How Rudd saved Nelson from the Coalition of the Irreconcilable
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Yesterday an extraordinary thing happened, in public, in Parliament, live on national television – but it wasn’t the apology to the Stolen Generation (although, that too was quite the moment). Nor was it the deranged escapades of Chris Pearce, the Member for Aston, who found the need to demonstrate his displeasure at the profound proceedings unfolding before him by ignoring events and spending his time flicking through some magazine that we can only surmise wasn’t the latest edition of The Art of Healing . No - yesterday, Kevin Rudd rescued Brendan Nelson the person from being suffocated under the polarising burden of being Brendan Nelson the Leader of the Coalition. And a Coalition it truly is, a Coalition of the irreconcilable. In highly charged, highly emotional moments of national importance like yesterday, moments that become headlines rather than footnotes in our national history, unity, political unity, or at the very least a well constructed façade of national unity is the necessary ingredient that makes the difference between an event being one of momentous celebration, or becoming one which leaves a potentially bitter after-taste. With the Coalition descending back into its natural state of internal ideological conflict now that the artificial glue of government power has been removed, the chances of Brendan Nelson ever producing a response to Rudd’s speech that not only reconciled the views of those like Sophie Mirabella with the views of people like Petro Georgio, but also didn’t sound like a “yes, an apology BUT” moment that cuddled up to a Howard legacy that half of the Liberal Party would prefer to forget, were remote — especially since Nelson owes his leadership to the apology naysayers. Nelson was left delivering a camel of a speech in Parliament, forced by petty internal party politics to say things which he knew would spoil the moment, things he did not believe, things that would likely leave a bitter political legacy for the future. He knew well that it would be “these things” for which Brendan Nelson would always be remembered when those of tomorrow look back to yesterday’s moment in history. When the time came to deliver his camel, Brendan Nelson had the look of a man that, as one wit put it, “suddenly realised that he had chosen the wrong party”, and would now be forever burdened as the name behind a speech whose contents were not reflective of Brendan Nelson the person, but simply reflective of the cancerous political dynamics of the Coalition itself. The public reaction to his speech was probably not that different to how Nelson himself would have reacted were he not a Member of Parliament and found himself listening to those very words on the lawns of Canberra with thousands of others. Just when Nelson probably thought it couldn’t get any worse, when he’d accepted his inevitable fate of historical villain, Rudd delivered him a lifeline. Not only a lifeline that would forever have the effect of boosting those parts of Nelson’s speech that apologised and downplayed the list of caveats that accompanied it, not only a lifeline that created a media friendly image of national political unity as the two leaders stood together on the same side of the chamber presenting a gift to the House from the representatives of the Stolen Generation, but a lifeline that saved Brendan Nelson personally from shouldering the historical burden of being the spoiler, a spoiling role that more reflected the Coalition’s political dysfunction than any views that Brendan Nelson himself might have had, but could not say. It’s hardly any wonder that of all the political players involved in yesterday’s proceedings, it was Nelson that looked the most emotional, particularly when he greeted the Stolen Generation members. The three great images to come from yesterday were Rudd saying sorry, the standing ovation, and the presentation of a coolamon to the Speaker. Rudd threw Nelson a lifeline by deliberately bringing his political opponent centre stage into the symbolism of that last moment, guaranteeing that the historical narrative over yesterday’s event will be far kinder to Nelson than even he thinks he probably deserved. We can only hope Nelson learned a lesson in political leadership yesterday – partisan politics has limits. But even if he didn’t, he certainly owes Rudd a beer. |
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25 Comments
Vincenzo- Where did you get your figures from? In 2006 the indigenous population was approximately 2.6% of the total population (source ABS) and I saw plenty non indigenous people offended too. The whole occasion will become historic & Nelson a side note.
Good article Possum, a very interesting perspective. It’s just a shame that closed minded dullards like Tony Papafilis can’t put aside rehearsed dogma and tired rhetorict to truly reflect on all aspects of something quite historic. You’re boring us Tony!!
