There were some interesting paradox arguments in your article too Mr. Barns. Most notably your comments regarding Mr Carrs' views on asylum seekers, and security.
As noted Mr. Carr was an exceptional thinker even at the top level of politics. He was not prone to pandering to the right, nor was he guilty of 'poll watching' to the same extent as Howard. Yet he still voiced his concerns regarding the right of 'queue jumpers'to seek asylum, and civil libertarians dramatising the issue of ID cards.
Why is is that because Carr took a position at odds with the left on these issues he automatically becomes a 'paradox'?
When Carr sat down next to those two Afghan girls he was probably relieved that they had entered the country, and would become productive citizens despite the fact that organised crime conspired to place 'queue jumpers' in front of them to make a buck, and clog the system.
Mr Carr made a great contribution to NSW, and Australian politics. Not least because he identified pragmatic problems and dealt with them, rather than towing the party line as too many politicians on both sides do. Australians are sick of political parties disagreeing with eachother for the sake of it, and I would say Bob Carr was too.

We have only just begun to see the exit of politicians who have been left for some of them twenty years in their ivory chairs.

Australia's parlimentary representatives have blindly spent the majority of Australia's assets to fund and bandaid the nations needs.

Even American companies clean their executives out every ten years. Australia uses them twice over.

Our overpaid parliamentry employees who have enjoyed a work environment beyond the average working persons dream are now off to enjoy their other associations and a wealth of entitlements.

Some for a life time thanks to the Australian tax payers purse.

Bob Carr can see what is lurking in the future for Australia and he is getting off the sinking ships.

good article

From what I've heard Bob had total control economically ,and there in lied the problem.The erudite master of spin who had no grasp of how an economy works.He obiviously didn't listen to his advisors.
No leader can possibly run any economy/state without listening to the advice of an army of clever specialists.It is all just too complicated for one person to grasp and control.

Bob Carr should have delegated more and had more faith in able people.I think the expense of the Olympics had a bit to do with it,but basically the Public Service ran amok,expanding at their whim.

"What a God awful mess you've left us Gyro,if I win I lose."