Graham Freudenberg, of German, Scottish and Irish descent, whose Prussian-born grandparents were declared enemy aliens in 1915 after 50 years prolific residence in Queensland, has recently held a séance with King O’Malley (an American pretending to be a Canadian and Peter Dutton’s early predecessor as Minister for Home Affairs) and Prime Ministers Chris Watson (born in Chile, son of a stateless Swedish sailor), Billy Hughes (a London-born Welshman), Bob Menzies (‘British to the bootstraps’) and Malcolm Fraser (part-Jewish and therefore with a citizen’s right of return to Israel whether he wanted it or not) and writes:
It must give Barnaby the pip
Saddled with a Kiwi Dad
Yet Malcolm’s yankee hip to hip
And Tony was a Pommie lad.
Allegiance is a state of mind.
They say the heart goes with the treasure.
Scratch Malcolm and you’ll surely find
New York defines his royal measure.
With Donald’s finger on the button,
Dinkum Aussies, rest secure
You’re pure and safe with Peter Dutton
Policing Section Forty-four.
Graham Freudenberg was a speech writer for many years, for prime ministers and premiers, including Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Bob Carr.
John Menadue is the Founder of Pearls and Irritations and a board member. He was formerly the Editor-in-Chief. John was the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet under Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser, Ambassador to Japan, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and CEO of Qantas.
Comments
5 responses to “GRAHAM FREUDENBERG. “Which of us is safe?””
Evan Whitton writes:
Freudy is a national treasure. More please.
I’ve never quite understood why a dual or triple or more citizenship was important to have – unless bolt-hole escape or some other minority status advantage was the point. But each to their own. Nonetheless I want to know that my state and national parliamentarians are beholden to/loyal only to their state or the nation. And if it’s in the rules of state or national representation – then they must be followed. Thinking on how everyday brings a new “mea culpa” from someone in either the national senate or the house of reps – I’m beginning to wonder about how all those state MPs fare in these stakes. I recall a mate having to disavow his British citizenship – but he was ALP…how about all the others…go to it journos!
Hawke and Keating removed the power of Cabinet or the Executive to control the exchange rate and interest rates;-to run an airline, a bank and a Post Office, and much more. Today its doubtful if the Executive does really control fiscal policy but they do still control our National Defence. That is the one terrifying thing they do control.
Every time I see Andrew Farran’s name I am reminded of his excellent work, alerting us the dangers of the Executive’s War Powers.
Who can be a member of Parliament, who can marry who, the date of Australia Day and the like, are all diversions from what should be the big issues of our time!
What’s this, Andrew? Ignoring the Constitution?
Quite so.
If one is eligible to vote one should be eligible stand – particularly having regard to our demographic structure.