The interviews our political leaders wish they could take back
WE expect soaring speeches from our political leaders but sometimes they can be tongue-tied by the simplest questions.
WE expect soaring speeches from our political leaders but sometimes they can be tongue-tied by the simplest questions.
But as Attorney-General George Brandis found out last night when he attempted to explain his Government’s policy on data retention, voters don’t hold back when a politician stumbles.
From aspiring prime ministers to rookie candidates, here’s some embarrassing political interviews that we’ll never forget — even though they wish we could.
HOW WILL YOU STOP THE BOATS?
STOP the boats was the signature slogan of the Coalition’s 2013 election campaign.
They had a six-point plan to do the job, but while Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz knew “boats” were a “big issue” in his Sydney electorate, he couldn’t quite remember how to stop them.
Speaking to Channel 10s John Hill, he managed to declare: “Well, one of the points, the key point would be stopping the boats when it’s safe to do so.”
But quizzed on the specifics of the plan, as he clutched the Coalition’s “Real Solutions” brochure, Mr Diaz couldn’t come up with any more than that.
“You’ve said turn back the boats, you told me it’s a six-point plan. What about the other five points?” Mr Hill asked.
“We have a plan to stop the boats, and I’ve answered that,” a confused Mr Diaz replied.
CAN WE GO TO ANOTHER QUESTION?
SENATOR Ricky Muir has come a long way since his YouTube debut, fighting with roo poo.
But the Motoring Enthusiasts Party politician struggled under the spotlight of his first big TV interview with veteran journalist Mike Willessee on Channel 7’s Sunday Night.
Senator Muir, who holds the balance of power in the Senate along with other crossbenchers, struggled to define what the balance of power actually was.
“It’s the potential if ... let’s say in this case ummm ... it’s the power to vote down legislation in the right circumstances,” Senator Muir said.
He tried to talk about more familiar matters, referring to the aftermarket motoring industry, but he couldn’t explain what that was either and had to ask for a break.
“So, there’s the aftermarket industry which ... Sorry, can we go to another question?”
THE BIRTHDAY CAKE
SENATOR Muir isn’t Mike Willessee’s only victim.
His “birthday cake” interview with Opposition Leader John Hewson in 1993 was such a car crash that it was often credited with turning that year’s election in favour of Paul Keating.
As Australians debated the impact of a proposed goods and services tax, Mr Willessee had a simple question for Mr Hewson: “If I buy a birthday cake from a cake shop and GST is in place, do I pay more or less for that birthday cake?”
Between the cake’s candles and decorations, and whether it attracted a sales tax, Mr Hewson waffled his way into losing what was called the “unlosable election”.
S--- HAPPENS
BEFORE he became Prime Minister, Tony Abbott was nicknamed the “Mad Monk”.
And his fury was obvious in this Channel 7 interview with Mark Riley, who was asking Mr Abbott about footage of him saying “s--- happens” while discussing a soldier’s death in Afghanistan.
Mr Abbott said “Yeah look, you’ve taken this out of context. You weren’t there. I would never seek to make light of the death of an Australian soldier.”
“I was doing my best to support the soldier I was discussing with them. Look, a soldier has died and you shouldn’t be trying to turn this into a subsequent media circus.”
Mr Riley followed up with more questions, but Mr Abbott glared at him in a tense stand-off.
Eventually, an incensed Mr Abbott said: “I’ve given you the response you deserve.”
SHORTEST POLITICAL CAREER EVER
In 2001, ex-rugby player Mal Meninga announced he was standing as an independent candidate for the ACT’s Legislative Assembly.
Less than thirty seconds into his news conference, Meninga dramatically quit.
“I’m buggered. I’m sorry, I have to resign,” he said before walking away.
His move inspired satirical comedy team The Chaser who began nominating MPs for the Mal Award as part of their election shows. Politicians won the award “for the greatest act of political suicide during an election campaign”.
PLEASE EXPLAIN
“PLEASE explain.”
One Nation politician Pauline Hanson’s career was defined with those two words in 1996.
The former fish and chip shop owner had created controversy in her maiden speech to Parliament, declaring Australia was in danger of “being swamped by Asians”.
So 60 Minutes journalist Tracey Curro asked Ms Hanson if she was xenophobic.
Her response? “Please explain.”
Ms Curro did — “xenophobia means a fear of all things foreign” — and Ms Hanson said, “No, I don’t think I am. No I’m not”.
ARE YOU WELL HUNG?
IT WAS a question about love that caught out political novice Jacqui Lambie recently.
The Tasmanian Palmer United Party Senator was asked by a radio program what she wanted in a man.
“They must have heaps of cash and they have got to have a package between their legs — let’s be honest,” she told Heart107.3 in Hobart.
“And I don’t need them to speak.”
When a 22-year-old listener called Jamie rang the program indicating interest, she said: “I am not too sure about the cougar thing, but a ‘toy boy’? I hadn’t really thought about it to be honest.” The senator asked: “Are you well hung?”
THERE ARE NO GAYS IN MY ELECTORATE
Maverick independent MP Bob Katter made headlines in 1989 for famously promising to “walk to Bourke backwards if the poof population of North Queensland is any more than 0.001 per cent.”
Though his half-brother has since come out as gay, Mr Katter continues to insist gay marriage isn’t an issue that concerns voters in his electorate.
Asked about Carl’s sexuality, Mr Katter said: “I don’t know and I don’t really care.’’
BUSHISMS
GEORGE Bush Junior was perhaps the king of the political gaffe.
He made so many that commentators coined the term Bushism to describe his gaffes.
During a 2004 press conference President Bush was asked what his biggest mistake after September 11 was and what lessons he had learnt from it.
“I wish you would have given me this written question ahead of time, so I could plan for it,” President Bush replied.
“Ah (followed by sigh, shake of the head and blank look). John, I’m sure historians will look back and say, “Gosh, he could have done it better this way or that way.” You know, I just — I’m sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with an answer, but it hasn’t yet.”
THE PALIN EFFECT
ANOTHER American politician who had her share of interview gaffes was Sarah Palin.
In one interview Palin was asked by CBS presenter Katie Couric what she meant by listing Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of her foreign policy experience.
She explained that Alaska had a very narrow maritime border between it and Russia and also shared a border with Canada.
“It’s funny that a comment like that was kind of made to ... I don’t know, you know, mocked I guess that is the word,” she said. Asked why that enhanced her foreign policy credentials she said it certainly did because her neighbours were foreign countries.
Was bizarre shooting suicide pact or murder?
