Jeff Kennett

[Wonaeamirri33]

For those of you advocating Kennett, would you hire Sheedy next year because he's seen a successful period at a club? Malcolm blight? Tom Hafey? Robert Walls? Please. Kennett did a lot of good for Hawthorn but it doesn't change the fact that he has announced himself as a big advocate of merging and moving victorian clubs. If you want Melbourne to follow in those footsteps then by all means get Kennett.

And none of those arguing for Kennett as President have been able to refute the argument about his public statements and actions over the course of his life, either politically or in the sporting arena, and consequently, what he represents as a person.

Such a counter-argument is impossible to make. Because the facts are undeniable.

 

[Super Demon]

And none of those arguing for Kennett as President have been able to refute the argument about his public statements and actions over the course of his life, either politically or in the sporting arena, and consequently, what he represents as a person.

Such a counter-argument is impossible to make. Because the facts are undeniable.

Why don't we just do something very Old Fashioned?

Lets have a vote!

 

[Captain Jack]

And none of those arguing for Kennett as President have been able to refute the argument about his public statements and actions over the course of his life, either politically or in the sporting arena, and consequently, what he represents as a person.

Such a counter-argument is impossible to make. Because the facts are undeniable.

In no way am I trying to defend Kennett as a friend of the little people or a good bloke to have a beer with. Certainly not.

I'm just saying that where we are at as a club is not a position from which we can rule out people who may be slightly on the nose according to some opinions. We are desperate. We need people who know success, and who will get us going in that direction. We need to stop playing Mr Nice Guy... Jimmy did that with aplomb, but apart from him most people need serious mongrel to succeed in the AFL, and we haven't had an ounce of that since lord knows when.

 

[GHardeman]

In no way am I trying to defend Kennett as a friend of the little people or a good bloke to have a beer with. Certainly not.

I'm just saying that where we are at as a club is not a position from which we can rule out people who may be slightly on the nose according to some opinions. We are desperate. We need people who know success, and who will get us going in that direction. We need to stop playing Mr Nice Guy... Jimmy did that with aplomb, but apart from him most people need serious mongrel to succeed in the AFL, and we haven't had an ounce of that since lord knows when.

You will get serious mongrel with Jeff.
My concern with him is that he takes big risks, he gives up a lot to get something. He gave up control of power and gas for the sake of restructure. He gave up the existing roads to get new ones. Would he give up Melbourne's identity in Victoria to get success? Is that success for us, to win from Hobart or WA or Arden St?

 

[Tulip]

It wouldn't be a controversial opinion that Victoria hasn't had a better Premier since Kennett was voted out of power.

Bracks, Brumby, Baillieu, Napthine...

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Bracks, Brumby...

I think I should reiterate at this juncture that neither Bracks nor Brumby closed hundreds of state schools and sacked thousands of teachers, sacked 16,000 public transport workers, flogged off $33 billion in public assets to corporate mates, outsourced emergency services to an unreliable private company who were also party allies, campaigned against government oversight, or ran a dodgy tendering process for the building of Crown Casino which ensured the winning bid came from friends of theirs. Nor did they waste public money on vastly expensive private toll roads.

 

[Tulip]

I think I should point out again at this juncture that neither Bracks nor Brumby closed hundreds of state schools and sacked thousands of teachers, sacked 16,000 public transport workers, flogged off $33 billion in public assets to corporate mates, outsourced emergency services to an unreliable private company who were also party allies, campaigned against government oversight, or ran a dodgy tendering process for the building of Crown Casino which ensured the winning bid came from friends of theirs. Nor did they waste public money on vastly expensive private toll roads.

You say the same things every time, but your side is simply one side in a double ended story. There are plenty of people who think Kennett did plenty to help Victoria progress.

We all hates to see schools closed and people lose their jobs, but somebody has to do it - unfortunately. Simple reality.

I presume you give your vote to the Greens, I'd be interested to see them get the lower floor in some bizarre world to see what would happen.

 

[GHardeman]

It wouldn't be a controversial opinion that Victoria hasn't had a better Premier since Kennett was voted out of power.

