May 01, 2009

There's Something Rotten In The State Of Oz Defense

Gotta love Latham's candour.

Mark Latham, Eric Fitzgibbon, Helen Liu
Mr Latham wrote in The Australian Financial Review yesterday that "the Fitzgibbons [Eric and Joel] have not always been very smart in their dealings with businesswoman Helen Liu. During my time in public life I never encountered MPs so engaged, politically and financially, with a business benefactor". He added that "the full list of largesse received by the Fitzgibbon family is yet to be made public".

The claims are extraordinary because Joel Fitzgibbon was Mark Latham's closest friend in Labor politics, and a trusted lieutenant during Mr Latham's time as Labor leader.

Mr Fitzgibbon senior said he "didn't have a clue" why Mr Latham had turned on his son.

1 comment:

Bukko Boomeranger said...

"Didn't have a clue" eh? Nice for him to admit that he's clueless.

But seriously, the Fitz Family Chinese Connection illustrates in so many ways why it's bad to have political dynasties. (I like the way my people pronounce it -- "Die-nasties" -- rather than your "dinnus-tease" too. Yours sounds like a meal you'd have, a little bit dinner, a little bit tea. Our way makes dynasties sound eeeeeeeevil.)

Anyway, the younger Fitz was being groomed by Liu long before he had any power. Just like little Georgie was being groomed by the Xian Reich while he was still a drunk. Corporate fascists play the long game. They know that when power is passed down through family connections, they can invest in people who will not pay off for another generation. Plus, the notion that "I'll get my dad's electorate breeds a toff-ish contempt for democracy. That would be a great system, if we actually had it.

know it's the official point of view that Latham's a deranged slagger who intemperance kept Sheriff John in power for another term of eeeeeeevil, and there's a bit of truth to that. However, I like his loudmouthed, foolish candour. I'm guilty of the same stuff on my job. I can get away with it in my small sphere, but it's fatal when you're in the spotlight.

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