Thread: TheeKeating interview

Sure he was arrogant and egotistical but some of the economic policies he put in place or in motion are to our nations extreme benefit. Short term pain for very much looooong tern gain springs to mind and usually the ones who complained about them either then or now had a vested interest otherwise.
He was very good on his feat in a debate and coupled with a razor sharp wit came up with some crackers of a reply.
Being a Bankstown boy through and through and having a mild pity or at least a disinterest in anything rural or smalltown Australia led to his wonderful jibe about our northernmost city.
A reporter asked him once what he liked about Darwin and his reply was " Flying over it at 40,000 feet on the way to Paris".
Another was his infamous "well if you're not living in Sydney, you're really only camping out ".
And perhaps the one I liked best was when he described Malcolm Fraser as " an easter Island statue with an a..e full of razor blades.

Stewie

Originally Posted by Scott

Yes, I watched and love it.

Others will argue but I think Keating is one of our most esteemed elder statesmen of our time, way above Whitlam or Howard.

I was reading about one of his speeches he gave at the funeral service of the Unknown Australian Solider, 11 November 1993. (Service speech can be found here). That oration has now been engraved on a plaque and some of those words inscribed on the tomb. Part of the speech:



Inspiring, especially the last sentence.

And from the Western Front

I'm not sure that Paul Keating is Australia's greatest PM, but he may be the greatest enigma among the PMs. Uneducated and yet highly intelligent; Arrogant in his public persona and yet different in private life. I suspect there are many more contradictions in this man's personality.

I can't agree with those of you who say he is no longer arrogant. I still see that in him, but it is Keating the man. He believes wholeheartedly in what he says and he believes he is absolutely right. He may be! I admire him for the courage of his convictions. Despite his labour connections, I don't see blind following there and in many respects this would ordinarily be my biggest criticism of party politics. I suppose he doesn't have to toe the line any more. (Malcolm Fraser is the same in this regard.)

I don't believe a university education automatically qualifies you for senior responsibility. Keating is a prime example of how wrong it would be to assume that a higher education is absolutely essential. Keating appears to have a better grasp of how things work than most others in public office and there are a huge number of tertiary educated men and women and also the occasional Rhodes scholar to boot (it doesn't noticeably seem to help the one of whom I'm thinking.)

I can understand Poppa's viewpoint on Keating's lack of "real" work experience. Keating seems to have defied the odds on that one too. Another enigma perhaps.

Regards
Paul

Unfortunately I was not in a position to view the last 2 interviews. I must catch up.

I think what Keating had to say about Bob Hawke is very sobering.If ever parliament was adorned
with arrogance then Hawke was that arrogance. I saw him as a powder puff and Keating as the true
thinker and instigator.

A fellow I was at high school with, Tony Cole, was Keatings private secretary and later had a top
treasury position. He always considered Keating to be very focused and knowledgeable and very easy
to work with.

I don't know the series of events that lead him to having Don Watson writing for him ...

but a marriage from heaven I think.

Paul.