Bracks, Brumby, Baillieu, Napthine...

It wouldn't be a controversial opinion. But there have been better club presidents, Costa, Maguire who have believed in their teams and given their time voluntarily to make their clubs stable and successful. I have said this elsewhere and I don't want to get too repetitive, but MFC need to start believing in itself and making people great from within. Jake Niall wrote about saviours like Peter Moore, Kelvin Templeton, regaining Barassi. Kennett is just another Diamond Jim. He is not the answer because he does not think we should be great. It is different for Jackson, that is a paid position. Why would anyone volunteer to run a footy club they openly dislike?

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

There are plenty of people who think Kennett did plenty to help Victoria progress.

That may well be the case. However, over the years, little concrete evidence has been forthcoming from Kennett supporters to substantiate this rose-coloured view of the Kennett government.

I presume you give your vote to the Greens, I'd be interested to see them get the lower floor in some bizarre world to see what would happen.

Since the Greens occupy about the same part of the political spectrum Gough Whitlam did, I'd hope similar action would result from such a scenario. No doubt they'd seek to implement their policy platform. And the Greens are more transparent in that regard than anyone else - their platform's been published and available on their website for about a decade and half.

And in point of fact, on issue-based polling over time, with the exception of refugee policy and carbon pricing, Green policy positions are regularly supported by a majority.

 

[GHardeman]

The politics is about what is best to spend people's money on. If you think the govt should give it back to taxpayers then Kennett is great and you pay for everything as you go. If you think the govt should provide services and you are prepared to contribute to those services, then Kennett is a disruptive community wrecker. Pretty simple really.

 

[Tulip]

It wouldn't be a controversial opinion. But there have been better club presidents, Costa, Maguire who have believed in their teams and given their time voluntarily to make their clubs stable and successful. I have said this elsewhere and I don't want to get too repetitive, but MFC need to start believing in itself and making people great from within. Jake Niall wrote about saviours like Peter Moore, Kelvin Templeton, regaining Barassi. Kennett is just another Diamond Jim. He is not the answer because he does not think we should be great. It is different for Jackson, that is a paid position. Why would anyone volunteer to run a footy club they openly dislike?

The point is that nobody has put their hand up aside from Kennett. It's unpaid, as you say. Not only is it unpaid, but nobody has proven themselves as a positive, long-term incumbent in years.

I think you mean Diamond Joe, by the way.

 

[Tulip]

The politics is about what is best to spend people's money on. If you think the govt should give it back to taxpayers then Kennett is great and you pay for everything as you go. If you think the govt should provide services and you are prepared to contribute to those services, then Kennett is a disruptive community wrecker. Pretty simple really.

I still haven't offered up an opinion on the political side, because I don't have one.

I don't like the ALP, especially that slimy whose on the campaign trail in Victoria now.

 

[GHardeman]

The point is that nobody has put their hand up aside from Kennett. It's unpaid, as you say. Not only is it unpaid, but nobody has proven themselves as a positive, long-term incumbent in years.

I think you mean Diamond Joe, by the way.

Nah, Diamond Jim Tilbrook from the early 70's. Came from SA with a massive reputation, a huge kick and was more disappointing than any of the others listed above.

 

[GHardeman]

Nah, Diamond Jim Tilbrook from the early 70's. Came from SA with a massive reputation, a huge kick and was more disappointing than any of the others listed above.

Here's the demonwiki entry http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=John+Tilbrook
I saw his first game at Waverley. His first kick went miles.

 

[jhong]

Nah, Diamond Jim Tilbrook from the early 70's. Came from SA with a massive reputation, a huge kick and was more disappointing than any of the others listed above.

we were hoping for a phil carmen clone , got overhyped did Tilbrook .

 

[jhong]

Reading through this thread has convinced me Kennett is not the right fit for us , we need a president that will unify the club ,and IMO he will divide us even more .There is no middle ground with Jeff, you either love him or loathe him .
Just because no one has put their hand up (that we know about) doesn't mean no-one is interested .
Just imagine for one minute if Jeff gets the gig , and the Hawks made the Grand Final , how would you feel if Kennett was there in his Hawk jacket , i know how i would feel (violently ill) .

