I’m just back from the bush, having had my car serviced at about half the price it would cost in Sydney, fired a few wayward rounds at some wascally wabbits (my mate, farm-boy Nigel, reckons they’ve never been safer), and generally had a good relax.
Having left strict instructions with the Girlie that there were to be NO PARTIES, I got out past Forbes in central NSW a bit late for the annual Bedgerebong Show, which was a shame, but just in time for kick-off in the final Bledisloe, which was superb. We were going to chase kangaroos on motorbikes at some stage, but somehow ran out of time.
Never mind, I did that last time I was out there and here’s a little known fact: kangaroos, especially big ones, can’t change direction when in full flight – there’s too much weight, momentum and time in the air to turn sharply, or even bluntly. So you can ride right up beside them and have a good drag. Some larrikins, I hear, ride right up and push them over with their boots, but of course I would never…
Eventually, even here, you have to reach a fence. The roo bounds over effortlessly, you slam on the brakes, roo looks around, give the finger and disappears in a cloud of dust. Great fun.
The farm I was on, Caroboblin, features the remains of what was the world’s largest shearing shed. It’s about a quarter the size it was in years gone by, but still in use. Inside the shearers have stenciled their names and the year they worked there, going back to the 30s and beyond.
Huntin’ is a feature of life in the bush. They even have a range of specialist magazines catering for the hardcore set. Bacon Busters is our favourite, featuring three pages of girlfriends draped over bloody pigs. The girlfriends are the ones in the bikinis.
Anyway, while out there we heard the ubiquitous Bondi-boy Richard Butler had been appointed governor of Tasmania. Now here is a man on the make. Butler is one of the most subtle shape-shifters I have ever seen. His changing stances on Iraq’s WMDs have been staggering and are matched by his acceptance of the governorship. Now the Queen’s man, he was a staunch republican.
(My God, I just linked to Miranda Devine!)
But when you see Butler justify these U-turns, he is almost believable. Almost, but not quite. On the ABC’s 7.30 report, when Kerry O’Brien asked how he had the gall to accept the position, Butler defended superbly: He’s a democrat. The people have had their say. He supports the constitution.
Let’s look at it another way: When offered a cushy number Butler seemingly decides a republic isn’t worth fighting for any more. Obviously it’s not a matter of principle.
My guess is he hasn’t yet saved enough for his retirement.
Butler concedes he won’t be able to engage in politics as much in his new role and will have to tone down some of his public statements. The good news is, even without that, we should see a lot less of him. I mean, let’s face it, name the last governor of Tasmania.
Go on.
Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson’s chances of a governorship took a bit of a setback today.
Spooky update, 21 August 11.15
My off-the-cuff comment about Richard Butler's retiremnet savings gets an echo from Crikey:
"A pensioner writes:
"Sorry I cannot be more positive about Richard Butler but the appointment made me recollect the article by one of the more cynical commentators less than two years ago that Butler needed to get some money behind him as he had dependents and not much in the way of assets and income.
Lo and behold, he gets the Governorship of Tasmania - in mainland states the benchmark wage is equal to that of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State and after five years service, the ex. Governor gets a pension of 75 per cent of the wage of the Chief justice as it is from time to time, for life.
Not a bad stipend that.
Might be worth checking up on the remuneration of the latest member of the Bill Hayden coverts to the benefits of monarchy club.
The jealous pensioner"