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Dear Paul1405,

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Many thanks for sharing your personal appreciation of Matt Thistlethwaite. Sounds like he was a keen surfer or swimmer – probably both. That’s a good healthy occupation.

The Sydney Morning Herald published a couple of articles by their national affairs editor, James Massola in November 2021, which you may have seen, on the political factions (right and left) in the ALP and the Liberal Party.
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Massola describes the two ALP factions as follows :

« Traditionally, the Left has been more progressive, focused on social issues and more supportive of intervening in the private sector, whereas the Right has been more economically dry, more supportive of the US alliance and in some cases, more socially conservative »
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Massola asks :

« Who are the powerbrokers in the Right ? » … and replies :
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« While factional conveners play an important organisational role, the convener is not always the powerbroker (or faceless “man”) with the most influence.

While Thistlethwaite is the national convener of the Right – and his state faction – frontbench MPs Chris Bowen and Tony Burke are the most influential in that state. »
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Here is the link :

http://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/what-are-labor-s-factions-and-who-s-who-in-the-left-and-right-20210210-p5718j.html
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For some reason, Thistlethwaite’s political career seems to be blocked in the eternal role of Parliamentary Secretary / Assistant Minister – 6 appointments in all, from 2013 to 2022.

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Dear Banjo,

I sent a post to you on the wrong thread.

"Australia's new parliament - most diverse ever."

My apologies.

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Dear Foxy,

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Thanks for that.

I guess the best we can do if we’ve got any ideas, comments, and suggestions to make is to get in touch with Matt Thistlethwaite.

Apparently, that’s what he’s there for and Paul1405 says he “seems a decent bloke” – so why not ?

I’ll keep it in mind. He might be interested in the pros and cons of the French model and its future evolution.

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Hi Banjo,

The only time I was dirty on Thistlethwaite, and didn't preference him was in 2013. I wasn't happy with his unexplained meetings with Eddie Obeid, a lot of people couldn't explain their meeting with Eddie, Thistlewaite had I think 9 such unexplained meetings. At the time I got to know Professor Michael Feneley the Liberal candidate, having had several discussion with him. Michael was a terrific bloke, a surgeon at Prince Alfred, and very progressive. I did make what was for some the outrageous suggestion that the Greens should preference Michael in front of Matt, it was not to be, if they had Michael would have won the seat, and become a future Health Minister under Turnbull, me thinks. Although Matt had redeemed himself by 2016, Michael had another crack that year but suffered a swing which I think was undeserved and it about finished his political ambitions. He went around not only in his "bus" which he paid for himself, he had a go a couple of times at Mike Daley's state seat of Maroubra without success, Daley has too much of a personal vote to be unseated.

Back in the day, like 30 odd years ago, I was a left wing member, in a very right wing branch of the ALP, I made a lot of enemies over pre-selections and branch stacking, etc, etc, which seen me walk away from Labor, never to return. P/s when I moved to Qld I applied for ALP membership, they knocked me back, they must have long memories or something, my wife is a Labor Party member, only because she's pally with the state member around here.

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Dear Paul,

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Thanks for that insight to your political background, Paul. I appreciate it. Sounds like Rafferty’s rules and no holds barred. I’m glad politics never tempted me – apart from voting, of course.

My professional experience as international director of France’s (and continental Europe’s) largest insurance broking group was enough politics for me. I still bear the scars of all the knives that were plunged into my back – not from outside competitors, but from warm and friendly colleagues within my own group, over the years.

That’s life, I guess.

I’ll see if I can connect up with Matt Thistlethwaite and engage with him on matters that could be of mutual interest regarding his ministerial republican mission.

Thanks, once again, for your input.

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We are regressing to the Whitlam days.
ttbn,
It's a worry alright to witness such a frightful pace of snow-balling stupidity !
I'd always thought the more information humans have to learn from the better they become, alas !
Are the educated so conniving that they deliberately dumbing-down our young or are they so (as is my suspicion) unintelligent that they're incapable of comprehending sense ?