Here’s the thing about Tony Abbott, the man pitted as our next PM: he’s un-pin-downable. His brazen comments about lying on The 7:30 Report a week or so ago demonstrated this. My opinion in the aftermath was that they indicated he wasn’t up for the job as leader of Australia.
And, then, yesterday, I met the guy.
He was “in conversation” with the ABC’s brilliant journo Annabel Crabb at Sydney’s Writer’s Festival. He was quite restrained yesterday. No royal gaffs. Although he did mention that he subscribed to the idea of “asking for forgiveness, rather than asking for permission” . Which is a mantra Kerry Packer used to work to. When I worked for Packer, this maverick approach was certainly how things got done – you went ahead and did bold things and dealt with the fallout later. I loved working this way, because it meant you could take risks (you just weren’t allowed to f*ck up). Things got done in fresh, untainted ways… at least some of the time.
But, I ask again, is this maverick approach how the (potential) leader of a nation should operate? Shouldn’t a leader always seek permission from their constituents?
Anyway, I digress slightly. Because the THING I’m stuck on is the broader idea of AUTHENTICITY. Abbott is, without at doubt , the most authentic public figure the nation (the world?) has encountered. And we don’t quite know what to do with it, do we? I mean, what box do we stick it in?
He shoots compulsively from the hip. It’s like a tick; he can’t help it. He’s aware of it, laughs at it; but has to keep going there anyway. He announces he’s the idealogical love child of Bron Bishop and John Howard…who does that?? He over-shares. And he acknowledges his foibles. Yesterday he acknowledged that he’s far less judgmental about life than when he was in the priesthood. I believe him.
Yesterday he cracked jokes backstage. Took the piss out of himself. He’s a cad. He’s extremely likable. He radiates human-ness and a genuine desire to flirt with life. It caught me off-guard. I vote to the left. I abhor many of his personal views and policy initiatives. But I found myself wanting to sit next to him on a plane. Or inviting him to a dinner party. It threw me.
I was awake for hours last night thinking about this. My thoughts: Abbott is a man who has to live on the brink. He teeters there always, alive to the breezes, the depths, the risk. He entered the priesthood looking for the answers that those who live on the brink are always seeking. Then journalism. And then politics. He does extreme sports and seeks out extreme ways to connect with humanity (I see his community involvement with the bushfire service an illo of this).
There are men close to me in my life who are like this. I know their type.
People on the brink NEED to push boundaries. They need to reach out and prod and poke and unsettle the waters. Brink dwellers would fall off the edge if they had to be restrained, they’d submerge into blah-ness. Brink dwellers also fascinate and scare the rest of us. In part cos we don’t know what they’ll do next. But in part because they force us to question the role of authenticity in our lives. These people are really important to life, I think.
The notoriously left-leaning press gallery love Abbott. Adore him. And very much dislike Rudd (we’re going to see a lot more of this emerge in coming weeks….). Abbott might just change the face of politics. He’s such a breath of fresh air, especially when posited in contrast to Rudd. Women, in particular, love his openness. And, indeed, he’s surrounded by female staff, daughters and sisters. I’m the 4987r9487th female journo to be disarmed by his charm, so I’m told. I was even warned that I would be.
interviewing Kevin Rudd prior to the last election
But, again, is this what a leader is meant to be doing? Is their authenticity more important than the values that their authenticity exposes? We know where we stand with Abbott, yes. But is this a good place to stand? My personal take is no.
It is tempting to want to reward the authenticity, to encourage it with our vote. I know I don’t want Abbott’s honesty to disappear from the public arena. It needs to be fleshed out further, encouraged, explored. Although it unsettles me to admit this. The group of journalists I was with yesterday circled this issue for hours.
It’s such an interesting debate to be having right now. We’ll all need to have an opinion on it. Perhaps, at the very least, it will force Labor (and the rest) to confront their own (lack of) authenticity? And force other changes, too? Such as….oooooohhhh… pushing Julia Gilliard forward to replace Rudd!!!?
We get the leaders we deserve. I think we deserve to explore authenticity right now. We must. But I don’t necessarily think Abbott needs to be PM to do this. His impact can be made from where he is.
And as a reminder of how far we’ve come…
Great post, but I especially love the story that the pictures tell – look at the distance between you and your subject, rolling down the page.
And I agree – I’m all for authenticity, but some of Tony’s policies and beliefs (from my point of view) authentically suck. He is, however, ideally placed to ‘keep the bastards honest” – and I’m sure Julia wouldn’t mind being called a bastard in that context.
