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Keeping Politics in Perspective

Friday, 12th May, 2006

My regular readers know that the list of most read articles on the Sydney Morning Herald website is my morning reality check. Just when I get excited about a story I invariably find that it does not even rate in the top 10. So it was this morning with Kim Beazley's version of a budget speech. The printed version of the SMH dutifully places it on the front page. The readers whose habits actually get measured could not care less.

Should they? Well, probably not. Some of a Treasurer's words actually announce things that will happen. Words from an Opposition Leader are just words. A Bandido fugitive wading in the waves and shooting himself is a more interesting yarn than promises of an internet super highway.

The satisfaction for me was the confirmation of something I wrote last August - the issue that the Labor Party hopes will bring them to government at the next election is the financing and provision of infrastructure. It fits in nicely with "the vision thing" that successful politicians wrap around their electoral bribes.

I thought Beazley managed it very well; certainly well enough to put on hold the mindless press chatter about Labor changing leaders. And in the end it was the audience within Parliament House that he was speaking to last night.

Right down to showing his Caucus colleagues that Kim Beazley is no longer Mr Nice Guy. The press this morning might have missed the reference to John Howard forsaking Hawk's Bay holidays for the jaunts of an international jet setter but John Howard didn't. The Prime Minister's face showed some surprise that his opponent was abandoning the veneer of politeness.

Mr Beazley can expect a few person barbs in response during coming months. After all, when you put in, you get back.