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An MP of Influence and Ability

Friday, 2nd June, 2006

A couple of years living in the Eden of Eden-Monaro were an eye-opener for the Owl who had spent the previous 35 years observing politics from Canberra . I could scarcely believe the skill with which Liberal MP Gary Nairn nurtured his constituents.

A helpful word here, a little grant there. My local member was everywhere. Open, approachable and honest and a good listener. But no easy touch.

Not for Gary Nairn the easy populism of opposing the sale of Telstra. He might have been a Liberal representing one of the nation's most marginal rural electorates but he stood by his argument that who owned the telecommunications giant was irrelevant when it came to providing an adequate service to the bush.

What he did have was the advantage of being listened to by ministers because he came from this most marginal of electorates. If you were a local fishermen worried about the management of quotas you knew you would get a fair hearing by the relevant public servants. A minister to give a touch of class to the opening of the annual whale festival? Leave it to Gary .

After a life time of support for the Labor Party I even ended up voting for the man! Good members of parliament are hard to find and when they are they should be supported.

John Howard finally recognised the Member for Eden-Monaro. After eight years on the backbench Gary Nairn became Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in October 2004. Back in February this year he made the Ministry proper

He might now carry the title of Special Minister of State but he has not lost his connection with his electorate. Slap bang in the middle of Eden-Monaro is the headquarters of the Snowy Mountains hydro electric scheme.

Gary Nairn did not need the rash of public protest meetings to tell him that this sell-off was political stupidity. Finance Minister Nick Minchin might have preferred to play Scrooge than listen to his advice but Nairn went right on quietly working to persuade his colleagues to see sense.

This morning his efforts were rewarded when Prime Minister Howard pulled the pin on the sale of the Commonwealth's 13 per cent share. The NSW and Victorian State Governments quickly followed suit.

A rare and wonderful example of the ability and influence of a local member defeating the doctrinaire zealots in the nation's finance departments.

A little photo for a little man.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma looks even more of a fool after backing off from the sale of his state's share of Snowy Hydro.

When he initially announced the sale of 58% of the Snowy there were no ifs, buts or maybes. NSW was taking the money for its share irrespective of what the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments did with theirs.

This morning, half an hour before Prime Minister Howard announced that the Commonwealth Government had changed its mind, Premier Iemma was involved with a radio slanging match with Alan Jones on 2UE. He was as definite as ever that his Government was going ahead with cashing in on the icon.

He now looks even more like a weak leader than he did before he too changed his mind.

See A Dunce of a Premier Without Ability