Postal mortem

We Are The Champions is surely the first tune anyone wants to bung on when Antony Green says you’ve got it in the bag.

Memory lane: Malcolm Turnbull launches the Coalition’s election campaign in June 2016. Picture: AAP

One of the songs at Kerryn Phelps’ by-election party on Saturday night was Queen’s We are the Champions, which is surely the first tune anyone wants to bung on the moment Antony Green tells the nation you’ve got it in the bag. Here at Strewth, we toyed with the idea of ripping off the old Ruddism to coin the slogan: “Her name’s Kerryn and she’s here to Phelp.” But that would be (a) possibly terrible, and (b) probably jumping the gun a bit, given the postal vote count has become what Phelps herself has described as “a white-knuckle ride”. Anyway, a more apt Queen number at this point could be 1974’s In the Lap of the Gods. In the meantime, as our nod to the tradition of providing half-time entertainment during a big match, we include a 2016 photo of the previous member for Wentworth.

Memory lane

There was some amusement in Wentworth at the last-minute proliferation of placards with the imperative “REMEMBER” emblazoned across a photo of Scott Morrison with a supportive hand on then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s shoulders. Cue lots of historically minded folk referencing that time Gough Whitlam listened to a parliamentary foe bellowing “I am a Country member!”, then shot back with a perfectly timed: “I remember”. (If only long-time North Bondi resident Elisabeth Wynhausen were still around, she would have explained the gag to anyone too pure of heart to get it immediately.) Amusingly enough, the Country member was Sir Winton Turnbull. No relation, sadly, but his place in Australian political history is assured. As Whitlam said many years later: “He could not understand why, for all the years he had been speaking in the house, there was instant and loud applause from both sides.” But if a big part of success is turning up, Turnbull had that covered. In the 26 years and eight months he was a federal MP, he didn’t miss a single sitting day.

The record to beat

This parliament has had nine by-elections, which means we’re tantalisingly close to the record of 10 set during the 20th parliament (1951-54). With teamwork from Peter Dutton and the High Court, the record could be equalled. Happily, though, the only sense of mortality involved in this parliament’s by-elections has been of the political variety. Nine of the 10 by-elections in the 20th parliament were triggered by the death of an MP. The 10th was Thomas White, who merely quit to be high commissioner to Britain. Troublingly, every one of the past 30 deaths of a sitting federal MP has occurred under a Coalition government; the last MP to die during a Labor government was John Curtin.

Indomita-Bill

Back in the present, the Prime Minister joined the dots between the indomitable spirit of Invictus Games competitors — wounded, injured or sick armed services personnel and veterans — and the indomitable spirit of the Liberal Party, which strives to blow itself up. Morrison’s ability to stay on target yesterday showed tenacity. Exhibit A: “I know the Labor Party will be all cocky about this. Bill Shorten’s always cocky. He hasn’t got a lot to be cocky about from yesterday.” And B: “We will continue to reach out to all of those Australians who we know do not want to see Bill Shorten-led Labor government in Australia, which will set Australian against Australian, which will set employee against employer, which will set parent against parent for where they send their (children to) school. Bill Shorten wants to lead a country that he only seeks to divide …” And C: “Bill Shorten has the fight of his life.”

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