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by mickrad, sarah wilson. sarah wilson said: why Tony Abbott unsettled me when this photo was taken http://bit.ly/9vtQa0 [...]
Def a great post and telling photos. Authenticity is so very very needed in Australian politics at the moment. Abbott’s honesty is refreshing and the openness allows us to agree or disagree on its merits – not leave us to firstly decipher the language and then the meaning, which is so often the case with Rudd (‘Weasel words’, catchphrase ridden and meaningless as it is). And you get the feeling that Abbott would respect any opponent who was equally as honest.
Joe Hockey strikes me as being equally as honest as Abbott, although with a little more restraint and thinking-before-speaking. I just wish he’d defect to the ALP or the Greens!
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Sarah whilest I admire the Mad monks sporting prowess finishing a full Ironman triathlon is evidence of Hero status. Trouble is I dont like or want him to br changing his mind on crucial issues. These include caring for the under-priviledged. Caring for single mothers and not reintroducing Work Choices or some model of it. We needed a CPRS as Abbott sabotaged it. No give me boring old Kevin Rudd antime…
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Hitler was dead charming, and exceedingly authentic.
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
ha. yes.
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We know where we stand with Abbott, yes. But is this a good place to stand? My personal take is no.
I’m so glad you said this, because it’s exactly what I was thinking as I read your article. Phew! You haven’t be turned!
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Gerard Henderson expressed a similar view on the appeal of Tony Abbott on the ABC Insiders program yesterday (I think in the video titled Political rhetoric overtaking facts http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/
Another important conversation to have beyond the issue of leadership is Who do we vote for? Do we vote for the leader or do we vote for a party? Does the party represent the views of the leader or does the leader articulate the vision and the belief of the party? This is something that friends and I are discussing at the moment – who leads us goes beyond personalities and two individuals – yet that is where “debate” seems to focus …..again another good conversation on the demise of debate and discussion in Australian politics on Insiders yesterday.
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don’t like abbot’s/libs policies, but then am starting to dislike more and more of labors. Arghhh
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Great article Sarah!
I am a Liberal voter (I am actually in the Young Liberals, although not really an active member) and I am faced with a dilemma at this election. I don’t think I can vote for Tony Abbott. I don’t find him charming (just watching him on tv) and I consider him to be a loose canon. He doesn’t make careful, considered decisions, he acts on a whim. Which, of course, caught him out on the 7.30 Report – although I disagree with you, Sarah, when you say that he admitted to lying, I think he was just admitting to unreliability (I think that when he makes grandiose statements that he can’t back up, he is not be dishonest but hopeful and unrealistic). A politician – particularly the leader of the country – needs to be able to make tough decisions, but those decisions need to be made in consultation with other elected representatives and with the best interests of the electorate in mind, not just that individual’s personal views.
I simply can’t vote for Kevin Rudd, but I don’t think that I can bring myself to vote for Tony Abbott either. (I am well aware that I am really voting for my local member, but as a back-bencher, he has absolutely no influence over policy. Policy is dictated by cabinet, lead by the Prime Minister. So I think that it is relevant to vote with the party leader at the height of my conscience.)
My issue with Australian politics is this. I am a liberal in the true sense of the word. But in Australia, liberalism is intrinsically linked with conservatism. And I am not a conservative. Who do we vote for if we want to see progressive, liberal policies? There is nobody. This is why I think that the Democrats can take a leaf out of the UK’s book and revive themselves. I think that there would be a very large support base for them.
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Ah, a fresh angle. I agree, I don’t think he can lead the country. What concerns me even further, the Liberal party are equally off the mark. LIke or loathe Rudd, Labor is in very good shape…Tanner, Wong, Guillard, Swan etc
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do you really think he is authentic? In my definition…authentic is someone who is real, honest, open, and from the heart….someone who is able to lead by example, who is able to come home to themselves and be happy in their own skin…and admit that there are times when they are not…hardly goes with the job of a politician…talk about his politics, styles etc….but lets get real – he is not authentic in the slightest – this is simply another example of a publicity machine in overdrive – both his and dare I say it, yours perhaps?
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Hi Joanna, I agree with your definition. Much as it pains me (I vote left), I think he does fit the definition. THere’s no accounting for another’s values, though. That’s my point, i guess.
