As of today, Nathan Rees has officially ousted Morris Iemma from the NSW Premiership, with Carmel Tebbutt, beloved defender of education, by his side (Rees’, not Iemma’s). And I can’t say I’m sorry to see it happen.
What I can say, however – and will – is I told you so. Well, OK, maybe I predicted Iemma would lose the next state election to the Liberal party rather than caucus to his once-loyal backbenchers, but still. Saw it comin’.
I shall miss Mr Iemma. He had about as much charisma as an ergonomic desk chair, but if you ever needed somebody to cut the ribbon at an art gallery, retirement village, sports complex or haberdashery outlet (on short notice too, might I add), you could always count on Morris.
As a charity worker for wash up, out-of-work ‘ribbon cutters’, I’ve observed the devastating impacts of high-status job failures first-hand (Paul Keating and Rodney Adler are but two examples). Stay strong, Morris, old chap – the ribbon shall be cut by thee again!
Algernon Sharpbottom
Ah, Rodney Adler. How I miss him not.
Speaking of out-of-work ribbon-cutters, there’s a great John Clarke sketch about Peter Reith getting a job selling government defence contracts after he was sacked for the children overboard affair. Brilliant stuff!