For the most part, I am pleased to have rawk-superstar-turned-shadow-frontbencher Peter Garrett as my local member. For one thing, he is tall, which, as The West Wing's CJ once said, is reassuring. For another, he is bright, passionate, articulate, and, well, famous, in a shadow cabinet that, as Crikey points out, is rather lacking in star power. 2035 pride, baby.
But that was before I realised how deeply he was hurting Bob Brown.
Brown is up in arms over Garrett's support of the Gunns pulp mill in Tasmania. Now, don't get me wrong: Garrett has sold out. It's not just the pulp mill - this is, after all, the singer of US Forces who has since announced his support for a new US military base in Western Australia. Hey, don't beat yourself up, Pete. It happens to everyone eventually.
Everyone, that is, except Bob Brown, an authentic true believer in the opinionpollocracy of modern Australian politics. Bob knows what he's about, even if the hoi polloi aren't enlightened enough to see, for example, that ice should be decriminalised.
Which may go some way to explaining Brown's current tone, which is less that of a political adversary than that of a jilted lover.
But that was before I realised how deeply he was hurting Bob Brown.
Brown is up in arms over Garrett's support of the Gunns pulp mill in Tasmania. Now, don't get me wrong: Garrett has sold out. It's not just the pulp mill - this is, after all, the singer of US Forces who has since announced his support for a new US military base in Western Australia. Hey, don't beat yourself up, Pete. It happens to everyone eventually.
Everyone, that is, except Bob Brown, an authentic true believer in the opinionpollocracy of modern Australian politics. Bob knows what he's about, even if the hoi polloi aren't enlightened enough to see, for example, that ice should be decriminalised.
Which may go some way to explaining Brown's current tone, which is less that of a political adversary than that of a jilted lover.
Actually, given that Garrett is currently primed for a much-sought-after role in the Federal Cabinet, I think he's probably doing okay right now. But I do hope Bob recovers from this latest betrayal by his former forest-buddy. We could do with many more of his ilk.I can't believe that the Peter I knew - I've been into the forests with him, into the forests of Tasmania... I've got a lot of regard for the guy and I can only imagine that in his soul he must be hurting himself.
