The Poor Barstard

John Brogden is gone. Here we have a young man in his 30's thrown in to the leadership of his decimated party straight from the Young Liberal Movement.

Believe it or not I used to be in the Young Liberals when that arch conservative Phillip Ruddock was the State President. Poor old Phillips main job was to make sure that the members from Strathfield Branch weren't stoned and the members from The Northern Beaches didn't die from alcoholic poisoning. And he was great fun at the Saturday night parties checking that no one caught any sexually transmitted diseases. I think Phillip Ruddock was the only member at that time that was looking towards a political career. He was very unobtrusive in the YLM until it was almost time for his father to retire from his safe seat when he then stood for President. This also gave him the opportunity to find a Liberal voting wife which was also necessary for his future career in politics.

The rest of us were there for the parties, sex and the booze.

John Brogden also came from this background. His main political activity was the YLM. He was not an arch conservative having a more liberal view of abortion, drug legislation and generally more in touch with younger voters. I think that this view was his downfall. The liberal party is now heavily influenced by the religious right. The Hillsong Church and others and I think that they took this opportunity to get rid of him. Instead of supporting him John Howard was very remote and I think Brogden was put in a position where he had no other choice.

I think John Brogden was silly and immature to allow the booze to loosen his tongue in this manner but it really isn't a hanging offence to get pissed and be stupid.

His major mistake was admitting to only drinking 5 or 6 beers. Seems un Australian to get so pissed on so few beers.