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SHY PETE
Peter Garrett has an odd habit when addressing Parliament; he repeatedly turns his back on the microphone, the better to speak directly at his ALP colleagues. You’d think a former singer would know how to work an amplification system. He’s also self-silencing in press conferences:
Labor environment spokesman Peter Garrett has today refused to give his views on reports the United States is to build a new military communications base in WA.
Hardly surprising, considering how maladroit was Garrett the last time he spoke about US bases in Australia.
UPDATE. Garrett yesterday:
When journalists asked him repeatedly about the new base, Labor’s environment spokesman preferred to talk about the environment.
"Peter, you’re well known for your views on the US alliance. How do you feel about …” one journalist tried.
Mr Garrett’s response? “I’m astonished that the Treasurer hasn’t actually had his eye on the ball on climate change."
And Garrett today:
Labor frontbencher Peter Garrett says he fully supports his party’s endorsement of a new US military communications base planned for Western Australia.
He has now become a Latham sized liability.
Posted by curious george on 2007 02 15 at 03:16 PM • permalinkSince he can’t blind anyone with science, perhaps he’s trying to blind those on the Government benches with the reflection from his head.
Posted by AlburyShifton on 2007 02 15 at 05:07 PM • permalink"Appropriate shadow (ministers) will respond to these questions."
An ABC Radio National News item on the day said that the Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Robert McClelland, re-affirmed the opposition’s support for the base.
He repeatedly turns his back on the microphone
He looks uncomfortable in parliament, as others have said: he can only speak to the faithful, prolly can’t handle dissent - odd for someone trained in Law, no?
... and his views likely aren’t shared by many in his own Party; he’s just got to hang on long enough for the parliamentary pension ...
#11
Prolly both: he’s gettin old (it is the best retirement income plan about) and prolly lost a bit o’ the ‘Pashion’.I’d say that the (Party machine) ride is much more uncomfortable than he envisioned, as others before him - Cheryl Kernot, Carmen Lawrence, etc. have found.
Labor’s got the (compromise) leader they deserve at the mo’: a former senior public servant.Garrett’s song changes on US base ... one day after his press conference ... after consulting the Kremlin Think Tank ...
Such a spontaneous, happenin’ bunch, always ‘in concert’ ...
My grandfather said, “better to be silent and be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt.” Perhaps Garret has figured out that when he speaks everyone recognizes he’s a fool.
Posted by JorgXMcKie on 2007 02 15 at 09:34 PM • permalinkLabor backroom boys give the nod,
Its a setback to your cred-ibi-lityPosted by boxofmatches on 2007 02 15 at 10:35 PM • permalink#9 he can only speak to the faithful, prolly can’t handle dissent - odd for someone trained in Law, no?
The law these days is full of true believers. They learn it just like Mohammad Atta learned how to fly....so they can crash the whole show into the nearest tall building.
I am not a great hater but I hate these bastards. The Great Common Law tradition is nothing but a steaming heap of shit to them.
#9 & #13: Peter Garrett is an exceptionally wealthy person. I remember seeing a profile of him in the 1990s which said he was worth around $25 million. Given the way that property and share markets have performed since, it is unlikely that even anti-capitalist he would have lost it all.
The real question is why none of the media who commonly refer to ‘multi-millionaire’ Malcolm Turnbull don’t offer the same recognition to Pete.
#19
I remember seeing a profile of him in the 1990s which said he was worth around $25 million. Given the way that property and share markets have performed since, it is unlikely that even anti-capitalist he would have lost it all.
Can’t find anything about it. It’s almost like he and his media supporters are shy, or something.
Posted by AlburyShifton on 2007 02 16 at 12:00 AM • permalinkYou know the funny thing, this bald guy looks like some lousy one-hit wonder I vaguely recall from about 20 years ago, poor fella. Next thing you know Right Said Fred and Cameo will be running for office.
Posted by Shaky Barnes on 2007 02 16 at 12:39 AM • permalinkActually, that WA American base is not about ‘communications’ at all. That’s a smoke screen to hide the real, nefarious purpose.
The site is to be a Yankey capitalist manufacturing facility for building Air Guitars. All the rest is a convincing Potemkin Village repro. Which facts have leaked to Garrett, and why he voted for it. You can take the strings out of a guitar, but you can’t take the simpleton out of a Rock Star.
On government pension related matters, former Victorian state minister and ABC talking head Mary Delahunty has been given a $100,000 a year parliamentary pension. The Opposition down there says she wasn’t in the parliament the mandatory 12 years. But obviously Bracks has included her time with the ALP media unit, aka the ABC.
Personally, I think Mary deserves the money. The Opposition couldn’t land a blow on Bracks but Mary, all by herself, produced a string of awkward moments for the premier.
The siting of the US military base in Geraldton is a grave mistake. Geraldton is a charming town, not at all in need of a makeover.
The Perth CBD would have been a much better choice. Then once Kim Il or whoever flattened the thing (and if he didn’t, I’d happily have volunteered to tell him the base was in fact the soundstage where “Team America 2” was being made), we could rebuild a city which didn’t look like it had been built by an ADHD child let loose with a meccano set consisting of only two shapes.
Worth a re-run: Beds are Burning by P Costello
The cry of small marsupials when the abo’s torched the bush?
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Maybe his fly is open.