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June 8, 2004
Is this a marriage made in heaven? Or one that will end in tears?
Moir
It's a spot on the front bench (a minister even) in return for having the opportunity to make a political difference. Will Garrett make a difference?
I cannot see it myself. I cannot see Garrett delivering on renewable energy, saving the River Murray and the end of clear felling of old-growth Tasmanian forests (the Tarkine, the Styx and the Huon and Picton valleys) within the ALP.
Can youGarrett persuading the ALP to lose go green and seats in Tasmania?
The power of the factions will overwhelm the environmental passion. After all Kingsford Smith is a traditional NSW Right seat in their heartland, yet it is being given to a greenie who has little connection to the politics of Right faction. That cannot please the factional heavies of the NSW Right. They expect you to do you time and kiss the feet of the boss if you want to become their hack.
Garrett as an independent voice in the ALP? That would be a rare exception from what I've seen in Canberra. Something has to give. After all Garrett is just another voice in a Labor caucas.
Some comments by Susan Brown. More comments over at Backpages. This a celebrity story. The danger in celebrity stories is that they can become a form of entertainment. Is this the new postmodern ALP?
June 9
Whilst on the road in the Riverland I kept on catching bites of news on the radio and television. The rank and file more or less imploded. The Garrett story was everywhere. It was abuzzing on talkback. It was more low key amongst the Press gallery. Apart from Alan Ramsay and Barry Cohen who says that "Garrett has nothing to offer Labor."
June 10
Tim Blair goes on and on about the issue. It is good entertainment. So is this piece by Greg Sheridan.
On the other hand, I always took Garrett to be an ALP type, given the way the ACF runs its line that Australia's environmental problems will be sorted once the ALP regains the Treasury Benches. That means a Latham-style ALP will sort out Australia's environmental problems? Who's fooling whom?
It is more likely that Garrett will trim his sails to fit in with the ALP. Garret admitted he would have to moderate some of his earlier views on a range of issues, such as the US spy base at Pine Gap, after becoming a Labor Party member.
"I think it's really a recognition that the whole strategic environment has changed. I'm still as concerned about nuclear weapons as I ever was and I will raise those issues really strongly within the caucus. In the age of terrorism I think (Pine Gap) is playing a really important function in terms of eavesdropping and checking out what terrorists are doing."
I wonder how he will moderate his views on the saving the River Murray? Moderate them he will.
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I don't know it is kosher in blogsville to signal your own blog. But as a rank and file member of the ALP I have written an Open letter to Peter Garrett