The Australian newspaper’ editor-at-large, Paul Kelly has a deserved reputation as one of the nation’s pre-eminent journalists and authors. This has been confirmed by his latest work, Triumph and Demise The Broken Promise Of A Labor Generation (Melbourne University Press, 2014). This book carries on from other Australian political masterpieces of Kelly’s such as The Dismissal: Australia’s Most Sensational Power Struggle (1976), The End of Certainty, The Story of the 1980s (1992) and The March of Patriots, The Struggle for Modern Australia (2009).

The Political Dividends of Honesty

The unfortunate fall of the Gillard government probably places Australia back on course to becoming a rentier state with the exodus of moderates from the ALP. The question therefore emerges as to whether Kevin Rudd or Malcolm Turnbull will either allow or oppose Australia succumbing to rent-seeking.

In times of crisis there is often a fine line between great leadership and inadequate leadership, which with regard to the latter can actually compound an existing disaster. Alternately, it is often out of disaster that great leadership comes to the fore because more than adequate leadership is required.

A long standing and traditional theme in literature and culture is that determination always being a virtue because it is commensurate with a positive approach to promoting the common good. This perspective negates the fact that there have been too many instances of people and leaders throughout history who have been determined to overcome all obstacles in the pursuit of their self-interest.