There was a moment that we all stood proud this week. It was the 10,000m womens final with Celia Sullohern, Madeline Hills and Eloise Wellings competing for Australia. They ran well but thats not what will be remembered. It was the image of the three of them waiting on the track for another five minutes to cheer on Lesothos Lineo Chaka while she finished her run. Very sporting.
Our swimmers were also sensational with a string of golds in the relay medleys and 1500m on finals night. It was also great that the PM was in the stand to cheer them on. His attendance was slightly overshadowed by his failure to medal (apparently that is a verb now) in the John Farnham crowd sing-along. To be fair, not knowing the words to Whispering Jacks 1986 hit Youre the Voice may be a little awkward for the guy who is supposed to be our voice, but should not be a hanging offence. It did put another ding in his lacklustre every-man credentials.
While Mr Turnbull was on the Gold Coast; his nemeses, Tony Abbott, was wringing every drop of publicity from his annual pollie pedal to undermine his leader. This included a roll through the Latrobe Valley to call on the Government to build a new coal fired power station and buy an old one. He was quickly slapped down by a string of Ministers, including a few of the pretenders to the top job. Dutton, Morrison and Frydenberg all pointed to the lunacy of Mr Abbotts proposal a denunciation that fell awkwardly from the mouth of the Treasurer who has been known to use a lump of coal as a prop during his Question Time antics.
Not to be distracted by running the country, this same trio used the week to lodge very public expressions of interest in the Prime Ministers job if it should become vacant. The former Deputy Prime Minister chimed in with some free advice by suggesting that Christmas was the deadline for the current PM to lift his game or vacate the Lodge.
Happily there was less attention on the Governments disintegration-in-slow-motion. The nation was focused on the Gold Coast and the stunning medal tally for Australia. This wont last forever though.
Theres a string of decisions that need to be made, particularly on energy policy. And while the Government wrangles with State Premiers to get them to sign up to its National Energy Guarantee there is no guarantee that the PM has the numbers to get any deal through his own party room.
An election can be held any time from July this year. Not such a bad thing.
MCCI Seniors Week
Great to be withMulticultural Communities Council of Illawarra (MCCI) to celebrate Seniors Week. Great event with some truly stand out people.
