What really annoys me about these politicians (Turnbull and Howard, but I bet there are others) is that they parade around the public schools in their electorates, telling stories about when they went to their local public school, trying to look like ordinary folks – but did they send their own kids to public schools? No way.

I have made a series of speculations about the psychological basis behind yours and others criticisms of MT’s wealth and success. These speculations relate to puritanism, envy, righteous indignation, prejudiced assumptions and projecting a lot of reverse-snobbery on one MT, MP.

I set out the reasoning for my speculations in detail in the article. Considering that you and others have been a little off-beam in some of your assumptions about MT such as being self-made and all, and you based some pretty strident criticisms on those wobbly assumptions, I think that lends some validity to my earlier speculations.

Take your phrase ‘forgetting where he comes from’. Classic reverse-snobbery. Mark Latham is a fantastic example of a person who hasn’t forgotten where he came from, just as John Howard is a fantastic example of a person who knows what it’s like to be ‘poor, friendless, with little talent, looks or a genius for people management’. These “virtues” you want in a leader have given us some very peculiar leaders.

I don’t think these insinuations qualify as insults, but I’m sorry if they make you uncomfortable. That’s often a sign that there’s some substance to the critique.

I never want to be ruled by a member of those social groups who are brought up to view themselves as the natural ruling class.

Fair enough. A shorter version of my article would simply state that I don’t think MT is one of those people, so you’ve got nothing to worry about in his case. I don’t think he’s a “bunyip aristocrat”. Obviously we disagree on this point. I don’t mean to insult you for disagreeing. The purpose of the article was to invite you to consider the basis of your disagreement.

Or, as I admitted in the article, I might be seeing things in Mr Turnbull that aren’t there. Some of the other commenters have pointed out some of those failings, but your comments only typify the exact kind of criticisms I had already addressed in the original article.

Going to private schools on scholarship puts you in a completely different social class, especially the people who you make friendship networks with. I simply see no evidence that MT is the sort of person who reaches out across classes.

I’ll know about the low income upbringing, but he seems to have done a bloody good job of forgetting where he comes from (apart from “My Humble Beginnings” stories).

I never want to be ruled by a member of those social groups who are brought up to view themselves as the natural ruling class. You can call me envious, I say I’m part of the great Australian tradition of egalitarianism and disrespect for those with too high an opinion of themselves.

are you sure it was him?

“we’ve been told that you actively sought Labor pre-selection in the past, is there any truth to the rumour?”

“it’s completely untrue. i’ve never been a member of the labor party. i think there is nothing wrong with being a member of the labor party. it’s just one of life’s mistakes that many people make. as it happens, i haven’t been a member of the labor party and i haven’t sought labor pre-selection”

re: the private education thang, it certainly corresponds with what Kate from Q said up the thread:

I have real problems with an MP who gets up at a P&C meeting and lets everyone know that the only reason why people send their children to public schools is because they would rather buy a new house or car than pay for the kids to go private. At that moment, he lost me – and pretty much everyone else at the meeting.

like howard and his anti-union hatred supposedly ingrained by his dad, (but discounted by his older brother) malcolm certainly has taken on the ‘private education is the most important thing you can pass onto to your kiddies’ schtick c/o of his old man.

like i said, i ain’t voting for the man, and didn’t last time, and wont be in 2010, if he is re-elected, which i expect he will be….

the margins they are quoting in wentworth are fcuked up from the king split lib vote in the 2004 election – but the reality is that the ALP only polled 26.3% primary vote in 2004. the greens polled 11.2% that’s umm. 37.5% – the ALP 2pp ended up being 44.5% and libs 55.5 (the combined king/turnbull primary vote was 59%.)

in 2001, King got 52% primary, ALP got 29.52%, greens 9.77% dems 6.15%..- the 2PP was 57.86% for King and the ALP got 42.14%.

taking into account the re-distribution of apparently 3%, that’s still nearly 5% to make up in liberal heartland….i’d be ecstatic to be proved wrong.

And fear not, Zebbidie, Sean did OK out of the deal. Your bitter assumptions are mistaken, prejudiced and inexplicable.

And if I’m not mistaken, I think you’ll find the education of young Malcolm was done on scholarship – you know, the ‘magnanimous’ private schools that say “we’ll let these people with no money study here for free because they’re brighter than our chinless wonders and they single-handedly improve our average grades,” or sumfink.

But don’t let me stand in the way of your righteous indignation. It’s most instructive.

…but I truly do feel that he has no understanding of what it is like to be poor and friendless and not be blessed with talent, looks and a genius for people management.

And if a childhood of being poor, friendless, with little talent, looks or a genius for people management is what you seek in a PM, then I suggest you vote for the incumbent.

Ozemail, was a well known Turnbull company.

Actually (at least according to Wiki) it was set up by Sean howard. Turnbull and Trevor Kennedy invested in 1994, 2 years before listing. So MT was an investor who also provided expertise in big financials. From which he picked up some 60mill. Howard was the entrepreneur. I certainly hope he is richer than Turnbull, but I doubt it – it never seems to work that way.

And he went (again according to Wiki) to Vaucluse Public School, continued his primary education at Sydney Grammar Prep, St Ives then went to Sydney Grammar School. When you say “single parent” I think you are implying single mum (actually his dad) surviving on a pension. It seems to be more like Prince Charles was a single parent after Di kicked it.

Again looking at his work history, it is working for others, or starting up investment banking companies which (as I said) make money by being able to master the intricacies of the modern financial system. Not exactly the man with his name on the van.

I don’t deny he is extremely bright and hard-working, but I truly do feel that he has no understanding of what it is like to be poor and friendless and not be blessed with talent, looks and a genius for people management.