Does anyone really think Brogden's resignation was all about the Helena Carr comments and the fictitious journo-monstering? Of course it wasn't. My educated guess is he realised it was all over for him when this garbage came out, not because of the content, but because it had become apparent he was under siege. The appropriately-named Uglies were not going to put up with a small-l Liberal (and all-round good guy) leader, and the vile David Clarke and his equally-repellent sidekick Alex Hawke would not have let up until Brogden was gone. This also explains Fatty O'Barrel's lightning-fast decision to waste a good diet and not contest the leadership. A pity for all concerned, except the Uglies, and a very great pity indeed for NSW voters.

Two items seem to have been missed in/about thus story;

Who is Brenda?
and
Was Enoch Powell before his time or is still relevant??
Oldguy

I for one am not jumping on the John Brogden sympathy wagon just because the guy tried to kill himself. Racism is never acceptable and there is never excuses for it.

Nick

Thank you for your well written and indeed "passionate" (emotive) article.

But I think there is a hidden agenda (and I am Liberal voter at the Federal level). I think that you are suggesting that the media is responsible for Mr Brogden's overdose on alcohol, prescribed substances - and his cutting of his own wrists. That of course is a nonsense. My gut feeling (as a mental health nurse and without knowing the man) is that he probably has an alcohol problem, a relationship problem, and that there is a strong possibiliity that there was some underlying clinical depression. From my 27 years of psych nursing experience, I have found that around 99% of people who attempt suicide have an underlying clinical depression (keeping in mind that attempted suicide is quite different to deliberate self haarming behaviours).

I do not think for a minute that his remarks about Mrs Carr were responsible for his demise. Freudian slips usually contain heaps of truths!

I think there were a number of issues which, added together, brought Mr Brogden down - most of which were related to his own public behaviours.

The "Daily Telegraph" had their story running and in print before Mr Brogden attempted suicide. They were unable to pull that back. The Editor profuself apologised on air the next day.

The bottom line is: Mr Brogden is responsible for his own behaviours.
I hope that he is recovering with the appropriate support that he deserves - from within and outside of politics.

Cheers
Kay

OOOh racism is never acceptable, what does that mean... bump up the immigration fourfold since anything less is racist. Baloney.

The hyper-sensitivity surrounding race is a bit of a laugh. The mail order bride is an old gag, with some truth to it (a hilarious one at that). Mail order bride...hah ha ha.

What happened to John Brogden is exactly how multi-culturalism is enforced - through intimidation. The ensuing silence is then given as proof that the community accepts higher immigration levels and a more multicultural society.

Mail order bride... ha ha ha.

for all the absolute idiots here - those who constantly refer to the comment as "racist"...

it was a comment directed to Bob and not Helenna - ie, Bob has to order a woman as he cannot find one on his own... how it is "racist" when there is no mention of race i wonder...

FACT!!--- most "mail order brides" come form Russia and other Eastern European countries...

he never said, "Asian mail order bride"... DID HE??!! Hence, it was directed at Bob and not Helenna's Asian "race"... it is YOU who see her as 'Asian' - absolute idiots!!