I have just finished watching Gough's memorial service on the ABC. Well, not just. It took a little while to compose myself, and I know I shall weep again. Rhys Muldoon was right in the weekend Herald. It isn't crying, it's weeping, a different and more profound thing. And Kerry O'Brien was right. Today is a time to mourn and celebrate.
I had put in a nomination to be at the service at Sydney Town Hall but fortunately I missed out. The Steamgoth is still sick. While she could care for herself, I would not have got back in time to pick up the Son from school, and my father-in-law is still recovering from being ill, and I can't risk him getting an infection. So I watched it on the television.
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| This was outside Town Hall. The crowd stretched out around St Andrews and blocked George Street. Photo from abc.net.au |
The ABC should be praised for televising it and castigated for having Chris Uhlmann anywhere near it. He went on and on about how "Whitlam got things wrong, he couldn't manage the economy" (there was a global economic crisis at the time, and Fraser's record was just as bad, if not worse, but that never seems to be mentioned), "Menzies was a great leader and gave Gough advice, wasn't that generous" and his "personal disappointment" at not being able to attend Menzies' memorial service. I know the ABC is justifiably afraid of being gutted by the Murdoch government, sorry, Abbott government (appearances, at all costs appearances), but this was utterly disgraceful. Fortunately Uhlmann had "radio commitments" (as his embarrassed colleague reminded him) and had to go before the service proper started.
It was interesting watching the crowd's reaction to people arriving. Philip Ruddock got almost as loud boos as Tony Abbott, and I think marginally louder than those for Howard. Hawke's entrance got a bit of a cheer, Keating and Gillard a rousing welcome. And the welcome for Rudd? Luke warm would be a kind description. Gareth Evans was greeted like a hero, as were Barry Jones and Penny Wong. I was disappointed at the boos for Malcolm Fraser. Gough and Malcolm buried that hatchet years ago and have since worked together on things, not least of which was combatting the concentration of media ownership.
Abbott was awful, as could be expected. He was being ferociously booed as he entered, so he turned and smiled and waved. Why? At whom? He came up later on the screen talking to Bob Hawke and the crowd was again vocal in making their feelings known. Have you noticed he gets this weird fixed smile when someone is voicing their disappointment or anger at him? It's like Arnold Rimmer, only without the charm and endearing personality traits.
The speeches were moving and affecting and funny. Noel Pearson was articulate and shocking and angry, and delivered an excoriating rebuke of the LNP government (funny how the camera switched to Abbott's face in the middle of it. He looked bored. He clearly had tuned out). John Faulkner's was personal and practical and moving. I want him for PM. It was also a clear rebuke to the Parliamentary Labor Party. and a fierce reminder to everyone that Gough remained a Labor man to end, but very aware of its flaws and failings, particularly the way it is now (he didn't say "Greens take heed, and Labor listen up", but the words were there). I do not have Gough's resilience. Having been a Labor member for some while I felt in the end I had to quit. They had strayed so far from what they had been that I could not stay around. Unlike Gough, as a member of the rank and file, any influence we may have had was gone, deliberately and methodically stripped away, so there was no point. All I was doing was providing funds for the Sussex street mob to do as they pleased. It is starting to change. I hope, I really really hope it can come back from this. In the meantime I cannot bear to watch.
Cate Blanchett has, for me, forever stolen Menzies' sycophantic line and made it into something new and better, "I was but three when he passed by, but I shall be grateful till the day I die".
Really, the more I think about it, the more I think Pearson's speech was the highlight. It should go down as one of the great speeches of this century. I know, we are only 14 years in, but it was that good. It certainly highlighted the dearth of true orators in current politics. I don't always like Pearson or the way he operates, but he was masterful today, and true and passionate. And I'll give him the last word, because there have been so many, like Chris Uhlmann, who have sought in the last fortnight to diminish or tear down Gough's achievements (think of the scene from Life Of Brian, "What have the Romans done for us?")
It was interesting watching the crowd's reaction to people arriving. Philip Ruddock got almost as loud boos as Tony Abbott, and I think marginally louder than those for Howard. Hawke's entrance got a bit of a cheer, Keating and Gillard a rousing welcome. And the welcome for Rudd? Luke warm would be a kind description. Gareth Evans was greeted like a hero, as were Barry Jones and Penny Wong. I was disappointed at the boos for Malcolm Fraser. Gough and Malcolm buried that hatchet years ago and have since worked together on things, not least of which was combatting the concentration of media ownership.
Abbott was awful, as could be expected. He was being ferociously booed as he entered, so he turned and smiled and waved. Why? At whom? He came up later on the screen talking to Bob Hawke and the crowd was again vocal in making their feelings known. Have you noticed he gets this weird fixed smile when someone is voicing their disappointment or anger at him? It's like Arnold Rimmer, only without the charm and endearing personality traits.
The speeches were moving and affecting and funny. Noel Pearson was articulate and shocking and angry, and delivered an excoriating rebuke of the LNP government (funny how the camera switched to Abbott's face in the middle of it. He looked bored. He clearly had tuned out). John Faulkner's was personal and practical and moving. I want him for PM. It was also a clear rebuke to the Parliamentary Labor Party. and a fierce reminder to everyone that Gough remained a Labor man to end, but very aware of its flaws and failings, particularly the way it is now (he didn't say "Greens take heed, and Labor listen up", but the words were there). I do not have Gough's resilience. Having been a Labor member for some while I felt in the end I had to quit. They had strayed so far from what they had been that I could not stay around. Unlike Gough, as a member of the rank and file, any influence we may have had was gone, deliberately and methodically stripped away, so there was no point. All I was doing was providing funds for the Sussex street mob to do as they pleased. It is starting to change. I hope, I really really hope it can come back from this. In the meantime I cannot bear to watch.
Cate Blanchett has, for me, forever stolen Menzies' sycophantic line and made it into something new and better, "I was but three when he passed by, but I shall be grateful till the day I die".
Really, the more I think about it, the more I think Pearson's speech was the highlight. It should go down as one of the great speeches of this century. I know, we are only 14 years in, but it was that good. It certainly highlighted the dearth of true orators in current politics. I don't always like Pearson or the way he operates, but he was masterful today, and true and passionate. And I'll give him the last word, because there have been so many, like Chris Uhlmann, who have sought in the last fortnight to diminish or tear down Gough's achievements (think of the scene from Life Of Brian, "What have the Romans done for us?")
“Apart from Medibank and the Trade Practices Act, cutting tariff protections and no-fault divorce and the Family Law Act, the Australia Council, the Federal Court, the Order of Australia, Federal Legal Aid, the Racial Discrimination Act, needs-based schools funding, the recognition of China, the Racial Discrimination Act, the abolition of conscription, the Law Reform Commission, student financial assistance, the Heritage Commission, non-discriminatory immigration rules, community, Aboriginal land rights, paid maternity leave for public servants, lowering the minimum voting age to 18 years and fair electoral boundaries and Senate representation for the Territories. Apart from all of this, what did this Roman ever do for us?”
Noel Pearson, 5 November, 2014, Whitlam Memorial Service
And for the music, one of the pieces Gough chose for the Service, and one of my favourites since I was wee, Nabucco, or The Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Aida by Verdi. It was used as the anthem of Garibaldi's followers. I never knew.
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