda' than with most others.
I think Saltpetre has his eye on the ball in observing a possible succession planning operation in the back rooms, any adept organization would be doing so. Not such a disastrous plan for the party when observing their possible immediate alternatives post Gillard.
Arjay's comment has a depressing ring of truth about it.
Posted by Prompete, Saturday, 10 March 2012 8:02:43 AM
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At last a pollie that sees the big picture. He is the patron of population Australia and is au fait with the results of ignoring over population.
We might even hear about in places where it counts.
Posted by sarnian, Saturday, 10 March 2012 9:57:38 AM
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@Cronus: You claim “All denied Carr was being considered for the post up until it occurred; that included Gillard and Carr.”

Are you sure? When? Where?

I don't think this is true, Cronus. The news that Gillard had asked Carr to be Foreign Minister was reported by Phillip Coorey in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday 28th. No-one denied Gillard had asked Carr because it was accurate. Bob Carr confirmed it.

But Carr also added that he wasn't pursuing the position - which is not to say he wouldn't accept if pressed.

But the story on the front page of The Australian the next day – Wednesday 29th – claiming Julia had been forced to withdraw her offer to Bob Carr was totally false. Or, as Gillard said, “completely untrue”.

As for Julie Bishop, this is the question she asked in Parliament on Wednesday of last week:

Ms JULIE BISHOP (Curtin—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:45): My question is to the Prime Minister ...
Doesn't the veto of her choice of Bob Carr as foreign minister by the faceless men of the caucus simply prove that the resources minister is right?

What veto of Bob Carr as foreign minister?

This woman has no idea. Just completely out of touch with reality. Not a clue.

For her to be advising the Government in this forum is just embarrassing.
Posted by Alan Austin, Sunday, 11 March 2012 5:47:45 AM
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So Sarnian Bob Carr is a Patron of Population Australia? Aust is not over populated.This is the agenda driving this New World Order.They have to save the planet by enslaving everyone.

With sperm counts down by 40% in Israel mainly due to depleted uranium and other suspected nuke weapons used by the USA in the Middle East + Fukushima and more wars on the horizon, our genetic viability is in question.Caesium and Strontium remain in our bodies for decades bombarding our genetic structure causing perminent genetic flaws that the next generation suffer.
Posted by Arjay, Sunday, 11 March 2012 8:45:26 AM
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Alan Austin,

"What veto of Bob Carr as foreign minister?"

Maybe Julie Bishop asked the wrong question. (Not that any question could really get at the truth of the matter - maybe all will be revealed in 2015?)

So, Julia got her own way (I suspect) on Bob Carr's appointment, but all the cloak and dagger indicated in the press coverage (of it's on, it's off) is indicative of teething problems, of power struggle. Understandable of course, but Julia's glib response does nothing to dispell the smell of more behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing to maintain Julia's hold on the reins.

Credit to Julia - she has stamina. But, for how long can she hold the war dogs at bay?
Posted by Saltpetre, Sunday, 11 March 2012 12:32:45 PM
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Arjay: I was referring to the World population, which has just reached 7 billion and is rapidly increasing all the time. With peak oil here now and peak everything not far off we will have no choice about reducing our population, just whether we do it or the environment does it for us….. Painfully.
Bob has spoken about this and sees the big picture not just the little squabbles in Canberra.
Posted by sarnian, Sunday, 11 March 2012 1:43:37 PM
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To recite lies and believe them in parliament is a serious offense.
I say the paper had outside help in coming up with a script of lies.
What did the appointment of Mr Carr have to do with the opposition, in a way to question how the process was conducted.
A process of muckraking from the opposition, this is all they are interested in.
Posted by 579, Sunday, 11 March 2012 2:00:15 PM
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Bob Carr is a rightwing fan of the USA, like the Judas who resigned so Carr could take his place, and we will find our widebrownland filled with ever more US Marines with their Bible bashing chaplains crashing around ever ready to save us from the Muslim hordes they so hate.

Thanks for nothing Bob.

But, he has one redeeming feature.

It was Carr who said Gillard was mad to fund school chaplains, and he is spot on there.

So, will we see the only ALP politicians to have the strength to stand up and rid our schools of this horrible scourge?

Doubtful, like all politicians he has a double sided face and will go strangely silent on this.

In fact, being a complete 'team member' we can fully expect to see Bob Carr telling us all how good chaplains are.

As for Julie Bishop, there's not much she can say bad about Carr really, since he will push a near identical FP as would the Abbott crew, if they get a chance, which will just involve more bowing and scraping to the US- which is all Australia ever does anyway.
Posted by The Blue Cross, Monday, 12 March 2012 8:54:11 AM
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