Page 13: Brett Sutton’s Buddhist training gives unique perspective
Brett Sutton met rumours of his sacking with a gag and continues to win fans (and hearts) with his silver fox looks and calming presence at the grim daily press conferences. So how does a man with such a tough job stay so smooth? Put it down to his Buddhist training.
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We all get scratchy locked down in iso and tensions between Brett Sutton and Premier Dan started the flash rumour this week that the chief health officer had been dumped.
Or had he resigned? Depends which side you find your Twitter feed.
Dr Swoony (yes we’re a card-carrying member of the cult of Brett) shut down the rumour with a gag while on a few days off.
“Might as well have said Nickelback have broken up, same level of middle-aged women would be upset,” one Twitter user wrote.
“What?! Nickelback have broken up??” Sutton replied.
Boom!
In case you don’t know, Nickelback is a Canadian rock band formed 25 years ago and thankfully we don’t know any of their songs that might make a bad pun.
As restrictions become harsher, so does public criticism and word out of Spring St is Sutton feels hamstrung.
But the numbers on his Facebook fan pages are growing by the thousands daily. (Eek, don’t mention daily numbers growing.)
Deputy Chief Health Officer Allen Cheng appeared at Dan’s daily presser this week after taking over from Annaliese van Diemen — and the howling began.
Nothing to see here, or who’s not here, we were told.
More interesting is what is it about the smiling professor that seals the deal for the Suttonettes.
A Buddhist, the reassuring Dr Sutton has a unique perspective on life.
There is no television in the family house, nestled in leafy Ferny Creek in the Dandenongs where he lives with his three children and partner who is also in the health sector.
He learnt the traditions of vipassana meditation while on a 10-day silent retreat in NSW’s Blue Mountains.
Prof Sutton has travelled to India, Nepal and Tibet studying Buddhism and has written several articles on the parallels of Buddhism and the emergency department.
We will leave you with his own words:
“The cynicism in emergency departments and in their staff is legendary.
“There is a difficult truth in the cynical jokes that we are uncomfortable with it. It is too close to us. Spike Milligan’s famous epitaph, “I told you I was sick,” holds an uneasy truth in its comic straightforwardness.
“We see the potential for the same suffering in ourselves, or our loved ones, and we distance ourselves from it.”
More than 20,000 fans are interested in joining “Give the CHOttie a virtual hug.” Deep lockdown does strange things to people.
The hysteria has subsided since Sutton was back on our screens with his pandemic stubble on Friday.
Along with our favourite AUSLAN translator, Mr Tightpants.
Someone queried whether Brett’s beard was against mask advice concerning sealing.
But Dr Swoony’s fans say leave our silver fox alone.
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