 

[tazhawk]

Wouldn't be against it.

Took Hawthorn from basket case to Top 4, so there is some upside.

Rubbish.

Ian dicker did that.

 

[Tulip]

http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Ill-save-Dees-Jeff/8190

Kennett's comments on Friday.

 

[FancyNancy]

It's up to you guys, but it happens in the English premier league where someone without any particular allegence comes in with the aim of success, notably Chelsea. The Chelsea supporters don't feel disenfranchised because a Russian is steering the club.
Jeff would do a good job but you would probably sell games to another state or NZ.
Although he talks drivel when it comes to football matters he does let the football department get on with the job.a
For Hawthorn he had a use by date and although he put us in a financially stronger position I am glad he is no longer president.
He was a means to an end.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

Ian Dicker did that.

Exactly right Taz. Good to see Hawthorn supporters helping to set the record straight on that here also

 

[Bumpswithagrin]

Rubbish.

Ian dicker did that.

They both contributed.

Jeff is not perfect but you could do worse.

I don't want to see Melbourne cease to exist so hope you can get the club back on it's feet somehow whether it be via the services of Jeff Kennett or not. All the very best to you

 

[jhong]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2013-06-10/we-dont-want-kennett-mclardy
Worth a listen

 

[lanky_wes]

I think I should reiterate at this juncture that neither Bracks nor Brumby closed hundreds of state schools and sacked thousands of teachers, sacked 16,000 public transport workers, flogged off $33 billion in public assets to corporate mates, outsourced emergency services to an unreliable private company who were also party allies, campaigned against government oversight, or ran a dodgy tendering process for the building of Crown Casino which ensured the winning bid came from friends of theirs. Nor did they waste public money on vastly expensive private toll roads.

You are correct, instead they created a massive debt similar to the one that Kennett inherited from the labour government before him. Kennett made plenty of mistakes, but without him who knows the amount of debt Victoria would be in.

That said, I don't want him to be melbourne's president.

 

[Wonaeamirri33]

You are correct, instead they created a massive debt similar to the one that Kennett inherited from the labour government before him.

Somehow I'm very skeptical about the claims the Libs have made on this issue.

Having been a student of Australian politics for decades now, it seems Coalition governments always make lurid claims about "massive debt" shortly after they take office, in order to justify the ideological measures they want to take. It's pretty difficult to find a State or Federal Coalition govt who haven't sought to make such assertions, and they've been proven incorrect more often than not.

The Newman govt in Queensland being the most spectacular example in recent memory, with their absurd audit, the provably untrue assertions about "$60 billion" debt here, and the "Queensland is like Spain" malarky.

Moreover, governments aren't like corporations. Honestly. The goal of government is to serve the community, not to post a big profit ever year.

 

[GHardeman]

You are correct, instead they created a massive debt similar to the one that Kennett inherited from the labour government before him. Kennett made plenty of mistakes, but without him who knows the amount of debt Victoria would be in.

That said, I don't want him to be melbourne's president.

Not a politics thread, but in the Herald Sun on Sept 25 2011 (not an organ of the Labor Party) Peter Rolfe wrote:
"After the Kennett Government slashed debt to about 3 per cent of GSP, under Steve Bracks it grew to about 4 per cent, and another percent under John Brumby but is picking up pace in the Baillieu Government's first term.
Former Premier Steve Bracks said the Government would find itself in deeper fiscal trouble when it tried to pay for as-yet unfunded election promises such as undergrounding powerlines and rail links to Avalon and Melbourne airports and Doncaster. It also has to find money for pay rises for teachers and police, and big cuts to stamp duty.
"I think the issue is that they have significant unfunded capital works commitments and they have undertaken a budget which really didn't set up a structure for the future in cutting into outlays," Mr Bracks said."

No question Kennet inherited debt. The current government created as much as they received.

I don't really want Kennett either, because he says embarrassing things and I am sick of being embarrassed by my team.