Representative Swill, it's not about you (Column No.1457)
Representative swill – It’s not about you…
Who can forget the colourful language of Paul Keating, rarely spotted since except for a few Julia gems, but regrettably in the instance of his enduring “unrepresentative swill” referring to the Senate, he was only half right.
How could he miss the representative swill?
Naturally, this extends to state politics, and no better example than our cadet Premier, the youngest ever, perhaps the most religious, alas also out of touch with his subjects, not the least evidenced by the sudden continued delay in the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) debate.
Yes, yes, yes, somewhere between 70 and 80 per cent of the voting public supports it, NSW the last state in the country to introduce it, but VAD is apparently a captain’s call, to mix a parliamentary metaphor.
The reason is our new premier’s youth. His father is still alive and hasn’t had the opportunity to die a horrible, slow, painful death, the only thing that seems to sway politicians…if then.
Take Dan Andrews. Same thing. Within months of his dad’s awful end, the legislation was on the table and quickly done and dusted…to dust.
Take Pork Barilaro. Some time before his scurrying, ignominious exit from parliament, his dad died in similarly ugly circumstances. Suddenly he’s a convert, albeit too late to be of any use to his poor dad.
Take Barnaby Joyce’s new-found enthusiasm for constraints on Facebook.
Live streaming the Christchurch massacre was fine, beheadings by jihadists in the Middle East fair game. Thousands of kids abused, insulted, and driven to physical harm and worse were acceptable. But you blab that one of Barnaby’s babies is bonking a bloke called Barilaro and suddenly he wants a bomb under Facebook.
All three were praised for their stance, their compassion and understanding and everybody felt sorry for them.
Stuff that. They didn’t dig deep for everyone else’s dying dad. Didn’t lift a Facebook finger about anyone else’s abused and slandered daughters.
Representative swill, who alas are representative only when it suits them, or their God.
No-one would wish a prolonged, agonising, and undignified death on anyone’s dad, even Dom’s, but, well, maybe we should reprise forgotten pollie Graham Richardson’s book, Whatever it takes.
Just don’t expect any praise from the public when it happens, Premier.
Now, alas, by nominative association, Dom has diminished the good name of another highly religious bloke, Dom Perignon, but I’d be happy to pop round with a bottle if you change your mind, Premier…before your dad carks it.
Grant Burge Barossa Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvédre 2019, $47.99. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were a modern holy trinity, until they fell foul of Brother Barnaby. Ooh ahh, watch out. Enjoy the show with a bottle of this, although it won't go well with Barnaby's wet lettuce. 9.5/10.
Grant Burge Barossa Filsell Shiraz 2019, $47.99. I can understand $99.99, but $47.99? It's not as if it's easier to calculate the GST ($4.36(27 repeating)), clearly, it's not. But despite a long time between Filsell's, we are reminded how easy it is to drink. 9.4/10.
Taltarni (Moonambel) Taché Sparkling Rosé (Methode Traditionnelle) 2014, $26. This is almost as old as Dom Peri…tay, but way cheaper than both Doms, with way more honesty and integrity than Barnaby. 9.3/10.
Taltarni (Moonambel) Sparkling Shiraz (Methode Traditionnelle) 2018, $26. Every time we have a sparkling shiraz we say, "why don't we have more of these?" Indeed, we should, but after my xmas effort, with less on the walls, curtains, and artworks. 9.4/10.
Deep Woods Estate Margaret River Reserve Chardonnay 2020, $65. Flying in the face of modern trends to sharp, smart, and tart, this is about as old-school as chardonnay gets these days, and a welcome and delicious interlude to the mainstream. 9.5/10.
Deep Woods Estate Margaret River Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, $85. It is hard not to be swayed by the combination of WA, cabernet, and such price tag, but surely politicians could, until they experienced it for themselves. Lovely stuff for a victory celebration or a sad ending. 9.6/10.
