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The Forum > Article Comments > Captain Wacky or 'The Latham Lessons' > Comments

Captain Wacky or 'The Latham Lessons' : Comments

By Rebecca Huntley, published 6/10/2005

Rebecca Huntley argues 'The Latham Diaries' reveal much about the inner workings of the ALP.

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Did you hear the one about the Politician who was rushed to hospital in serious shock after awaking from slumber?

Yes he dreamt that he was spending his own money.
Posted by Arjay, Sunday, 9 October 2005 8:45:45 AM
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What are the qualifications for entering parliament? Are there Degrees in Economics plus experience in different areas such as Foreign Affairs, Immigration, etc, etc.
Or is it knife in the back climbing to the top, bullying unionism, mateship, 'conga lines', Old Boys from the right schools?
What makes a polititian?
Posted by mickijo, Sunday, 9 October 2005 1:27:44 PM
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I don't know if you need any qualifications but I do know one thing. Upon entering parliament an MP sends all his suits to the tailor to have all pockets removed. There is no need for a politician to carry a wallet 'cause he has access to the taxpayers' cheque book.

I would like to add a little more to what I was saying about the cupidity of our politicians. We have a dob-in-a-cheat CentreLink phone number where members of the public are invited to snitch on a person getting welfare and working when they aren't supposed to. We have Operation Noah which the police run so that members of the public can dob in a drug dealer. We have various other opportunities of dobbing in those who cheat the system. How 'bout a dob-in-a-politician phone number. Someone could position themselves at the Qantas departure lounge in Sydney and observe the outward bound pollies going on their fact-finding-missions. How many 'facts' remain hidden in Paris, Rome, Vienna etc. Hell, you could fit all those countries into Tasmania so there can't be much more to find out over there.
Posted by Sage, Monday, 10 October 2005 10:47:10 AM
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Mark Latham will always be remembered with affection by me because of his success in reducing the benefits from parliamentary superannuation.

The best way to reduce the number of careerist politicians is to cut the salary and benefits. A political career should be something that people do after they have retired from a normal job or made their fortune in other ways (such as Malcolm Turnbull). To allow for younger aspirants a salary could be provided, but I can see no reason that it would need to exceed the dole. Superannuation would pay benefits at the same level.

Such action would require strengthened provisions against corruption. This could best be done by a parliamentary commission (staffed by members on the opposite side), who would ensure that for the rest of their life politicians would not enjoy a better lifestyle than they had before entering parliament.
Posted by plerdsus, Monday, 10 October 2005 4:24:43 PM
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I find the Latham bashing quite funny, he did have the Liberal Party on the run for a while, sure he shot from the hip, but whose to say that the more considered deliberations of our PM and his sidekicks have been any better? The current crowd have made just as many stuff ups, but haven't been able to do anything that has stuffed the economy up. If inflation spiked and the RBA lifted rates and we started getting a slowdown...there's stuff all the Government can do, they inherited an improving situation and now via their IR agenda are trying to impose their pro-business ideology on Australia. It's worth remembering that our PM was treasurer at a time when the Australian economy was on the skids, go check the history books to see how the ALP came in to turn things around. The current crowd are managers for good times...
Posted by EnmoreCat, Friday, 14 October 2005 2:05:03 PM
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I was looking forward to Allan Ramsies editorial on the matter, considering his editorial content, before the last election, and after, Latham the Messiah hay, wonder what God they worship, must be Frightening. Slight miss judgment in Character, hmmmmmm, I wonder if Alan is still on Mark's Christmas card list. Sorry Agnostic card list. Embarrassing
Posted by All-, Friday, 14 October 2005 5:53:33 PM
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