Friday, February 15, 2008

Maxine13 campaign off to a good start

In today's crikey.com.au, regular contributor Richard Farmer scores the new Parliament's maiden speeches out of ten. The envelope, please.

And the winner is ...

'Maxine McKew: Bennelong—Parliamentary Secretary for Early Childhood Education and Childcare. A polished and well delivered speech as could be expected from a new MP who is no newcomer to public life. "What it is, this stirring in our souls," she told the House, "is a realization that our famed egalitarian spirit is more talked about than real. This is the paradox of modernity: alongside the exceptional economic prosperity the country has enjoyed, we are also seeing what Professor Fiona Stanley calls an increase in the social gradients. When we look at the key indicators for the development, wellbeing and health of our children and our young people, the gaps are not shrinking; they are widening." 8 out of 10.'

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maxine was always going to shine from the moment she started to win and refused to declare but couldn't quite stop smiling. So nice to have politicians who use big words again. But what I was really calling to say, Pavlov, is that when searching for your page I found this http://www.messybeast.com/moggycat/pavlov-cat.html
which was quite witty.
Miss you.

Anonymous said...

So, how did Brendan Nelson fare? Did Farmer give out any negative ratings?

Perry Middlemiss

Link said...

THE former journalist who ended John Howard's political career used her first speech to federal parliament to champion wage equality for women.

The most gratifying sentence I've read in The Australian or any newpaper for . . ever.

Shelley said...

I saw Maxine's speech in the arly hours of this morning. If she's only an 8 I'd really like to know who scores 10.

Shelley said...

Early even.

Anonymous said...

Maxine is overrated. Hopefully those who voted Howard out will eventually pay the price.