19 Comments

1. Nicholas Gruen

   April 11, 2005

   I certainly wouldn't rule anything out.

2. David Tiley

   April 11, 2005

   It's not the footy, it's the tribal Irish.

3. Ken Parish

   April 11, 2005

   Having Eddie McGuire as a candidate would make it less likely I'd vote Labor, not more. I'm neutral about Leigh Matthews, although you've got to give him credit for coaching Brisbane to such success over the last few years. But it's not at all obvious how that qualifies him to be an effective politician. Still, it would be a nice change from all the trade union officials and party apparatchiks.

4. Stephen Hill

   April 11, 2005

   John Hopeate is looking for a new career and he'd make the ideal Party Whip. While I know that with Hoppa its a different type of "letting your fingers do the talking" to that of the factonial number-cruncher calling around for support in a leadership ballet. Hoppa does however have a much more effective form of communication, which discourages all that rambuctiousness whenever a controversial proposition is proposed.

   Plus if question-time gets a little tough, everyone in this country would appreciate the moment when he decides to collar Tony Abbott mid-speech. Mind you he'd probably be tame in comparison to Bill Heffernan.

5. Geoff Honnor

   April 11, 2005

   What a tragic acknowledgement of a once great party's utter bewilderment as to how to engage with the punters. And if 'celebrity' is the way to go why not Dame Edna - or Les Paterson?

6. James Farrell

   April 11, 2005

   Isn't Les Paterson in Parliament already? He's the member for Reid as I recall.

7. Tony.T

   April 11, 2005

   Can you become an MP if the cops have cited you for being a vicious thug?

8. Alan

   April 12, 2005

   The ALP could set up a reality TV show where the punters pay good money to ring in their votes to select candidates. The process would be less corrupt than the existing system of competitive branch-stacking, less likely to produce dynastic MPs, and turn in a handy profit to boot. It could be called Loser.

9. wbb

   April 12, 2005

   It's the way of the future. Don't fight it.

   It worked for the repubs in Calif, and I'm willing to try it here.

   I hope Eddie is drafted by the ALP. It's win for them and win for Collingwood.

10. Guy

    April 12, 2005

    And maybe instead of an election we can have a Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-style quiz show except the winner gets to be Prime Minister and...

11. wbb

    April 12, 2005

    One of the advantages of famous candidates as opposed to non-entities is that they are much more open to public scrutiny. They can't get away with anything. Which is a pain in the arse for them, but in a democracy where transparency is important it could be a bonus.

    By the way, sportsmen etc have always stood and been elected - it's no different from teachers and barristers. Except that they have a public profile. At least with sports stars we have the benfit of knowing they haven't spent the greater part of their adult lunchtimes getting pissed.

12. Geoff Honnor

    April 12, 2005

    "At least with sports stars we have the benfit of knowing they haven't spent the greater part of their adult lunchtimes getting pissed."

    On matchdays anyway....

13. observa

    April 12, 2005

    Perhaps the SA Libs have sensed a shift in the corridors of Power by getting Smart(Nigel that is)for the seat of Norwood. Something for them to Crow about at present. Bit of a dilemma for the Federal ALP choosing between Who Wants to be a Millionaire Maguire or a working class boy from struggletown like Mundine. No brainer I suppose when it comes to appealing to the aspirationals in the marginals.

14. Mork

    April 12, 2005

    Sure, I'd listen if the ALP called ...

15. David Tiley

    April 12, 2005

    Rather a footy player than an actor.

    They are really dangerous - convincing, self-deluded and desperate to please.

16. Ken Parish

    April 12, 2005

    Or a fim-maker - dictatorial, obsessive, paranoid, convinced of their own infallibility and superior esthetic sensibility. In fact, I'm surprised that a film director hasn't distinguished him or herself as one of the century's most evil dictators. Leni Riefenstahl only flirted with dictators, she didn't become one. Make sure you give us advance warning if you're approached by the Victorian ALP to stand, won't you David?

17. Nabakov

    April 13, 2005

    Yes, film directors can deal with producers but they'd draw the line at branch meetings, factions or cauci. It's more dramatically satisfying to be taken down by a great white shark like Harvey Weinstein than to be nibbled to death by ex-student pollies. It's different mentality on all sides.

    Returning to the original point - while I have no interest whatsoever in the AFL, I'd vote for Kevin Sheedy, regardless of what party he stood for, like a shot. Got pissed with him and few others once, and he was a real buddhist warrior, worrier, drinker, thinker, fixer and trickster - and in an inimitably Australian way. Definitely the best kind of tribal elder, and would make a brillant Defence Minister.

18. wbb

    April 13, 2005

    Sheedy'd be a great pick up for the ALP. Andrew Demetriou would be a walk-up start, too. That man has a future.

    McGuire'd be a loose cannon. Best to keep him as some kind of friendly mascot.

    Ron Barassi has in the past knocked the Liberal Party back:

    ".. you have to be accountable all the time if you are a pollie," Barassi says.

    "They delve into your past and I'm not perfect. On top of that, you're down there with the second-hand car salesmen, and you get paid a pittance. It doesn't make sense to me."

19. David Tiley

    April 13, 2005

    Ken, I cried with laughter. And Sheedy is my personal God too. And Barassi had it just right.

    BTW, I'm basically a writer, and we will say anything to anyone for anyone if there's food in it. But constancy is not our long suit, unless its a very good story.