Spin Dentist - Flossing the plaque out of Aussie Politics

It's Bennelong Time for McKew

Destined for doom, or set for success?
When I heard Maxine McKew was hoping to gain preselection to run in the next election, I thought "sweet".
When I heard Maxine McKew was hoping to gain preselection in Bennelong to run against Bennelong John my inner glow faded to a dull ache.

Maxine, or as one friends labelled her several years ago "The thinking man's pin up", commands respect. Her arsenal includes the keenest of intelligence and insight, and that ever present smile that fell just short of mocking, but just past benign. She was rarely a hostile interrogator, incredulous yes, but not to the point of allowing her personal opinion to overshadow that of her interviewee's. She led them in subtle combat, always in control of the flow of the interview, and most importantly she left the viewer to determine the merits of the argument, rather than imposing her point. She was to Journalism, what Alan Jones is to gibberish.

But Bennelong? 1974- present it has been the domain of John Howard. Blue Ribbon Liberal Country. Tory Heartland. Bastion of mental illness. I instantly shuddered at the thought. Coming into possibly the most contestable election of the past 10 years, I couldn't help but think it was the equivalent of betting a diamond ring on the bull in a bullfight. What could Labor's star recruit do for the inhabitants of Bennelong? Some would argue that after 32 years the inhabitants of Bennelong had been rendered Imbecilic, so nothing. However! In a very un-Bjelke-Pedersen occurence, a redistribution of the electorate last year has made Bennelong a much more contestable seat. In fact, in recent polls the unthinkable has happened. Labor is favoured in Bennelong? Surely an anomaly, a blip a mere aberration, but even so. Constituencies strain and migrate and sway and (evolve?). This is a year for Bold moves. This is not a year for safe bets. McKew will not fight them on the northern beaches (as Abbott had half heartedly challenged today), but she will fight them in the Streets of Bennelong... against an opponent who, if were anymore incumbent would be sedimentary rock. This is a year for a Battle Royale of an election. Me? Getting excited about an election? I think I'm coming down with a hot flush.

posted by The Dentist @ 9:31 pm