17 January 2009

Bob promises to walk off into the sunset in five years

| johnboy
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[First filed: January 16, 2009 @ 08:44]

The Canberra Times has the scoop that the rusted on Member for Fraser, Bob McMullan, plans to carry his bat and up stumps after the next election.

Younger readers might be surprised to discover that Canberra has Labor members of Parliament with both of them (Annette Ellis in the south as well as Bob) vieing for the title of least active local member in Australia.

[Hint: there’s also rumours of a Labor Senator called Kate Lundy]

Apparently setting out a timetable for retirement could be an attempt to stave off a challenge by younger, hungrier types in the ALP.

The CT is suggesting that our own Chiefly Stanhope is eyeing up a federal seat, something his ideals and interests would probably be better suited to.

UPDATED: The ABC reports that Mr. Stanhope plans to rule over the ACT forever and has no designs on the big house.

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seekay said :

Be fair, people. Bob McMullan is a very capable politician but he has spent 11 of the 13 years he has been in the House of Representatives in opposition. You can’t do much from there.

Hang on he has spent 21 years in parliament – with 6 being as either a minister or Parliamentry secretary – why is he going to see out another 4 and announce it? If the milk is off get it out of the fridge it ain’t getting any fresher…….. get some new ideas

I know he is a respected labor pollie. But what does he actually do for Canberra?

Be fair, people. Bob McMullan is a very capable politician but he has spent 11 of the 13 years he has been in the House of Representatives in opposition. You can’t do much from there.

Bob was pretty good in his day…but time moves on and he needs to as well. He is just yesterdays man. Stanhope is also yesterdays man … time for GenX to rise up and take their rightful place – move over boomers you have had your time did some good did some bad – to coin a phrase that you might understand ITS TIME!!!

I reckon McMullan does a pretty good job for this city. He’s not too high profile, but as a rule of thumb, the more your MP is seen on TV, the less time they have for the actual business of politics. And its not through lack of trying, McMullan was shadow treasurer under Crean. However as part of the unaligned/centre faction he was never able to force himself in under Beazley or Rudd, and was actively hated by Latham (a badge of pride in most people’s eyes i’d wager). I’m also liking some of the stuff he’s doing on International Aid & the pacific atm. Not much media coverage, but solid work for the country.

I’ve also found McMullan accessible for interviews as a student journalist and quite willing to attend functions at the Universities. Of the event’s I’ve seen him at he usually engages the crowd pretty well and leaves most impressed. If nothing else he’s a decent bloke and pretty smart too, be thankful we aren’t represented by jokes like Browyn Bishop, Wilson Tuckey, James Bidgood etc.

I doubt Stanhope will take the role, but there are many young staffers and up& comers who would kill for a safe seat like Fraser. I wonder if that bloke who challenged McMullan last time will try again on this news.

The laziest and most ineffectual parl sec?

I have heard from a friend in McMullan’s portfolio that he is neither lazy or ineffectual, and indeed, a vast improvement on Downer. But my friend is by no means an insider.

I will leave that determination up to those who closely follow the portfolio of International Development – regrettably I do not count myself among such.

caf said :

That is, quite frankly, rubbish. He’s a Parliamentary Secretary at the moment, and has in the past been a frontbencher both in Opposition and Government – which requires significantly more work than the average MP.

The laziest and most ineffectual parl sec?

That is, quite frankly, rubbish. He’s a Parliamentary Secretary at the moment, and has in the past been a frontbencher both in Opposition and Government – which requires significantly more work than the average MP.

I’d go as far as saying that Bob McMullan is the most ineffectual and laziest MP ever.

(Thumper)…”I’d probably vote for Stanhope if he were to run, simply because I feel that he would try to promote canberra…”

[splutter] Thumper? You’re obviously off your medication! Stanhope reads this. He’ll know that if he’s got your vote, he’ll win in a landslide.

IMO you underestimate the ego of the guy. At the moment he is master of all he surveys. The ACT is his own private fiefdom, without serious challengers and a tame media. He has the power to indulge his Utopian social fantasies, leaving the nuts and bolts of running a city to (incompetent) underlings.

He sees himself as Solon of Athens, or a reincarnation of Don Dunstan. (Althoug IMO he’s more Gunston than Dunstan).

Leave all this to become a lowly provincial backbencher? Not likely.

.

la mente torbida12:49 pm 16 Jan 09

A politician making a promise?

Gungahlin Al12:31 pm 16 Jan 09

Perhaps I’ll stick my hand up. 🙂
Dunno about via the ALP ticket though…

Wide Boy Jake said :

Will anybody notice the difference?

Yes, but only because there be less mail in the months before an election telling us how much Bob has done for Canberra!

So, we are going to get a real, live representative?

I’d probably vote for Stanhope if he were to run, simply because I feel that he would try to promote canberra and canberra’s interests, unlike mcMuppet.

Are you kidding – Stanhope would drop Canberra like a dirty nappy and use his new found powers to save the world……

You really have changed Thumper!!!! 🙂

Didn’t the ALP used to have a rule about no MPs being preselected after the age of 65, or something like that?

It’s time to cut Bob loose. The ALP needs to boot him at the next preselection, not allow him to have another half a term.

It wouldn’t surprise me if the Greens vote gets a boost on Bob’s retirement – as a long-standing member he’d have built up a substantial personal vote by now.

[Hint: there’s also rumours of a Labor Senator called Kate Lundy]

To be fair, Kate Lundy does do a lot of work as a senator in Parliament. Just because their not in the papers and TV all the time doesn’t mean they don’t do anything.

Depends, if the ALP backroom boys and girls send us a real local member we’d definitely notice.

Wide Boy Jake9:23 am 16 Jan 09

Will anybody notice the difference?

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