This week we discuss the world of power from the competing perspectives of public servants and political staffers. Like our guests, the discussion is generous, honest and fun.
Highlights for me include:
Caroline’s taxonomy of political staffers
Danielle’s reflections on Robo-debt
and Dame’s reflections from the centre of the Covid crisis.
I say it most weeks, but I genuinely think this is our best episode to date, and building on what we are trying to achieve – a place where the common ground between competing perspectives feels solid, where we approach difference with empathy and we leave a discussion having learnt something new. To that end, I urge all our political nerds to subscribe to The Westminster Tradition to hear how good people who take public service seriously navigate their world.
Thinking more broadly about the first few months of our little experiment, I’ve been genuinely taken aback by the positive reception and growing audience. A few have commented ‘you are just trying to be The Rest is Politics for Australia’ and the offer s always there. But I actually think the idea behind this goes beyond either calling or explaining the horse race from different angles. As I’ve got to know Dame I have learned he shares my love of thinking outside the narrow parameters of the political game.
The first book we exchanged was Neil Theise’s ‘Notes on Complexity’ a reconfiguring of physics, biology and mysticism that identifies information as the connective tissue between entropy and chaos, the place where irreconcilable contradictions are resolved. I know this is a bit much for a Saturday but the need to break the binary is an urgent political, social and cultural project that I want to be part of.
A few months back Dame wrote a wonderful description of how our Evil Twin relationship works from his perspective. I responded in kind. And this is not about confecting a bromance or a chum-cast or invalidating the strong views we both take the table. It is really about finding the space to breathe – over a drink - at week’s end. What’s not to like about that?.
We have been lucky to have our partners (Dame’s life, mine professional) Jules and Pete to help us play. Jules has continued to produce the show each week and help us realise this vision. She also writes beautifully and (unlike Dame) doesn’t need Klaus’s help. Meanwhile, Pete is taking the reins at Essential so I can dedicate more time to whatever this project is becoming. Here’s our pilot episode featuring these two excellent humans who we need to get back soon.
My personal favourite episode was recorded in Budget Week featuring the two Fiona Scotts: one a former Liberal MP, the other a long-term staffer currently chief to David Pocock. Their unwritten pact not do each other over when messages to their alter-ego landed in their inbox is absolute gold. The episode hasn’t had as many views as later editions because it was before we got into the algorithm, so if you haven’t had a chance to watch, I think you will enjoy.
While it’s early days the project feels like it is growing wings. The challenge is to build our audience in a world of noise, slop and shock. If you like what we are doing I reckon it’s time to start sharing this around: hit the reviews and give us a rating and do all the like and share stuff. But importantly tell your friends to have a listen. Everyone talks about finding common ground, we campaign for democracy and we wring our hands about misinformation and rage-bait. But we can also do it ourselves by seeking out dialogue that builds civility in the process. If you want to help us to do that, we are here for you.
Have a great weekend.
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