Blogging politics, culture, sociology and life from Brisvegas
Well, not exactly, but I have a review of Nicholas Stuart’s new book Kevin Rudd: An Unauthorised Biography, which is to be launched tomorrow and published on Saturday by Scribe, over at On Line Opinion.
Update: A shorter version of the review was in Crikey today.
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So whaddaya reckon, Mark, worth the purchase, or do you think the authorised one will potentially be more interesting?
I am sure some of ‘The Australian’ commentators will find something.
Probably, Guido!
Guy, a definite yes for political junkies. I read it in one night – a page turner!
A boi of Rudd will go the same way as Barnett’s bio of Howard. Both are intrinsically v.dull men. Rudd’s (grudging) respect in Labor circles is sustained by acknowledgement of his intellect and commitment to the grind: it owes nil to any perception of passion, ideas or leadership potential. He will be the most conservative Labor PM ever, and the only interest will be in tracking how that translates into policy and mood in any terms he has in office.
But two bios in one year? Remember the bios of Latham and Latham/Abbott last time? The minimal cost of printing in China is to blame…
Well, actually, Graeme, because it’s much more about the political contest now going on than a chronicle of Rudd’s life and times down to the nth footnote (which is what I understand the Barnett bio to have been), it’s an interesting read, if one that won’t survive long past the election campaign. As I tried to indicate in the review, Rudd is an interesting conundrum in some ways – just how did he get to be the very singleminded control freak that he is… I think it’s also a fairly shrewd assessment of his strengths and weaknesses, and as I said, eminently fair and even sympathetic (personally – I don’t know what Stuart’s politics are).
I have only read two Australian political biographies in my entire life – Whitlam and Hawke. I loved them both.
While I have nothing against Rudd, per se, I simply cannot imagine any human being going into a bookshop, picking up his biography, walking to the cash register, paying $40, catching the bus home and reading it.
Surely, there is some exciting grass to watch growing?
I’ve just realised I misremembered the email about the publication date. It’s actually out on Saturday so I’ve corrected the post.
John Button and Barry Jones’s memoirs are both fascinating to read – in part because they evidently don’t like each other very much (or at least crossed swords politically on a number of occasions), and their strengths and weaknesses were in large part a mirror image of each other (in terms of weaknesses, Jones a chronic lack of focus, Button an inability to see the very big picture).
Since I am bored with blogging and blogs and have decided that this will be the last time I comment on one, I leave with the comment that I am shocked to say I agree totally with John Greenfield. Yikes!!!
Make that a double.
I agree with John Greenfield for the first time in my life too. Life is such a fascinating tapestry, the inner workings of Rudd would be scraping the bottom of the content barrel for me as well!
Adios Darlene…
I was fascinated to hear that Rudd was a fan of Bonhoeffer. I would be interested to see what thoughts of Bonhoeffer influenced. Bonhoeffer came from a well educated and wealthy family, was educated himself. While in Berlin he taught a class of young boys from a low socio-economic area of Berlin, even moving in the area by renting a room near the boys. Bonhoeffer went to the US to study at Union Seminary under social ethicist Reinold Niebuhr. He worship and taught sunday school at a black church in Harlem. Imagine that was back in the 1930s long before the Civil Rights movement. Back in Germany he was conspiring with Abwehr to kill Hitler as well as rescuing some Jews. He wrote marvellous letters from prison and a book on Ethics and others on theology. Archbishop Tutu spoke highly of him in the PBS documentary on Bonhoeffer recently shown on the ABC TV.
I would have been interested, Noel, to learn more about that from the bio, because I read some Boenhoffer some years ago when I was doing postgrad studies in religion, but unfortunately I think it’s one aspect of Rudd’s life that wasn’t explored because of his non-cooperation with the author.
Find a review of these books at:
Philip Adams: Late Night Live
However, I myself am in no rush to read them. I’m more concerned about how Mr. Rudd will develop an “alternative economic position”, given the “economic management” position is the Howard Government’s strength.
Here’s an edited extract of what Federal Treasurer Peter Costello writes in The Australian today.
The extract features key terms used in strategic planning for setting objectives such as “output” and “outcomes” – terms of reference I’ve become more familiar with lately, due to my early tertiary studies. The extract also focuses on Industrial Relations, my primary policy study focus in 2007.
I am recording what the Treasurer said and will use it as a reference when assessing Labor’s response:
“KEVIN Rudd’s weakness on economic policy has been exposed through a series of gaffes beginning with his notorious interview on ABC radio last week. When he was asked about productivity he continually referred to forecasts, despite repeated prompting about the availability of the more recent quarterly outcomes.
It was clear he hadn’t read and couldn’t understand Australia’s national accounts.
We have made large inroads into unemployment, particularly in the past year. As unemployed people join the workforce, particularly long-term and unskilled employees whose productivity is less than the average, they reduce overall productivity. After time and experience, their “output” lifts.
As the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development pointed out, “any slowdown in average measured productivity resulting directly from a change in employment is, to a large extent, a statistical artefact and does not imply that individual productivity has fallen.�
Anyone who understands productivity understands this. But some people are more interested in the statistical artefact, especially if they think they can turn it to political advantage.
A flexible industrial relations system promotes productivity growth by making it easier for firms to take on new workers, allowing wages to be set to encourage higher “outcomes”, and allowing workers to move to higher productivity firms or industries. It also allows firms to more easily restructure their organisations to take advantage of new, more efficient technologies or business practices that improve productivity.”
…Edited by Justin
via/Darlene/Adam
Wow, I AM humbled! Perhaps I have become the pied-piper?