Your humble correspondent has re-visited the notorious The Latham Diaries, a controversial and brilliant book written by Mark Latham, leader of the federal Opposition from December 2003-January 2005. The book is an unpopular critique of almost everything, from the Australian Labor Party which Latham lead to the rise of consumerism and the decline of community and civility in society. If I had to nominate a few important themes running through the book, they would be the oligarchic regime within that controls the Labor Party, the modern obsession many have with avarice and consumerism, the shallow and opportunistic nature of contemporary politics which has trumped idealism and the conflict between privacy and voyeurism that today’s politicians have to endure.

There is no doubt that Mark Latham, like most people, has his character flaws. His use of crude language in Parliament became famous, and during his leadership he did fail to sufficiently consult his colleagues. His rabid anti-Americanism is also a part of his belief system that I do not agree with. Nevertheless, he was the first leader to actually make the Labor party have an agenda and stand for something in its post-Keating period in Opposition. Unlike Kim Beazley or Simon Crean, Latham had a number of interesting policies and ideas which made the ALP far more exciting and appealing. In many ways, the landslide result in 2004 was not a deserved one.

I have assembled several quotes which I find interesting and/or entertaining. The quotes are thought-provoking, even if the reader does not agree with what the author is arguing. Overall, The Latham Diaries is the most brilliant and insightful book on contemporary politics that I have read. I am certain that years from now it will be remembered as a literary classic.

To see the quotes: http://leonbertrand.blogspot.com/2007/12/quotes-from-latham-diaries.html

Actually, by the electorates own mandate, the "landslide" of 2004 was well deserved. Mark Latham was a an unstable menace and not fit to govern any political party let alone the ALP. Anti-Americanism can be a popular platform dating back to WW2, as witnessed by many an Alp candidate, and yet Pro-Americanism persists. This is not by conspiracy. America represents many things, it is our job to make sure they represent what they think they should.

Was it just me, or did anybody else notice an uncanny resemblance between Mark Latham and Mark "Jacko" Jackson?

Our author not unlike mad Mark Latham lives in a world other than the one the rest of us inhabit.
Latham like his mentor Crean took the ALP to its very worst place it had ever been, both ,yes Crean still are not forgotten by many.
As a result of both the ALP got its act together and both are unlikely to have any impact, yes I understand Crean hangs around still.
It may well be worth listing quotes from Howard only the second PM to be removed from his seat.
And responsible for the coming years in the wilderness of a fractured conservative party.
Truly just one month ago who could forecast that all the big names in his Cabernet would be gone?
Or in a line waiting to leave parlement?

TEAM!......

This is the season of peace on earth and good will..... I need to read about "latham diaries" like CJ needs another dose of "BD_on_a_rant" :)

Save this one for January when we are all back to 'robust' shape.

Thanks AFJA,

I had also read "The Latham Diaries" and found them to have been incisive and informative. I have defended Mark Latham's legacy on online forums and even in an article I wrote which was published on 24 September on OLO (See "Can Labor bring about a just society" at http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=6395)

However, I found Latham's intervention in the recent Federal election through two articles published in the Australian Financial Review to have been deplorable.

In the second of those articles he labelled the union movement's campaign against Howard's odious "Work Choices" as a "scare campaign".

Fortunately, a majority of the Australian electorate understood all too well the fundamental truth behind the union movement's "Rights at Work" campaign as even the appalling former Industrial Relations Minister Joe Hockey has, since the election, felt compelled to acknowledge.

For more information read my article "Mark Latham's political gift to John Howard" of 19 November at http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/2195