People will be speculating for months to come on the underlying reasons for Premier Geoff Gallop’s sudden and unexpected resignation from the state’s top political job due to depression.
People will be speculating for months to come on the underlying reasons for Premier Geoff Gallop’s sudden and unexpected resignation from the state’s top political job due to depression.
And it won’t escape some that he’s the second Labor premier in less than 20 years to have resigned that powerful post when Labor and its leader were riding high.
Like Dr Gallop, Brian Burke also departed the premiership when seemingly at the peak of his career.
Although the reasons for Mr Burke’s departure were markedly different, the question will undoubtedly be asked: “What is it about Labor that its leaders not only leave the premiership, but also politics when still young enough to go on for years to come?”
Let’s not forget that Mr Burke once admitted he found the premiership quite arduous, so much so that he often found it difficult to get out of bed in the morning.
True, Mr Burke’s two immediate successors – Peter Dowding and Carmen Lawrence – stuck the job out to the bitter end, with the former being dumped by cabinet and the latter because of an election defeat.
But the premature departure of two out of four Labor premiers is an extraordinarily high attrition rate.
And let’s not forget that Labor leader, Ian Taylor, also quit its leadership prematurely and without warning.
Does this perhaps suggest that the Labor Party needs to take a closer look at itself?
Does it perhaps suggest that the constant and demanding wheeling and dealing between its factions should be gradually toned down, if for no other than to take the pressure off leaders?
One suspects the answer to both questions is yes.
Liberal leaders and premiers, Ray O’Connor and Richard Court, seem to have come through the premiership ordeal quite unscathed.
As did Mr Court’s father, Sir Charles, whose departure, although he retired from that post to make way for Mr O’Connor, cannot be compared to those of Messrs Burke, Gallop and Taylor, if for no other reason than his age at the time.
Ever the royalist, Sir Charles ended his valedictory speech to the party faithful at the Liberal Party West Perth headquarters in December 1981 with the words: “The King is dead, long live the King”, meaning he was departing and all should now turn their attention to other things, especially his successor.
The same now applies to Labor.
Who, therefore, will be its new leader?
Although the immediate talk was that there were three contenders – State Development Minister Alan Carpenter, Attorney-General Jim McGinty, and Health and Police Minister Michelle Roberts – few believe there will be a ballot for the post on February 2, when caucus meets.
For guidance on what’s likely to happen over the next fortnight one needs only look back at the passing of the baton by Mr Burke.
In that case there were four contenders – David Parker, Julian Grill, Bob Pearce and Peter Dowding.
Mr Burke and his deputy, Mal Bryce, assessed them and decided it would be the latter.
Why?
Simply because he was seen as the most telegenic and convincing in dealing with the media.
Without belittling Mr McGinty and Ms Roberts, Labor finds itself in exactly the same position today – having to find a telegenic leader who is a competent media performer.
And one doesn’t need to be Einstein to decide who that is.
Mr Carpenter, a former television journalist, even though in London at present, is clearly head and shoulders ahead.
Moreover, he’s factionally unaligned – so is in the same position as Dr Gallop – which will make it easier for the left, or the McGinty faction, and the right, or the Roberts faction, to accept him.
Mr Carpenter, like Mr Dowding, is therefore set for a dream run into Western Australia’s top political job.
If the perfunctory February 2 ballot resolves otherwise, it will be an outcome welcomed by the Liberals, who are currently having second thoughts about having opted for Matt Birney because he was their most telegenic member.
