Nelson and Costello sitting in a tree
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You knew it the moment you saw them — Brendan Nelson and Peter Costello — sitting together, that it was going to start another round of speculation. House of Representatives politicians visiting the Senate (or “another place”, as they insist on referring to it, as if it were somewhere in a David Lynch film), can sit at the back of the Chamber, assembled like unruly schoolchildren, which a number of them behaved like, while the new Senators were sworn in (Miss Rishworth, you can pick up fifty pieces of rubbish in the Senate courtyard at lunchtime). New Liberal Scott Ryan obviously looked in need of bulking up, because he was given a Bible the size of a telephone book to swear on. Nelson and Costello sat apart from their Labor colleagues, exchanging discreet jokes and smiles, a touching scene. They look good together. That Nelson was there to welcome the Coalition’s new senators, and Costello was there specifically to welcome his friend Helen Kroger, was never going to be sufficient an explanation. It gave Costellogists some more material to pick through — although the enthusiasm with which they now do so is becoming strained. The jig, one feels, is almost up. Nick Champion and Kate Ellis were also there to welcome their patron, SDA Catholic reactionary Don Farrell. It was a good day for the Shoppies — the major parties had agreed that John Hogg (no Dukes of Hazzard references please) would get the President gig. The Greens nominated Christine Milne as well; during Bob Brown’s speech nominating her, Kim Carr shook his hand back and forth for an extended period, in a manner strongly suggesting he was silently indicating he thought Brown was a w-nker. A closer look suggested he might’ve been winding one of those old self-winding watches. Hopefully made in Australia, senator. Over in the House, Question Time was the most soporific of the year, despite Harry Jenkins firing out three Coalition MPs, including Joe Hockey — now, thanks to Annabel Crabb, impossible to watch without thinking of Summer Heights High’s Jonah Takalua. Things were only enlivened by Kay Hull dressing up as the hostess from the spaceplane in 2001. Kevin Rudd declared that our Olympic athletes would be in London “with spades on” which drew confused looks all round. Was this a Queensland expression denoting enthusiasm? Were we going to equip our athletes with army kit? Were they going to London to bury the British athletes? Warren Truss’s joke of the day, that Kevin Rudd, instead of welcoming the athletes back, should have been welcomed back by them (yeah, I know — WTF?) got a mention in the Joint Party Room briefing and Eric Abetz — a man who really shouldn’t try Funny — apparently offered it in Senate Question Time as well. Tony Windsor was advertising his support for Rob Oakeshott in Lyne and was chipped for it. Every Government Dorothy Dixer — no matter whether in Health, Transport or the Budget — somehow resolved back to the Opposition’s lack of economic credibility and their threat to the surplus. Yes, we get the message. Zzzzzz. |
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20 Comments
James Goldbaum: In my experience the more homophobic a man, the less sure he is of his own sexuality.
Surely, as a tax payer-this is an assumption, of course- you should be appalled at all the softening up of the electorate in order to slug us for an even greater amount of athletes to go to London in 2012. This is the real question here. What does it matter if Brendan Nelson is a little gay himself? He wont be around much longer.
John Goldbaum, your reading of a magazine article where either Brendan or Phillip (from your quote I know not which) says “he never talked about it” in relation to yet another quote presumably from said ‘magazine article’ about Phillip’s “presumed homosexuality” the source of which is also not clear, does not give you the right to grandstand in a public forum disparaging Phillip’s siblings and his parents when in fact it is plain that:
1. You do not have the right
2. You do not actually know
3. And you clearly do not care that your soapboxing is hurtful as well as ignorant
You owe the Nelson family a retraction and an apology.
You are an insensitive oaf hellbent on grandstanding your ‘precious’ opinion at any cost.
Cathy, everyone was discussing the relationship of Eamon Sullivan and Stephanie Rice. Some male athletes talked about their wives. If you don’t create a space for Matthew Mitcham and others to talk about their same-sex partners, you are silencing them in the assumption that everyone is straight. As for Brendan and his parents, his brother’s formative years were full of messages that being gay is bad. No wonder he couldn’t come out.
