POLITICS is a tough game, especially during an election year, as Labor Senator Trish Crossin discovered a few weeks ago. The long-term Senator for the Northern Territory found herself cast aside by Prime Minister Julia Gillard in favour of high-profile candidate Nova Peris.
After some 15 years of parliamentary service, Crossin's career was over. As The Daily Telegraph made clear at the time, Crossin was treated harshly.
But now Crossin has spoken of the circumstances of her dismissal, many readers may find their sympathies shifting.
As Crossin tells it, her first reaction to news from the Prime Minister that she would be dumped as Senator was to inquire about another job. "Is there something for me?" Crossin asked. "A board position, an agency, an ambassadorship?"
Bear in mind that Crossin is already entitled to substantial benefits from her post-politics pension. As well, given her contacts throughout Canberra, Crossin could reasonably expect some employment interest from various private sector businesses.
Instead, her very first impulse was to seek another tax-funded role right up to the level of ambassador, if you don't mind.
A certain entitlement mentality is evident here, and it isn't limited to Crossin. Labor, from NSW to Canberra, suffers from a surfeit of mid-level identities who believe taxpayer-funded jobs are gifts to be spread throughout the party.
To her credit, Gillard declined to provide Crossin with any such gift. As the soon-to-be-former senator says, Gillard's response to her request was blunt: "I've got nothing to offer you. I am offering you nothing."
Although, if the PM is in a mood to reconsider an ambassadorship for Crossin, war-torn Mali might be nice.
Time to quit Chrissie
EVERYBODY is aware of the dangers of smoking during pregnancy. Risks include reduced birth weight of the baby, increased chance of miscarriage and increased chance of premature delivery.
Popular television and radio personality Chrissie Swan, pregnant with her third child, is as aware of these dangers as much as anyone else.
But that hasn't stopped her smoking, as Swan yesterday confessed to her listeners.
It is a sign of just how demonised smoking has become that Swan was reduced to tears by her behaviour, for which she offered little defence.
"I'm devoted to my children," Swan said. "I would never do anything to harm them, and yet here I am having five cigarettes and justifying it. It's madness, I cannot explain it."
Swan ought to give herself a break.
Stress is the number-one reason why smokers struggle to quit, and the stress of this confession surely won't help Swan during her ongoing battle to stop. She's a good woman who knows she's done a bad thing.
Best of luck, Chrissie.
No comments:
Post a Comment