MARGARET WHITLAM'S death will bring forth a deluge of tributes, all hailing her wit and spirit and decency of character. That is to be expected, but at the Billabong mourning will be more than somewhat tempered by memories of the woman's most striking attribute, her venomous bitchiness.
While she is too much of a lady to speak ill of the dead, one can guess that Janette Howard is not reaching for the Kleenex.
They say, if you can't say something nice about someone, don't say anything.
ReplyDeleteIn the spirit of which sentiment ..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUy9ePyo6Q
"A Nasty Piece Of Work"
ReplyDeleteSuggest to have a quiet thought about this post, Bunyip, especially about it's title, and what it says about you.
Bunyip, I'm a libertarian but there are limits, I wonder why you allow numbers to pollute your blog?
DeleteI well remember Mrs Whitlam at her wilest and the fact that she is dead (RIP) alters nothing.
Not a Whitlam fan!
Numbers is wearing out his welcome, but free speech prevails for the moment. But there is no denying he is a dill.
DeleteLet's not get precious, Numbers. When Howard drops off the perch, or even Janette, the left will hold a festival celebrating the event. I'm sure 'our' ABC will provide wall to wall coverage of the party.
DeleteIf the Bunyip chooses not to canonise a woman who was equally strong AND vicious, that's his choice.
Labor has a tendency to canonise / cannibalise its own. Luckily for Margaret, she will get the former treatment for Labor suckholes.
Independent thinkers will remember her a little more objectively.
I'd agree with you 1725.... if one wasn't prepared to say it her face while alive, but I would have had no hesitation at all to say it to her face given half a chance.
DeleteYou might be looking at this through rose coloured glasses or you are too young to remember but she said a few things about interest rates as well amongst other things.
Sorry to remind you that she behaved like Marie Antoinette or at least aristocracy at times.
Can't see why someone's death clears all the debts? The legacy is still there!
Orion
Quite so Bunyip. But he appears to be engaging in a typo pissing contest. I'm keen to see where that goes before you exercise your (or is it you're?) blogging property rights.
DeleteBob, Numbers, 1735099 etc, should be welcomed and encouraged here, Bunyip. People willing and able to beclown themselves on a regular basis is GOLD for a blog. All hail Numbers!!!
DeleteI genuinely respect and have compassion for the man, being a nasho and 'nam vet (a grunt too!). There has been a chip on the shoulder for 40 years that rules his mind. As you say Bunyip, "Free speech rules". Cliques suck!
And potatoes peel!
DeleteCheers
Numbers only wants panegyrics written about his heroic Labor.
ReplyDeleteAnd he doesn't allow comments on his blog.
You'd better have another look. Comments have been enabled for years.
DeleteAnd the only decent Leftie of the old brigade was Kim Beasley!
ReplyDeleteA rather stuffy older colleague of mine once said: "You always strike me as a genuine lady, Lizzie". So I will be.
ReplyDeleteVale, Margaret Whitlam. In many ways, an admirable person. Time passes for us all.
Quite so 1735099. There was plenty of time to rebut Margaret (if that was considered necessary) while she was alive. After all, the incident complained of occurred over 5 years ago.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt though, that Bunyip's view of her is somewhat coloured by his opinion of the great man Gough.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Numbers should be spared. We do need reminding from time to time of what lurks out there in the world of dystopia, and of the mindset that comforts the Gillard calamity. As long as his effluxions do not attract too many flies to this site, I think we will benefit from his periodic immunisations.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, a nasty piece of work....
ReplyDeleteDid Gough have many affairs?
That's going to have to wait until the passing of Comrade #1.
Prof,
ReplyDeleteI was a mere 11 year old when goug and his sorry bunch of silly, sozzled, safari suited sleazebags were justly given the boot by ol' top 'at kerr.
The celebrations at home were spontaneous - my Dad, a very sober, upstanding pillar of the community even cracked a bottle of champagne, such was the sheer joy at the time.
I have this to say about ol' madge - she remains, as far as I know, the only 'woman' in contemporary Oztralian folklore who was able to kick start a qantas 747.
Enjoy hell, dearie, goug will be joining you there soon enough...
The dead are owed no more than the truth. The truth is as stated by Bunyip.
ReplyDeleteAs for her spouse, Australians are still paying for the mess left behind.
I'm betting some Labor hack will blame Tony for her fall.
ReplyDeleteNil nisi bonum and all that.
ReplyDeleteI don't value the trollish numbers man either but in this case I can understand his displeasure
I highly esteem the Prof but really think calling her a nasty piece of work is not one the Professor's finer posts - but can understand why he says it.
Like Rabz, I was 11 when Gough was returned to the opposition benches and I well remember our 5th class cheering when we heard the news. I also remember seeing Mrs Whitlam at a performance of "The Hollow Crown" in Sydney about ten years ago with Dame Rigg and Ian Richardson (aka Francis Urquhart). She seemed so darn tall for someone in her 80s - a good match in height for Gough.
Again I have no brief for Gough but he must be feeling shattered right now and my thoughts and even my prayers are with him and his children.
Real Deal
Her famous comment about inflation was something like "it's all a lot of hoo haa..."
ReplyDeleteIt's a long time ago and I was young but I seem to recall inflation being over 10% and interest rates being something like 18% The economic pressures of the time helped to cause an epidemic of farm and small business suicides. To lightly dismiss the inflation rate the way she did was disgraceful and it represents another aspect of her character which should be reflected on at this time.
Real Deal posted "a good match in height for Gough" which reminded me of a 1970's joke...
ReplyDeleteA journalist approached the Great Gough and asked him about his compatability with Margaret. "Do you ascribe your compatability to Masters and Johnson, or Kinsey"
"Neither" said Gough, "We prefer Shere Hite".
I fair busted a gut yesterday when ABC radio accompanied its initial report of Marg's passing with a soundbite of, yet again, her windbag spouse droning "nothing will save the governor-general''. Oh, the delicious irony of marking the passing of a feminists' icon with nothing but her hubby's voice.
ReplyDelete