Bob promises to walk off into the sunset in five years

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.

Who?

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.