Partisan politics may have limits but the truth has none. What bedevilles the indigenous community is the political correctness of those who insist on preserving culture by maintaining isolation. Nelson’s treatment was poor incl by Rudds press secretary
The basic problem with Nelson’s speech was that it was directed at the Liberal Party. It’s so typical of their self absorption, they simply cannot believe they have lost power. Maybe they’ve been reading the News Ltd press which has a similar problem.
Parliament is the highest place of the people, with pride did I witness the the humanisation of the chamber, the cognitive dissonance in Nelson the Liberal and the person was hopefully reconciled in the person and from it a human Liberal party will emerge
Thanks to Ian, PT & Dave for demonstrating my point about undemocratic, closed minds of the left. Let’s just ban any disagreement with the left, eh? 40 years of minority politics bleeting is boring. What will left/ Aboriginal industry demand next.
Some were stolen, some were saved, then just as now when children are removed from neglect and danger. Both sides supported the NT intervention and still do, so why did Nelson get the turn your back treatment?
The rudeness towards Nelson merely confirmed that the left still hasn’t evolved to an enlightened, democratic standing as individuals or a group. Such imbicile behaviour, with violent undertones, shows left remains closer to mob rule than civil democracy.
Devisive bulldust, your comments show a personality trait reflective of the exact issue you are going ‘oh my god’ about.
The apology was show on large screens at my university. When Dr Nelson started at least half the audience left. For me departure wasn’t personal to him but a response to who he represented and the Coalition’s hypocrisy.
Tony, there are kids everywhere who need rescuing from bad parents. The Stolen Generation was a federal and state policy of assimilating half-castes (no doubt from white rapes) to breed out aboriginality. Nothing less than eugenics. Got it?
Common everyone, leave poor Tony alone, isn’t that what he wants, to be left all alone, right?
Possum and supporters appear to be the kind of near sighted navel gazers who haven’t a clue how unimportant their nit picking, if not the whole occasion, will seem to most people in 5 years, or maybe just 5 months time. Nelson offended ,1 % of voters.
Tony Papafilis’s comments are what we can always expect from an extreme right-wing WA Liberal stooge, cut from the same cloth as Crichton-Browne, Lightfoot, Tuckey etc. Racist, sexist, unapologetic. The moderator should just cut him out.
No one could have described yesterday any better than Possum did. Nelson did not write all of his script, it must have been written by the dries of his party. Rudd showed how generous a leader he is with his compassion and his by bipartisan approach.
Brendan Nelson might not have been able to deliver all that he should have on the apology, but he has put a little bit of Liberal back in the Liberal Party after Howard and his bov ver boys bullied anyone who would use their brains. I say well done!
Dave is right: Tony is certainly boring. And he can’t spell!
Nelson was an active part of the government who refused to apologise, who let Howard become a dictator and caused a further 11 years of agonising pain to the stolen generations.
I could never be decent to him so I can’t blame the aborigines.
Come on Possum, not only was it both inspired and the right thing to do it was brilliant politics on so many levels to give the Doc a leg up. Who would you rather have sitting opposite you Brennie or Big Mal?
Ian, before we declare Australia as a fascist nation before 1972, please consider the significance of governments putting effort into Aboriginal welfare during 2 world wars & a depression in between, times when most Aust’ns lives were very hard.
I’m with peter w. When you know your opponent can’t stand up for himself, reach down and give him a hand up. It’s not only sporting but guarantees he’ll still be around to be beaten tomorrow.
Tony, seriously, listen to yourself, you’re doing it again: slinging what you think is the worst insult imaginable, being “to the left”, just because someone proposes a view which isn’t die-hard Liberal party rhetoric. Balance is healthy, why not try it?
J- When removal is based on the theories of English eugenics intellectuals, who believed aboriginality to be a degenerate trait and should be bred out, a singularly focused apology was required, Nelson offended many by diverging into qualifications.
Thank you that article was beautifully written and encapsulates a number of truths. Who is possumc ?
You are right on the mark, Possum. Magnificent performance by Rudd by all indicators. Nelson between a rock and a hard place looked stressed and distressed. His speech on 2/6/97 during the debate following tabling of ‘Bringing Them Home’ is worth a look.