Ageism, sexism, jilted love, blind affection and respect – the Bronwyn/Philip preselection affair has it all, writes Chris Baynes.
The media in New South Wales has been in a frenzy this week over the Liberal Party’s trials and tribulations in NSW preselections for candidates for the next Federal election.
Should Bronwyn Bishop put herself up for another term in Federal Parliament or let younger blood have access to her safe seat? Should anyone dare to challenge Philip Ruddock – the official Father of the House – out of respect for his 42 years in Parliament?
On the surface Bronwyn Bishop is being criticised for being over the hill while Philip Ruddock is being loved for his longevity.
Is this a misogynist Liberal party in action again? Or is it a reflection of the deeper discussion we need to have as a community: what has more value in employing a team of people – the energy of youth or the wisdom and experience of age?
In an interview about Bishop’s intention to nominate for Liberal preselection in the next election, the 44-year-old Liberal minister from Victoria, Josh Frydenberg, told the ABC’s AM program that he was, “a benefit of the party bringing in new blood”.
Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett (aged 67), also speaking to the ABC’s AM program on this topic, added: “I don’t say that age alone should be a barrier to continued service, I think that there’s the performance and the contribution of the individual that should be the pre-eminent factor.”
Preselection, open season
Across NSW, the Liberal Party has opened up nominations for 22 government seats. Under Liberal rules, preselection committees in each seat can nominate candidates. This means the local party members can nominate candidates to pit themselves against the existing local Liberal member – challenging their job.
73-year-old Bronwyn Bishop is being challenged by Jason Falinski, a 45-year-old who has been positioning himself to conquer Bronwyn since 2008. (Interestingly he was Malcolm Turnbull’s campaign manager, guiding him to win preselection and oust the Liberal elected member, Peter King.)
72-year-old Philip Ruddock is being challenged by Julian Leeser who is in his mid-40s and – this being politics – used to work for Ruddock as a senior policy adviser when he was a Minister.
Is this a misogynist Liberal party in action again? Or is it a reflection of the deeper discussion we need to have as a community
Is it just a case of ‘old blood’ needing to be replaced by ‘new blood’? Should experience and wisdom be given equal value to youthful energy in politics and government?
The same questions can be asked in every place of work. The reality is, to have an effective team you need a range of skills and experience. Inexperience and youth combined usually crashes and burns – just look at Kevin Rudd who surrounded himself with advisers in their 20s as Prime Minister. [Experience without energy, likewise isn’t ideal.]
More than just age
There is also an argument to support the strength of character of organisations.
Jeff Kennett says of Bronwyn Bishop: “She brought great discredit to herself, she brought great discredit to the Government, she brought greater discredit to her leader who installed her in the speakership and put her own interests before his or party or perhaps even the community, which to me was an indication that the hourglass has run out.”
Fair enough.
On the other hand, Kennett points out that Philip Ruddock is the second longest serving Father of the House – meaning he is not only the longest continuously serving member of Parliament at present, with 42 years of service, but this record is second only to former Prime Minister, Billy Hughes, who served 51 years (1935-52). The wisdom of a person who has experienced every government since Whitlam is an invaluable national resource, not to be dismissed lightly.
So, the question remains: should both Bronwyn and Philip be left to fend for themselves in the brutal world of politics?
In a democracy, the people ultimately decide and the people usually do get it right. But it’s not the same case when it comes to preselection to be a political candidate. Each Liberal preselection committee, made up of local Party members, decides on the candidates; and who gets selected, depends on the level of personal aspirations of the committee members.
The leader of the Liberal team, however – and the person who will be measured by that team’s performance – is Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. To retain Ruddock, Turnbull may be required to step in to make ‘a captain’s pick’.
Ex PM Tony Abbott’s strong ally, Bronwyn Bishop, can’t hope for the same favour. She has every right to stand, but it will be her peers who decide her fate. (Remembering again here that Bishop’s challenger, Jason Falinski, was the campaign manager who helped engineer the rolling of a sitting member, Peter King, to make way for Malcolm Turnbull’s endorsement for the seat of Wentworth for the 2004 election. And Fairfax reports that he also briefly dated one of Turnbulls’s daughters…)
In my own opinion, I think Ruddock should be supported and that knowledgeable older workers should always be respected and valued in workplaces generally. It goes to creating a balanced team and maintaining the character of us as a people.