“Brendan still doesn’t understand that he, his parents and the rest of the family failed to create an environment where the brother felt safe to come out” says John Goldbaum.
How the f-ck does he know?
Oh for Gay’s sake John…no one expects or even believes same-sex or both-sex players should feel guilty. For what? If people choose one or multiple partners it’s a personal decision as to making it public. As Matthew demonstrated he’s comfortable with himself and clearly says what he thinks. Where’s the issue? And if you think Kevin Rudd or Chris Evans went into a huddle to agree on prefacing their salutes to a great Olympian with ‘our gay Matt who outed himself’ as they winked at the rest with an ‘onya to our straights’ your a hoax or just plain nuts. It’s only you who appear in the closet on this issue.
JamesK, if you come out of hiding and tell me your surname, I could send you a bill for this therapy session. Do you work for Brendan Nelson?
Cathy, you missed the point. There should be no reason to feel ashamed about being gay. It is an integral part of a gay person’s life. Why should they hide it from the public? Straight people don’t. As for who would think to single out our first openly gay Olympian for special praise, well Cathy, that honour went to Kevin Rudd and Chris Evans.
JamesK, in one of the weekend magazines earlier in the year, there was a puff piece on Brendan and he was quoted saying in relation to his brother’s “presumed homosexuality” that “he never talked about it”. If a child grows up fearing he will burn in hell if he is gay, of course he will remain in the closet. If a gay child sees the successful, happy and gay Matthew Mitcham, that child can aspire to succeed and live a happy life.
No John Goldbaum, I asked how the f-ck does John Goldbaum KNOW that “Brendan still doesn’t understand that he, his parents and the rest of the family failed to create an environment where the brother felt safe to come out”?
Tom, I need to reply to you. Brendan’s brother was much-loved but he lived and died in the closet. Brendan still doesn’t understand that he, his parents and the rest of the family failed to create an environment where the brother felt safe to come out. Their church and their schools were probably part of the problem too. As for Brendan stepping up to the plate on gay rights, he delivered three months of obstruction and delay in same-sex superannuation legislation in the senate. He has implied that same-sex couples are not as good as opposite-sex couples whereas a gay rights believer would just say they were different but not better or worse.
Oh for Gay’s sake John…no one expects or even believes same-sex or both-sex players should feel guilty. For what? If people choose one or multiple partners it’s a personal decision as to making it public. As Matthew demonstrated he’s comfortable with himself and clearly says what he thinks. Where’s the issue? And if you think Kevin Rudd or Chris Evans went into a huddle to agree on prefacing their salutes to a great Olympian with ‘our gay Matt who outed himself’ as they winked at the rest with an ‘onya to our straights’ your a hoax or just plain nuts. It’s only you who appear in the closet on this issue.
What a shame a funny edifying article has gone so off-track with John Goldbaum’s bizarre, paranoid assertion that Bernard could have given a more insightful expose on Parliament yesterday. Who in the entire House would even think to selectively mention athletes according to their gay, same sex, ageist or anything other than sporting achievement merits? With a diplomatic corp well-represented by the Matthew Mitcham’s where’s the great need for ‘a space creation’ so gays can comfortably mention same-sex partners. Maybe what DOES irk is the fan clubs, hordes and in-your-face cheer leaders like John Goldbaum and Alan Jones who can’t let an opportunity pass without shouting ‘GAY’ and waving banners, blowing whistles and releasing balloons - the old gay brigade who use the Matthew Mitchams of this world as some form of personal salvation. PS Thanks Bernard for again more hilarity….
