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March 06
Edition

Pages in PDF

Regular
Features

› The Fat Lady
  Sings - the
  Editor's
  comment
  with
  JoAnn Pacholli

› In Tents Thawts
  with Mick Pacholli

› Sid's
  Comments
  with Sidney
  Somerville-Smith

› The Lie
  Detector
  with Mitchell
   Faircloth

› Fab's Ravings

› Technology
  with Chris Jacobs

› People's Views

› Are You
  Puzzled?
  with
  Narelle Stegehuis

› Family Issues
  with
  Marilyn Brideson

› Gallery Gazing

› Planet Clare

› Lovatts
  Crossword

› Social Scene
  with Ken James

› Live Theatre
  with Blair Edgar

› Movie Scene
  with
  Charlie Alexander

› Entertainment
  with Gary Turner

› Grazing in the
  Suburbs
  with Mick Pacholli

› Grazing in the
  Suburbs
  with Mark Heenan

› Fab's Travel

› Talking Manure
  with Mick Pacholli

› Furry Friends
  with
  Dr Graeme Smith

› Racing
  with Ted Ryan

› Rant & Rave
  with
  Paddles Hackett

› Bowls
  with Mick Pacholli

› Motoring
  with Garry Fabian

› Short Cuts
  Writers
  Competition

"Poofters, Boongs and Trees"

In the days prior to political correctness having entered most facets of public life, politicians were far more prone to blurt out candid sentiments or colourfully convey whatever was on their minds.

During a ministerial cabinet reshuffle in the 1960s, one disgruntled minister condescendingly demonstrated this by describing the new cabinet he’d been given as “Poofters, Boongs and Trees.” In those pre-politically correct times, this meant he’d inherited the portfolios of The Arts, Aboriginal Affairs and The Environment.

Very few political careers could survive similar outbursts in present day Australia, with the possible exception of a few outback electorates where mining is the economic driver of the electorate. A politician using that sort of language would probably gain more votes than loose them.

Wishy Washy, Open Ended Language

The sort of language we get to hear all too often from those in public office are increasingly wishy washy, open ended nonsense designed to inflict minimal ‘collateral damage’, give the impression of sounding important but seldom actually say anything significant.

For example, press conferences regularly provide us with speeches along the lines of, “Strategic synergies are envisaged through the implementation of cost restructuring, harm minimisation and organic growth.”

When a current politician uses this sort of language you have to scratch your head and ask if he or she is talking about ‘job losses’, ‘preventative sports injuries’ or ‘agricultural exports?’ Probably none of the above, as these buzz words are applied to far reaching and diverse topics completely removed from the obvious.

Pissed Off with Portfolio Posting

If they were fair dinkum, they’d use plain English. Unfortunately all too often in public life, the quality of being fair dinkum has diminishing capital. When evaluating the speech of the 1960s politician, one works out he was pissed off with the offices he inherited. No doubt he expected a far more glamorous posting (Foreign Affairs for example) and he made his feelings known.

There was no double meaning in his bombastic outburst. Euphemistic phrases are the order of the day all too often in a society that has little room or appreciation for being ‘fair dinkum’!

On the subject of frankness, an insightful woman told me how she had become disillusioned with the social scene of meeting eligible single men.

Enticing Packaging - Bland Taste

“So many of the men I meet socially leave me cold. In my experience it’s a little like shopping for food in a supermarket. What’s on display and the packaging are fairly impressive and at times quite enticing, but the taste all too often disappoints in its blandness and dullness.” This same woman went on to say, “In my experience men are very much like cats, quite indifferent to a woman’s presence until they are either horny or hungry.”

There was no wishy washy speak in this fiery woman’s language, just a refreshing frankness which I found to be fair dinkum! The ALP might want to preselect her for one of their safe seats. The country might be ready for a wave of plain speaking, no- nonsense-waffling politicians.

By Fabrizio Marsani - fmarsani@yahoo.com.au

Fabrizio Marsani

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