Aussie politician quotes Nick Cave

My new mate Phil McCredden pointed me to Senator Andrew Bartlett's blog. For those non-Aussie readers, Bartlett is the leader of one of our (increasingly) minor political parties, The Australian Democrats. I never thought I'd even consider voting for a Democrat, although I quite liked Natasha, but the fact that Andrew can riff on Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen in his posts all the time at least puts us on the same musical map! You gotta love a polly with great taste in music!

Comments

[Rob Irwin]

That's the same Andrew Bartlett who got drunk and manhandled a female senator, yes? (Ref: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/12/12/1071125653075.html) Decent taste in music doesn't stop someone being an utter dickhead in my book.

[Cameron Reilly]

well now that we know his musical tastes, doesn't that episode just make perfect sense?! I'm surprised he didn't shoot up some smack and throw a TV out the window as well. You could say he showed surprising restraint. :-)

[Rob Irwin]

Jesus. Good point. Imagine if he'd just been listening to 'Murder Ballads' or something...

[Msburbs]

Yeah right so we believe absolutly everything we read in the media? Maybe you two should have a look at Bartlett's site - you might actually learn something - if your minds can cope with reality that is.

[Rob Irwin]

You've got me intrigued, Msburbs. Are you saying his site refutes that he likes Nick Cave et al, or are you saying his site refutes that he manhandled a Liberal Senator? I assume the latter and, aside from the video evidence, I will direct you to his statement at the time, which includes the line, "Physical aggression is never appropriate, and regardless of any of the other circumstances surrounding the incident, it is not acceptable." So, maybe it's you who needs the reality, buddy. First dose for free here: http://www.australianpolitics.com/news/2003/12/03-12-06a.shtml

[Msburbs]

Rob, I apologise for the rude tone of my previous comment.

I don't dispute the content of the statement nor that the incident happened. I do dispute the incredible amount of far fetched crap that was published around it. At the time Bartlett didn't respond to most of it as far as I could tell - which I think is what probably sent the journos into their particularly vicious spiral.

The way he was portrayed by the media just didn't correspond with the parliamentarian whose work in many areas I respect.

His blog presents a very different picture of the man and he has referred to that incident a couple of times of late which makes me think there was another side to it - or at least a different picture than the articles published at the time would suggest.

[Cameron Reilly]

and I haven't seen him covered in the media since! He has been absent since way before the election. Hooray for blogs.

[Rob Irwin]

Msburbs, I appreciate your reply and I agree that the incident quoted might not be idicative of the man as a whole. I spoke ill of him primarily because I can't stand violence towards women (and I know what he did pales in comparison to what goes on every day in society, but it's the principle, I guess). Great to see him blogging, too. As Cam mentions, he's had very little press since. I think I can go one up on you Cam in that he did get some election coevrage - didn't he do a bungee jump or something rather odd for a pollie to do at election time?

[Kieran]

In his own words:

"Whilst I’m shamelessly plugging people, I should mention that Nick Cave is touring again next month. His Brisbane show is on the night of the federal Budget, so I’ll be stuck in Canberra listening to Peter Costello. This will be the third time I’ve missed a Nick Cave show because of Senate sittings. I had tickets to his Brisbane show in 2002, but the Senate sat late so the Government could force through its Regional Forest Agreements Bill. Not only did I miss the show, I had to helplessly watch a bad piece of legislation pass instead! I voiced my frustration at missing the concert in the Senate at the time. The Liberal’s Ian Campbell was a bit sympathetic, but sadly not enough to postpone the legislation.

I also missed the only full show Nick played while in Australia at the end of 2003. That night, the Senate was sitting late so legislation could get through to dramatically increase university fees. Unlike the Forests legislation, I didn’t have a role with the university legislation and had finished all my other Bills. I was again helplessly watching more terrible laws pass while missing a Nick concert, so I drowned my sorrows at the Liberal Party’s end of year function being held in an outside area between the Senate chamber and my office. That was also the night when I had an argument with Senator Jeannie Ferris which subsequently got portrayed to the media as the scandal of the year. The people at the Liberal’s function who witnessed it didn’t seem to think anything of it, as I was invited to keep chatting and drinking with them through the rest of the night while the legislation passed and Nick did his thing in Sydney. Ironically, I can remember talking to Ian Campbell for quite a while near the end of that night too, with him commiserating at my missing another Nick Cave show. From memory, he spoke of a dilemma he once had with having to miss a Neil Young concert he really wanted to see. We also shared the difficulties of being away from home so much when we both have young children – it would be worse for him as he lives in Perth, especially now that he is a Cabinet Minister. Another reminder that work and family issues affect men just as much as women, albeit in different ways."
http://andrewbartlettonline.blogspot.com/2005/04/office-work-and-some-musical-musings.html

[Kieran]

LoL:

"...it also means that some of us who were going to watch the Nick Cave concert tonight in Brisbane will not be able to do so, and that is a major sacrifice. I am particularly irritated about that but I should say that even Nick Cave is not as important as saving our forests, so certainly I will be remaining here and doing what I can on behalf of the Democrats to attempt to ensure—
Interjection

Senator Ian Campbell—Was it a sell-out concert?
Continue

Senator BARTLETT—It was a sell-out concert, yes. I will be doing my bit to try and ensure that the removal of the protection of our native forests does not occur..."

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[AnthraxPants]

Sh!t always floats to the top as they say, but some turds just wallow near the bottom. If anyone believes the tripe that pours from the mouths of beurocrats it shows they have missed the first important rule of "power", never tell the truth. After they are finished cutting down our trees, then digging up the resources below and selling off our assets in return for a well paid job after thier political careers are finished, the only thing left to sell will be you and me. Good luck Australia, you're going to need it.