In the aftermath of Scott Morrison beating out Julie Bishop and Peter Dutton to replace Malcolm Turnbull as Australia’s prime minister, he reportedly ended his first full party meeting as leader by calling Bishop aside … and asking her for Tina Arena’s phone number.
So if we are to take a cue from Eric Hobsbawm’s approach to history, dividing events by “ages” characterised by the preponderance of certain ideas and classes of events, rather than, say, monarchic or parliamentary reigns — the “short 20th century” between 1914 and 1991, for example, or the dual revolutions that dominated Europe between 1789 and 1848 — it can be said the “age of Scott Morrison” truly came to an end this week.
Yesterday it was announced that Arena had stepped down from the role on the Australia Council to which Morrison had appointed her. She showed up to fewer than half of the meetings the council held while she was a member, and quit citing other “work commitments”. And let’s face it, matters of state are one thing, but the opportunity to appear as a carnivorous plant on the French version of The Masked Singer, alongside the likes of Jeff Panacloc and his naughty monkey puppet Jean-Marc … well that comes but once in a lifetime.
While the bipartisan practice of stacking various agencies and boards with political allies was greatly accelerated during Morrison’s reign, it’s largely forgotten — as Ross Mueller wrote in Crikey — how many of them simply reflected Morrison’s strange, faintly needy obsession with celebrity.
There was the appointment of Ita Buttrose to chair the ABC (ignoring the $160,000 shortlist compiled by a recruitment company on the government’s behalf). Taking Greg Norman and Curtis Stone to the White House. The “one of the lads” cavorting with various sports teams. Using Guy Sebastian as a “prop”, in the singer’s words, to announce the sluggishly administered $250 million relief package to support the arts sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Then there was the “national careers ambassador” Scott Cam from reality building-renovation TV show The Block. Between his appointment in October 2019 and March 2020, he attended a single event and delivered four social media posts — by April, after COVID hit, Cam announced he was giving up the remainder of his salary meaning he made a measly $175,000 of the $347,000 public money he was to receive for the 15-month gig.
Let’s face it, “Scomo” was a shallow kind of guy.
He was and remains a abhorrent individual.
The two concepts are far from being mutually exclusive.
you could go through the lot of them and I can guarantee that none of them could be classed as ” honorable”
Burn the guy on cracker night.
Didn’t tina relocate to Frances 10 years ago because she stated we didn’t appreciate her enough then returned probably for the same reason. Then back in oz doing a corporate gig stopped mid song and admonished the crowd for talking while she was singing,overrated narcissist
so if Yo Yo Ma or a top artist or say chess champion demanded respect from phillistine disrespectful bunch of self obsessed selfish audience the performer should just cop it or be abused
I used to play in a band called the Bruised Knees. We had a Friday night gig in the Pancake Parlour in Bourke St Melbourne. The punters came to have a pancake or whatever on their way to wherever. We’d sing and play, and once in a while, we’d see toes tapping and notice the roar of conversation had quietened. It never lasted, but while it did, we would take pleasure in realising we’d hit the spot. After the gig we’d take our fifty bucks and have a beer. Those moments of relative quiet and tapping toes were what really made it worthwhile.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, gl! I will never forget similar buzzes when I played in two, very amateurish Melbourne groups called ” Ziggy’s Follies” , and the ” Original Far Full Blues Jazz Band”. Our main audiences were ourselves – but great fun, regardless of our limited appeal.
But aren’t Yoyo and Ding Liren in a different league from Tina ie their audiences rarely show disrespect because they are not philistines ?
Scott Cam’s the best. What a douchebag.
Remember when Scumo paid Cam $350,000 from the public purse for some promotional tosh, when Cam was questioned about that windfall he stated it was none of the public’s business. Arrogance what?
Indeed… because tradies are notoriously short of white middle aged men… it was such an ill conceived scheme
I certainly do. And that is why he’s a douchebag.
“..matters of state are one thing, but the opportunity to appear as a carnivorous plant on the French version of The Masked Singer, alongside the likes of Jeff Panacloc and his naughty monkey puppet Jean-Marc … well that comes but once in a lifetime.”
That is priceless! Worthy of Alastair Cook. I hope you follow her career and I would forgive you if you were arrested for stalking. This is too much fun. “Naughty monkey puppet” indeed!
Tina who? Arena what?? – the name, augh!
Torn up like wet ink on a french subs deal.
Wonder which wiggle is going to replace her …