First election I ever worked at was in 1969 in the seat of Scullin for Dr Harry Jenkins. I was at West Heidelberg Primary School on election day handing out how-to-vote cards. It was a strong catholic area, and the DLP got a primary vote of about 15%. Senator Frank was there with some very big Grouper mates and they were very threatening to me and us skinny little Labor boys, calling us Commos.
But along came a bloke called Norm Gallager, who was a Commo, but a friend of Harry Jenkins. He words stuck in my memory, âwatch you skinny Labor prikks, I will show you how a Unionist deals with rabid dogsâ He stepped over the fence, the punched the Groupers until they ran away, Frank McManus who was in his sixities and a big man, was last to run but even he was vanquished by Big Norm.
Scullin was at the time the safest Labor seat in the country.
An acquaintance of my fatherâs set up the Preston branch of the Liberal Party. There was so little interest from the locals that he had to sign up his and his mateâs dogs as members.
(That may be where Hawthorn got the idea of pet memberships from).
Itâs that vague kinda âI dunno, it just seems like heâs getting things doneâ nebulous thinking of the average swing voter. When I pointed out the aged care thing only happened because they were getting the jump on the expose and they had refused up until then, and, Morrison was responsible as treasurer for pulling $2b out of aged care she seemed sceptical about my info. The snow job is working a treat in the electorate.
As to ScoMoâs latest dead cat bounce on Australia Day, why doesnât he just come out with the fact that it is the date of Australiaâs foundation as a convict settlement
Or the date of when the Poms rolled up, completely discounted the people living here for 60 plus thousand years, ⌠declared the joint uninhabited and said âWeâll have this Guvnor! Thanks very much!â
I really donât understand all the Australia Day stuff. Surely the correct date for Australia Day is Jan 1, the date of federation. Before then there was no Australia. I understand people wouldnât like it because theyâd lose out on a public holiday, but that is the only date that makes sense.