Jim SpearsPeter Costello: King of Chin
May 30th 2008 22:00
If you are going to wade through the depths of political history you know you will meet unsavoury characters. So I bring you: Peter Costello. The Australian political story contains heroes and villains depending on your ideology. If Mundy is the Communist Super Hero then Peter Costello (PC) would be the villain. PC would earn his stripes in industrial disputes as a barrister representing types like the National Farmers Federation against the unions. (The Farmers Fed won) And yet there is something I like about Peter Costello. Is it the light in his eyes when he smirks? Is it his resolute chin? What is a resolute chin? Do they mean resolute in its determination to re-appear in generation after generation? Is it a reference to taking it on the chin? The larger the chin the greater the surface area for “taking it” as it were.
We took 17 faithful years of service from PC; we made him the longest serving treasurer from 1996 until 2007. He surpassed Sir Arthur Fadden who served 8 years from 1949-58. The Captain of Smirk, a slime-bag or bucket etc etc are nicknames that are usually attached to Toffs so PC’s stubborn middle-class-ness is surprising. It means he recognises the new trajectory his life had taken immediately after election defeat: “The time has come for me to open a new chapter in my life. I will be looking to build a career post-politics in the commercial world.” PC is gunna pimp hisself abit. With so many priorities it is hard to imagine where PC will find time for his book, political responsibilities and family. Do we ask too much? Should we cut him free? He has already received the advance for book; the deal is done. We have taken so much already perhaps we have to let him go. If you love something set it free…
Good and faithful servants everywhere deserve emancipation after electoral disappointment. From dreams of power to the impotence of opposition it is a hard adjustment to make. For the jaded like PC the long, arduous battle back to the summit is not appealing. There will be the years of Question Time antics but these would be uninspiring for the man that battled for tax reform and reduction of government debt during his tenure. John Howard had to take the public criticism for the GST but PC hadda make it pay-off. Better to cut loses and start cashing in on lucrative contacts.
So this week take a moment to remember Peter “PC” Costello, the Stuart McGill of Austra ian politics.
We took 17 faithful years of service from PC; we made him the longest serving treasurer from 1996 until 2007. He surpassed Sir Arthur Fadden who served 8 years from 1949-58. The Captain of Smirk, a slime-bag or bucket etc etc are nicknames that are usually attached to Toffs so PC’s stubborn middle-class-ness is surprising. It means he recognises the new trajectory his life had taken immediately after election defeat: “The time has come for me to open a new chapter in my life. I will be looking to build a career post-politics in the commercial world.” PC is gunna pimp hisself abit. With so many priorities it is hard to imagine where PC will find time for his book, political responsibilities and family. Do we ask too much? Should we cut him free? He has already received the advance for book; the deal is done. We have taken so much already perhaps we have to let him go. If you love something set it free…
Good and faithful servants everywhere deserve emancipation after electoral disappointment. From dreams of power to the impotence of opposition it is a hard adjustment to make. For the jaded like PC the long, arduous battle back to the summit is not appealing. There will be the years of Question Time antics but these would be uninspiring for the man that battled for tax reform and reduction of government debt during his tenure. John Howard had to take the public criticism for the GST but PC hadda make it pay-off. Better to cut loses and start cashing in on lucrative contacts.
So this week take a moment to remember Peter “PC” Costello, the Stuart McGill of Austra ian politics.
A chin you could hang a coat on. Ideal?
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