Success smells

Well, try as I did, I couldn't buy an argument last night (let alone run a CABPOLL), from the 'delegates' at the ALP conference. Mate, they're all on the hug drug ! They've seen the light - and the name of their light is Mark.

I now know, there is one thing worst than a hating, frothing, railing Laborite - namely, a calm, concilitary and quietly confident Laborite. Why ? Because it smell like success. Like the Seinfeld episode, where he couldn't get the nausous pong out of his car ? It took a high speed run down the M2, with the windows open, to get the cab smelling like a cab again. Phew....who would have thought success smells.

Early on, I carted a party heavyweight home to the inner-west. She was a MLC for NSW country Labor. She's based in the bush and represents a handful of rural districts. The big issue she is working on currently, is the bird-flu epidemic, and the repercussions for the chook industry. Rather than be drawn on her faction, and opinion of Latham, she volunteers that general cynicism amongst party members, is stronger than my suggested public cynicism of Labor. She paid the fare from her party allowance, and tipped me from her own pocket. I love New Labor.

Thereafter, I took an ‘office holder’ from the National Union of Students, to the airport. Based in Melbourne, she’s off to Brisbane for the forthcoming Queensland election. She was a pleasant, young woman with the vitality and ideals of committed youth. She insisted whilst the NUS is not aligned with Labor, it still attends Labor conferences. Huh. When questioned whether the ‘NSU’(which she graciously ignored) attends Liberal National conferences, she says no, in a roundabout way. Her current issue is the Nelson higher-education reforms which she reckons favour men. Why ? Because the disparity between male/female wages after graduation, means that women take longer to pay off the HECS debt. Sounds fair enough. She also tips. Winners are grinners.

Late in the afternoon whilst waiting at lights, I spot a bloke in business clobber, with such a radiant smile, I almost needs shades. He is alone, walking north on Sussex Street, nodding, smiling and acknowledging pedestrians’ greetings. He’s beaming ! New South Wales Labor may well own all of Sussex Street, from the way this bloke bestows grace and gratitude to all and sundry. Man, that Wayne Swan is so damn happy, I’m not sure if he hasn’t got ‘a gun in his pocket’!

At one point, a new, olive green Magna camps outside the conference entrance. The vehicle is plastered with blaring, yellow signage :

Transport Workers Union - BULK BILLING - Medicare for everyone - Blah, blah, blah

A bunch of big, boofy blokes returning from wherever, gather around the show vehicle and have a perv. Photos are taken with the driver, before they return to the conference.

Forty to fifty young women-good time girls-hang around nearby, excitedly waiting for their charter bus. I wonder why there are so many bridal veils amongst them, before realising they have been on one of the very popular, Saturday night harbour cruises. Featuring male strippers. Girls only. Sexist really. Wonder if any conference members on Emilys List, managed to slip aboard !

Later, a distinguished and very expensive suit jumps in. He’s off to some very swish apartments in Mosman. A man close to retirement age, he is an erudite, sophisticated cove. Something tells me he is a business donor. Wearing no party tags or badges he has been to the fund raising dinner. He also is infected with the confident undercurrent swirling about Labor. Choosing his words carefully, he states that Howard was right about Beasley - he had no ticker. He adds that Crean was also doomed, given he couldn’t do in 3 years what Latham has managed in 2 months. That is, to unite Labor. Duh ! They’ve worked it out. He elects not to tip.

Finally, at midnight, a party of four take me all the way up to friggin’ Dural, on the northern boundary of Sydney. I elected to stay silent for the entire trip, as did the bloke up front. I had real concerns about running out of gas, in the middle of nowhere. Plus I was carting a heavy load, late at night, on a road I was unfamiliar with. They also had been to the dinner, paid for by their company, a Labor donor.

Regular Labor hacks did not attend the final conference dinner, due to it being a fundraiser. This required them to pay personally, the $100 charge, which most elected not to do. Instead, a multitude of various office piss-ups, were held at venues around town.

That was the 2004 ALP conference, and that was my night.

Comments

[Robert]

What did the NUS office-bearer look like? Do you remember her name? I think she's a mate of mine.

[adrian]

As with most passengers, it's a general impression I gain of them, due to watching the road. Additionally, last Sat. nite, I may have carried 30+ ' pleasant young women, with the vitality and ideals of committed youth '.