How Liberal leaders can learn about power and politics from Queen Elizabeth I
First Jess Wilson freshening up Spring Street. Then Kellie Sloane readying to hold court inside Macquarie Street’s infamous “Bear Pit”.
Before them came Queen Elizabeth I.
Forget tarot woo-woo, reading the moon phases and consulting clairvoyants, history shows it’s an auspicious time to be a lady leader at this specific point in time.
In a kooky coincidence, this week in 1558 mirrors what is happening at home here in politics. Where women have been elevated to top jobs in Victoria and NSW. Novices with grit, determination and, hopefully, discipline have been thrust into leadership roles, entrusted to save, or at least modernise, their ailing and flailing organisations.
How prophetic that both Wilson, 35, and Sloane, 52, as the new leaders of their respective state Liberal parties are following in the footsteps of Elizabeth, who, this time nearly 500 years ago, became Queen at 25 and went on to become the Tudors’ longest reigning monarch.
Elizabeth’s succession was more HBO than birthright. A life and career full of uncertainties, challenges, ego, she was the third in line to the throne as the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. The Roman Catholics considered her illegitimate and she narrowly escaped the medieval version of Canberra’s “Killing Season” many times thanks to her astute judgment in selecting ministers. She went on to survive the original Newspoll for more than four decades.
Autocratic and capricious is how many biographers and films have captured the wily leader. Yet her tenure brought upon some of the most glorious advances in English history and modern civilisation. Leading the defeat of that pesky Spanish Armada, she reintroduced the Church of England (returning the country to Protestantism) and was an early supporter of William Shakespeare. Hers was a legitimate taste making, groundbreaking “era” the likes of Taylor Swift couldn’t imagine.
Elizabeth I was highly educated and well cultured. Much like first-term MPs Wilson and Sloane. The former being ridiculed by commentators this week for sounding too much like a school “prefect” and being questioned about how her pedigree as a former staffer for Josh Frydenberg could work against her in the polls and the all-important one next November.
Sloane, an established journalist with experience in C-suites and running not-for-profits, looks, sounds and presents as a polished player in the court of NSW politics.
Not hard really as she’s surrounded by plodders in and around her party. An establishment that has finally realised she is the only person capable of taking it to NSW Premier Chris Minns, a bloke heavy on style but questionable on service delivery and substance despite always appearing to say the right things.
Both Wilson and Sloane will be analysed relentlessly over the coming months for their abilities within their partyrooms, in the opinion polls and outside in the real world with the voters. Both seem to have grasped early on in their political careers it’s all about the punters. What a wild concept for most in the establishment at all levels of government right now.
Lizzie leaned into her fresh approach and she kept calm, carried on and delivered change. Often painfully but necessary. Both Wilson and Sloane need to do the same within their ranks and in reality. The economy, crime, health and infrastructure – good leaders needs to be across every brief – and both appear to grasp this concept.
Yet they too will have many Mary, Queen of Scots in their midst. Their challenges early on in their reigns must be to quell the discontent and potential internal dissidents. As throwing rogue team members in jail for 19 years isn’t an option anymore, collaboration yet holding firm with their convictions is key.
It’s worked so far for the country’s longest-serving Liberal leader, Lia Finocchiaro. The NT Chief Minister, 41, also shares some similarities with QEI, being the youngest elected member in the Territory and the first female leader of the Country Libs.
When it comes to the mob, whom she calls “placard-waving activists”, of having a whinge about feelings when it comes to the trauma of youth crime, she has acted with swift and strong reform to centre victims within policy.
QEI, and her contemporary Elizabeth II, abhorred a victimhood mentality.
It’s a trait also adopted by Catherine, Princess of Wales, who returned to the spotlight this week with her first speech about early childhood development since undergoing cancer treatment. It was a step in the right direction to cauterise the growing negative impact of her husband’s man child of an uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
Elizabeth I was the original influencer who knew the power of dressing well and chose to pass on travel via carriage, instead riding on horseback when embarking on what would now be referred to as public engagements. Catherine gets it. Her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, not so much.
In what was a starkest contrast to how both approach public life this week we saw Catherine promoting worthy causes, the Duchess of Sussex promoted herself.
During this QEI anniversary week for the royals, Markle celebrated with a cover story on fashion in Harper’s Bazaar and gave her best Seinfeld impersonation. It was a show about nothing. The only new thing we learned was maybe those HR complaints weren’t so fanciful.
“When I enter, the house manager announces, ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’, even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house,” the piece states.
The magazine feature also landed on the same day a preview of her Netflix series about finding joy in $100,000 kitchens over Christmas.
“With Love, Meghan” the “holiday celebration” is set to revolutionise how you cater your Christmas Day. Only heathens would cater with champagne and Lindt balls. In Harry and Meghan’s world, fun is found in a Christmas wreath made of broccoli.
Markle, who has long complained about being muzzled by the monarchy, has had every opportunity to speak out and front up on the frontline of social and political issues in the US.
When pressed about the recent riots and unrest in LA she merely mouths something about the city being “resilient” before skipping off to lunch with Gloria Steinem.
So many opportunities wasted. She’s so undisciplined and out of touch one could mistake her for a conservative politician.
Wilson and Sloane need to avoid the Markle trap of playing to the social media crowd and muscle up QEI style.
The only way to make change is to be it. It’s time to revolutionise the Libs. These ladies with their cool heads and some steely determination may just do it.
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