The End of the Carr Era
The day was a particularly warm and clear one considering it was mid-winter in Sydney. A good day, according to New South Wales’ longest serving Premier Bob Carr, to call it a day on politics. We have all known that this was on cards for a while now. The only question was whether it would sooner rather than later. Now we know he choose sooner, well at least in relation to the 2007 State election.
Having joined the ALP as fifteen year old, and beginning his career as a journalist, the ambious Robert Carr turned his attention full-time to becoming a politician by being elected the Member for Maroubra in 1983. Within one year he was the Minister of Planning and the Environment.
As Premier, he rates his greatest achievements as the 2000 Sydney Olympics, proclaiming hundreds of new national parks, his handling of police corruption, and his apology to the ‘stolen generation’. Detractors have however pointed to the failure of the health and public transport systems, and his fire sale of public assets as the low points of his tenure.
Christians voters have not seen him as a man of faith, but have praised him nonetheless for his desire to inject positive values back into the often sterile public domain, and for making Government decisions based on inalienable virtues and freedoms. Many will be left with the memory of his resounding stand only a couple of months ago on the issue of Religious Tolerance legislation.
As a member of the Legislative Council of NSW and in my role as Superintendent of Wesley Mission I have known Bob for all of his many years in politics. He has visited Wesley Mission on many occasion. He launched a book about me, entitled Gordon Moyes, The Man, The Media and the Mission. I will never forget the way he researched and spoke about myself. I also had him in a church service, to speak about his personal spirituality. Those who heard him were uniformly impressed with his affirmation of faith and his understanding of the significance of the church of Jesus Christ.
What is the future of New South Wales’ governing party? Premier Morris Iemma seems to be an unknown to many. I have meet with him frequently, enjoyed coffee together, discussed problems with the health service, and have heard him give evidence to the Inquiries I have chaired. I have cross examined him as chair of the Budget Estimates Review committee. I did not think at the time he had a good grasp of the large budget.
Those who have worked with him as Minister for Health say he has a meticulous attention to detail, a strong work ethic, and the ability to discern and accept advice. Not much is known about his agenda other than he is going to focus on mental health, and that he does not support euthanasia.
So far his decisions to rollback vendor tax and review the poker machine tax have all been popularist adoptions of Coalition policy. He is yet to demonstrate the quality of leadership, only showing that he can relent under pressure.
Many are talking about how the ALP’s chances of tasting electoral success in about twenty months just got significantly worse. The core competencies of the Government also continue to be draw into question as long as the health system and rail networks lay in tatters. If the new Premier does not act quickly we could also add water supply to this list. And with an unknown Premier in the top job, John Brogden suddenly looks more statesmanlike.
The boots left by Mr Carr are large, as is the task ahead. We will continue to watch this space with interest.
GORDON MOYES
