Sunday Sanity Break, 26 May 2019 - Politics and footy coaching

The election is over, suprising most people and especially Bill Shorten. 'Elbo' is about to take over the poisoned chalice of opposition leader, several ordinarily ambitious fellow travelers having declined to stand, most awkwardly the previous Shadow Treasurer who seems to have realised that as the principal architect of the stupendously stupid set of policies Labor took to the election he was unlikely to be acclaimed as the next leader.

Ms Plibersek also withdrew to spend more time with her family and a young bloke, a spokesman for said policies during the election said nothing much when declining to stand. Just smart, surely, as the track records of opposition leaders seeking to become Prime ministers is not all that flash. Only Bob Hawke who took over a few weeks before the 1983 election beat the poisoned chalice. 'Albo's problem is deep seated. He is a well known leftie who ascends after the voters have just rejected Mr Shorten's rabidly leftist policies. One of Albo's strengths is said to be his open and pleasant personality, though obviously he is also a known hard nut. Selling even 'centre left' policies may be wearing, or destroy his reputation for 'integrity'.

Scott Morrison has announced what seems to be a good cabinet. Some new folk, some old folk retired, more women, all fresh-faced and oh so enthusiastic.(I am reminded of Lord Melbourne's tired advice to his colleagues: 'No enthusiasm please, gentlemen'. The economy is facing 'headwinds' and that nice Dr Lowe is about to reduce interest rates. The Coalition's tax cuts are sort of like further interest rate cuts and the plan is they will help fight the headwinds.

I hope someone has told Scomo and Josh that the key to their success will be policies to raise national productivity. That will allow wage increases without too much inflation. It will help maintain economic growth while preventing the slide of the budget back into surplus. Quickly read up on Mr Hawke's success, based as it was on steady macroeconomic policies and productivity producing reforms.

Here is a modest example that will only take a few moments to read.

And good luck to both of you , your colleagues, everyone's families and the voters.

Sporting life

Well, gentle readers, the weekend press went into today's game looking for blood. An abrupt but supposedly friendly departure for the coach of North Melbourne. Assertion that today, depending on who won, the coach of either Caaarlton! or St Kilda would be fired.

Today's game between these hapless teams was a thriller, and for the third game in the past 5 games or so Caaaarltons! young team fort like kilkenny cats and suffered only narrow defeats. Here is the truth. The team has some wonderful talent and today they even started a brawl, just like Nunawading in the 1960s. But today, as in all their games this year, it was talented boys against hardened men. In my mind it would be both cruel and counterproductive to fire coach Bolton. If he is allowed to nurse his cubs along in two or three years he will have a formidable lineup.

The Board of Caaarlton! is said not to contain any men with real footy experience. At least I trained under Ken Hands with Carlton seniors for two seasons, and was judged 'best team player in the junior (U17) team. I also played in two grand finals in the Tough Eastern District Footy league , with one win and one runners up and have coached both boys and girls teams. I am ready to help, but my main point is please give coach Bolton and his young players a fair go.

PS. I would be grateful if any reader who knows the Chair of the Carlton FC board would forward this Blog, or the sporting part of it, to that gentleman. Jack Elliot will find me if anyone would like to discuss this matter further.