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Meera Atkinson There are many occupations that involve danger, instability, or daily threat of failure. But no career challenges a person’s ability to survive quite like politics.
There every detail of personal history, every character defect, every mistake made under the glaring gaze of the nation threatens to de-throne power hard won and once lost a political player more often than not is never heard of in public life again. Only the arrogant and the brave attempt such a career. With yet another Federal election looming, it seems a good opportunity to take a look at some of Australia’s political survivors, as well as those who have crashed and burned. But first of all, let’s decide how political survival is defined. There is a difference between making a dignified and timely exit and suffering a devastating fall from grace. Surely one must consider survival as a good run rather than career life eternal, which is impossible for us all, politicians included.  Victorian State Premier Steve Bracks' recent resignation can be seen as a simple personal decision rather than a sign of defeat. Eight years after taking the job and seven months into a third term — a decent innings by anyone's standards — Bracks threw in the towel. Acknowledging his 20-year-old son’s drunk driving crash, he cited the age-old motive of wanting to spend more time with his family. The Deputy Premier, John Thwaites, followed suit.
While their departures don't qualify as failure, it does point to the long hours and demands placed on politicians and the stress this can put on their personal lives. There are those who have taken a rather more dramatic tumble from the heights of power. Having led Labor out of the wilderness with great energy and flair, Gough Witlam's labour government was seen by many as heralding something of a cultural Golden Age and a complete re-thinking of national values. His 1975 sacking by Governor General Sir John Kerr amid a constitutional crisis was the most shocking political event this country has ever witnessed. But, though it certainly marked the end of Gough’s glory days, he can hardly be said to have faded from view. After he failed to win back government in 1977 Gough went on to a distinguished career in public life, including serving as Chairman of the Australian National Gallery, an Ambassador to UNESCO and Visiting Professor in Australian Studies at Harvard University. He has written various publications dealing with government and the law, and now enjoys the status of Labor elder-statesman. Other Labor players have wandered off into the shadows. Mark Latham was seen by many as the saviour of the left prior to the last Federal election, only to lose the race. Plagued by ill-health, unflattering accusations from an ex-wife, and a reputation as a thug who beat up taxi drivers and photographers, Latham gave up the ghost as Leader of the Opposition in 2005. He published a book titled The Latham Diaries later that year in which he launched a virulent attack on the Labor Party and others. Considered by some a Labor tragedy, he is likely to show up one day on a Where are they now? special. No one has a harder time surviving in politics than women. There is a growing list of those who have gathered steam and had the nation pondering the possibility of a woman taking the top job, only to be put to pasture, or at the very least out of that running. Cheryl Kernot and Carmen Lawrence are cases in point. Having gained momentum as leader of the Democrats, Cheryl decamped to Labor in what was seen by many as a blatantly ambitious and careerist move. The intense public scrutiny that followed, including a badly miscalculated magazine photo shoot and revelations surrounding her affair with fellow MP Gareth Evans, were widely thought to be her undoing.  Dr Carmen Lawrence had a steady rise, becoming the first female leader of Western Australia in 1993 before entering Federal politics in 1994. Touted as a potential PM, her prospects took a dive when she became embroiled in scandal surrounding the Royal Commission investigating events surrounding the suicide of WA lawyer Penny Easton. However, she retained her seat as the Federal Member for Fremantle and continued to be active in the Labour party. In March this year Carmen announced her retirement from politics at the next election in order to take up an academic position. She recently published a book titled Fear and Politics.
Natasha Stott Despoja is yet another female who got the hearts of feminists racing only to bail from a position of leadership. Elected as leader of the Australian Democrats in 1997, she was the youngest person of any party to hold the position. In 2002 she resigned due to a party crisis. She now continues service as a Senator for South Australia. And who can forget Pauline Hanson’s One Nation's rise and fall (and attempt to rise again)? Her career qualifies the Queenslander as one the few who can viewed as both an amazing survivor and a failure of tragi/comic proportions. The notorious fish and chip seller came to notice as an outspoken independent in 1994 before going on to establish One Nation in 1997. She swept into office and divided the nation with her controversial take on multiculturalism and Indigenous affairs. She was charged with electoral fraud in 2001 and was sentenced to three years imprisonment in 2003, eventually winning her appeal after spending 11 weeks in prison. She has since appeared on Dancing With the Stars and This is Your Life, wrote an autobiography titled Untamed and Unashamed, and plans to stand as an independent for the Queensland Senate in the next Federal election. David Oldfield, who rose to and fell from fame alongside her, bowed out of politics earlier this year leaving his independent position in the NSW upper house. A married man, he recently denied having had sex with Pauline during their reign as King and Queen of One Nation, as she has claimed in her autobiography. Though it may look like Labor players fall by the wayside at more rapid rate than do their conservative counterparts there have been notable losses on the right. Harold Holt, Liberal Prime Minister back in 1967, disappeared in the ocean off Victoria one day never to be seen again. His body was never found and theories range from suicide to political abduction. In 2005 NSW Liberal Opposition Leader John Brogden was taken to hospital after a suicide attempt in which he suffered stab wounds self-inflicted in a drug and alcohol induced stupor. This sad unravelling came on the heels of an unfortunate reference to Helen Carr, wife of the former Premier, as a mail-order bride, as well as accusations that he had made sexual advances to two female reporters. His resignation promptly followed. Despite scandals involving Liberals and allies, there is no denying that several of our most outstanding survivors belong to its ranks, namely Robert Menzies, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, and John Howard. Menzies still stands as Australia’s longest serving Prime Minister, holding office for over 18 years. Sir Joh, known for his unique manner of communicating and hard-line conservatism, reigned as Queensland Premier for almost two decades.  Our 25th Prime Minister, John Howard, proved persistence pays when he won office in 1996. He has now served for over ten years and has outlived such upsets as the Patrick Stevedore industrial relations dispute, the children overboard claim, and Australian involvement in two wars, one of which has proven to be protracted and increasingly unpopular. Love him or hate him, Howard is a savvy and skilled political animal who has managed to win election after election. Current polls suggest Howard’s days might now be numbered, but I for one have learnt not to be too quick in writing off this old fox.
But my personal favourite of all the stayers is the boy from Bankstown, Paul Keating. Between 1976 and 1983 he served in Opposition, becoming treasurer in 1983 when Hawke won government and maintaining the position until 1991. He was perhaps the most visible, outspoken, and influential treasurer the nation has ever seen, sweeping in changes that ensured the expansion of the Australian economy. He was also infamous for making no secret of his ambitions to become Prime Minister and in 1991 he led Labor to a historic fifth term. A Republican known for his natty suits, cultured tastes, arrogance, and parliamentary potty mouth, Keating advanced Australia’s relations with Asia and reconciliation with Indigenous Australians. He resigned from parliament following Labor’s defeat in 1996 but has since maintained a strong public profile. And he's the only one of them all to inspire a smash-hit operatic musical.
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