The 'The Latham Diaries' Diaries: 1994

Here's a story the media missed, then and now:

Thursday, 24 March
Graham Richardson's private secretary Marion assures me he was all set to swap places with Bob Carr - Carr for Senate, Richo for the NSW Labor leadership. Something change Richardson's mind the weekend before his resignation from Parliament. A nice little mystery, ass everyone smiles and gives Richo and happy send-off. - Page 25


If these any truth at all to this story, it's quite incredible. Given the success that Carr went on to enjoy for a decade, this would have had a remarkable effect of contemporary Australian politics. Has anyone done any digging on this story?

Wednesday, 4 May
It also dragged all the major journalists into Canberra, who then kicked on to the pub in Manuka. Ran into an old mate of minte (now working as a researcher in ABC current affairs) who said that his boss (a prominent TV presenter) was keen for everyone to piss on back at his place in Kingston. Sounded great until we jumped into the boss man's van and he started driving the wrong way down Canberra Avenue, blind as a bat. What a madman, a real nut. In a rare display of good sense, I jumped out and caught a cab home.

I'm told the party ended with one of the ABC journalists collapsed in the middle of the floor, her knickers dangling around her ankles. What a great woman. That, I am told, is the cream of Australia's current affairs media. - Page 26


Not Kerry and Maxine, surely?

And a sign that Keating (and by extention) Latham had the right idea about the merits of governments staying away from corporate welfare:

Monday, 5 December
Keating reckons he was never able to centrally plan five ALP brances in his electorate in Bankstown, let alone complex industries. He describes industry protection as a mug's game: 'We were the bunnies defending the tariff walls but come elction time the industrialists supported the other mob'. - Page 29

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