JamesK, the weekend magazine was, from memory, the supplement in the Weekend Australian. The quotes were both from Brendan Nelson. It is clear that as recently as the interview Brendan gave the magazine earlier this year that Brendan believed it was the sole responsibility of his gay brother to be open about his homosexuality even though the brother was raised in a Catholic family and attended a Catholic school, and probably a Catholic church, which taught him that being gay was bad. The point is that parents and siblings won’t know about their gay relative’s homosexuality until the relative is a teenager at the least, but that child has heard and internalised all the hateful and harmful messages right up until that point. If you want all of your children to be happy and successful, you have a responsibility to the 5% or so who happen to be gay, not to damage them in the period before either they or you know they are gay. That is why it is important to have role models such as Matthew Mitcham. It is good for the kids and for their parents. I will not retract and I will not apologise. Brendan is a contender for PM and he has had a lot to say recently about homosexuality and same-sex couples. Some of his utterings have been harmful. I have the right to point out why. Brendan initiated the public discussion of his brother’s death from AIDS and his presumed homosexuality. I didn’t out anyone. Brendan’s parents and siblings are indeed private citizens but Brendan is the one who has dragged them into this story by initiating the story when he responded in the puff piece interview.
John Goldbaum…it’s wonderful for you to feel empathy with a marginal group in society. But had you or Alan Jones not made such a song and dance about the exceptional talents of Matthew Mitcham and his sexual bent none of would likely have twigged or cared if he was a gelding. So f**king what? Why on earth do you people keep peddling this innane view that sexual proclivities are mandatory recognition elements in an individual’s distress, success or otherwise. Whether we’re bi-polar, bi-sexual or bi-partisan we all deal with difficult and challenging issues. My Mum is suffering dementia and I don’t use it as a fanfare for my achievements. Grow up!
John Goldbaum, Matthew Mitcham is not the issue and you know it.
You simply have no right and certainly no justification to assert that Brendan, “his parents and the rest of the family failed to create an environment where the brother felt safe to come out”.
My prior comment stands. You should retract and apologise but unsurprsingly you have failed.
Arrogant and ignorant….wonderful combination
I wouldn’t go there John. Nelson’s brother RIP etc. Refer for instance “Nelson steps up to the plate on gay rights”, Monday, 3 December 2007 right here on crikey.com.au
So was Ruddy confusing ‘with bells on’ and ‘in spades’. Are mangled metaphors like hairy palms and madness, the first sign of jellyback?
Did anyone see the shots of Peter Costello (in the ABC’s Turnbull profile) looking so far up himself he was inside out? Panther pi*s Pete’s posturing profile, pouting, preening and perfectly revolting.
Cathy, I really don’t see how you can assert that I am in the closet on this or any other issue. I have identified myself in public with my full name and have said exactly what I believe. You have only given us a first name.
CLUNK! John Goldbaum just walked right into something, hopefully permanently. I think Cathy’s reference to you ‘being in the closet’ possibly translates as “ill-informed, in the dark”..you know John, play on words for appearing confounded and obscure on your topic of debate. You’ve also well evidenced your apparent bent for assuming situations by inferring Cathy’s credibility relies on her having a surname. Maybe she’s an advocate for nicknames after education and family life gave her an indentity crisis. This is too weird for any more words!
One of the interesting comparisons that Bernard Keane could have made about Question Time in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday was which political party likes which Olympic athletes. In the Reps, just before QT commenced, Kevin Rudd singled out Jared Tallent, Stephanie Rice, Emma Snowsill, Grant Hackett, Steve Hooker and Matthew Mitcham for special praise, while Brendan Nelson selected Stephanie Rice, James Tomkins, Steve Hooker, Ken Wallace and Drew Ginn. Over in the Senate, Chris Evans took the first Dorothy Dixer, which asked about the Beijing Olympics, and he singled out Matthew Mitcham, Steve Hooker, Anna Meares and Grant Hackett. Both the PM and the Senate Leader praised Australia’s first out-and-proud gay athlete going into a Games, Diving Gold Medallist Matthew Mitcham, but the homophobic Brendan Nelson dared not speak his name.
JamesK, you asked how the f-ck do Brendan and his parents and the rest of the family know that their family member is gay? That is the whole point. They don’t know until it’s too late to undo the harmful homophobic attitudes they have displayed!