Anthony Albanese (Pic courtesy Parliament of Australia) |
One way of looking at the history and conduct of prime ministers in Australia is to consider their mentors.
B. A. Santamaria, a prominent Catholic layman, and strident anti-Communist had a strong influence on Abbott. Many of Abbott's cultural views were modelled on Santamaria's proto-Fascism, particularly his opposition to the Republicans and his support of the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War.
B A Santamaria (Pic courtesy Catholic Weekly) |
Abbott wrote a foreword to Alan Reid's novelisation of Santamaria's life (The Bandar Log) in 2015, and launched Gerard Henderson's biography in the same year.
Morrison's mentor was Hillsong Pastor Brian Houston. I write "was" because he has distanced himself from Houston since the latter was arrested on charges of concealing his father's sexual abuse of minors. There were also reports in 2013 and 2019 that he had engaged in inappropriate behaviour with two women associated with his church.
Brian Houston (Pic courtesy The Guardian) |
Albanese's mentor was Tom Uren who was Deputy Leader of the federal ALP from 1975 until 1977, and served as a junior minister in the Hawke government from 1984 until 1987.
Tom Uren (Pic courtesy The Australian) |
The public conduct of these three Prime Ministers is a study in contrasts.
Did this have anything to do with what they learned from their mentors?
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