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I generally don’t take much interest in politics.. it has a habit of numbing me into a state of confusion and anger, same s#it different day. I have however been particularly interested in Labor’s stance on the imminent implementation of the internet filter, and their constant back-handed rebuttal to the thousands upon thousands of people who are against it. It will be interesting to see how this effects them in the next election. I personally think they are underestimating the impact.
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Sarah, I must admit that I don’t pay as much significance to the photos as some, as it is hard not identify the fact that you are getting closer to powerful people and realising they are a little more human than we give them credit for. Abbott is out on a charm offensive with middle class women such as yourself because he needs to. I have respected what I believe I know about him for quite a while in politics but it was so disappointing to see intelligent women like yourself and others so almost visceral in your antipathy toward him. There is so much to obviously respect about the man, but so many intelligent women seemed incapable of identifying it. I hope it will lead to a little less bigotry toward conservative values, values that really do protect women and men. You don’t have to agree with them, but a little respect goes a long way.
I also hope that your encounter will also let you decide for yourself whether Tony Abbott is the bogey man so many lefties would like to make him out to be, can you really picture him trying to ruin your life or any other woman’s life. Is he really a mean nasty tyrant that even one of your bloggers wanted to equate with Hitler. I say have a little faith in Westminster Parliamentary Politics and the inability of any one tyrant to reek havoc like Hitler in our system.
Oh, and in addition, you have a great smile!
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a lot of people in the community are a little pissed off with Kevin right now, they feel a bit let down in some ways. does this mean they would vote for a right wing bigot who prefers women stay at home and have babies while men go out and do whatever it is men do?
I know not.
abbott will never be pm, just take a look at the history of the liberal party and who its previous leaders have been and where they came from for the answer.
it was no accident that hockey was made to look like a dick at the recent national press club lunch, it was a cold and calculated move by the right to negate any support for hockey.
ah, the times we live in!
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Hi Sarah; the sitting distances and body language are interesting in the photos. As for Tony Abbott, my impression that he seems an ok sort of bloke really means nothing. I don’t know him at all, just like I don’t really know Kevin Rudd or John Howard. I guess most of us can only really go on impressions. What impresses me is someone that does the job as Prime Minister. All Opposition Leaders can be pretty good guys until they’re in the top job. After that they’re subject to all the pressures that turn down the corners of those good guy smiles.
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Yes, William, the distance was very poignant. Rudd, back then as opposition leader, was much more intimate. Howard kept miles away. AS you say, things are diff when you’re actually the leader
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I dont know, maybe it just goes to show that at the end of the day people are people and sometimes we like them (or find them charming) despite their politics. It can be confusing, and disarming, sure, but I dont like to interrogate it too deeply, preferring instead to think we are all human at the end of the day, and sometimes, on some level, we connect despite our differences….
Have to say though, I think Abbott sucks, big time! And I find it a little disappointing that all those women (staff, journos etc) are so fond of someone so inherently bad for the rights of their gender!…But hey, maybe just see paragraph above on that one…?!
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
you say it better than I could. trust me, I’m flummoxed.
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“Authentic” my fur coat.
I was in the audience at yesterday’s (23/5) Sydney Writers’ Festival. Yes, we did see some of Tony Behind the Scenes, however, this was prefaced by a scripted political “statement” lasting in excess of 10 minutes +.
It was a testament to the good manners of his audience that there wasn’t a walk out, despite the grumblings I could hear from listeners near me.
Surely I wasn’t the only one to be singularly under-whelmed by his response to the issue of abuse in the Catholic church?
Any chance of a refund Tony?
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May 26th, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Hi Wendy, I do agree with you re the CC abuse comments. Wouldn’t you just love someone to come out and own it? And, yep, agree, on Sunday TA was not being as candid as he could. I do know he was being reined in following the 7.30 Report debacle…ergo, the statement
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Sarah you might be charmed by Tony’s so called ‘authenticity’ of character, but you surely can not go past his philosophies and policies. For example, in his book Battlelines, he floats the idea of returning to a fault based divorce system. This would undoubtedly punish women in bad and / or violent marriages. Tony Abbott has no compassion those seeking asylum in our country and he feels threatened (his words) by homosexuality. Is this the kind of person we want running this country?
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Great article Sarah, you called it a month in advance, nice work
I personally could never see myself voting for someone with Abbott’s values, no matter how authentic they are. And frankly, the fact that the views he has ARE authentic scares me a little.
But a great read.
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