Friday, January 28, 2011
David Clune is the NSW Parliament’s Historian and an Honorary Research Associate in the Department of Government at the University of Sydney. He has written widely about NSW politics and history David Henry CLUNE
David Clune OAM with his wife Rosalind
THINK NSW politics is colourful now? The antics of Kristina Keneally and co pale in comparison to some of the political anecdotes stored in the memory of NSW parliamentary historian Dr David Clune. Like the duel fought by the first NSW Premier Stuart Donaldson with his Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell in 1851.
“They both shot and they had near misses, and then, like good British gentlemen, they shook hands and forgot about the whole thing,” he said.
Clune recalls political colour
The Worldly Art of Politics is informative and highly readable, for the most part,
thanks to some well-known contributors. Art and Politics： Carrying the dreams of another
It is better to learn from the mistakes of others than to repeat their mistakes ourselves. For politicians this is certainly a truism. How to Succeed in a Hung Parliament
Andrew TINK: “Four T’s” of time, talent, touch and treasure Nation built on second chances
On January 22, 1788, governor Arthur Phillip christened Sydney Cove after Britain's home secretary. Most people aboard the First Fleet, which arrived four days later, believed the governor's gesture was to honour his political master.
But Phillip had two political masters - the home secretary, Lord Sydney, and the first lord of the admiralty, Lord Howe, both of whom were cabinet ministers. As governor, Phillip was responsible to Sydney but, as a senior naval officer, he answered to Admiral Howe. So why did Phillip, who had spent his entire working life in the navy, choose to name the cove, around which the settlement was to be built, after a career politician? And why was the name of the renowned fighting admiral relegated to a speck of an island in the South Pacific? It was Sydney, rather than Howe, who had chosen Phillip as governor. Although talented, Phillip had always been on the outer in the Royal Navy. But Sydney had come to respect Phillip's abilities when he worked part time as a spy for the secret service, run in those days from the Home Office.
• Andrew Tink, a former NSW MP, is the author of the award-winning William Charles Wentworth: Australia's Greatest Native Son, and biographer of Lord Sydney. Best Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee ever ; My time in Australia will be for heart touching, heart moving delight Aust Day is about mateship [ Best in Blogosphere ; Top 100 Australian Blogs ]
• · KRISTINA Keneally's chances of leading Labor in NSW beyond the March election have narrowed dramatically after a summer of strategic blunders that have further eroded the state government's voter support. Keneally done for as rout looms ; Labor headed for NSW electoral oblivion
• · · I cannot recall a single instance in the past 10 years when a government minister or backbencher from Labor or the Coalition has criticised the police. Because they can do no wrong and have an immunity from criticism, a minority element treat politicians, Parliament and ultimately the public with a kind of contempt. Politicians still dancing to the beat of the blue light disco; In terms of blogs, look at things like Slate Magazine, which is basically a political blog, and many other blogs and Web sites have stepped into the mainstream in terms of journalism and news reporting. Students can get real world experience doing this Can Blogging Make a Difference?
