The Lighter Note

Gillard drops the ball

Radio humorists Roy and HG might reckon too much sport is never enough, but The Note reckons an even wiser person said sport and politics don’t mix.

Someone should have reminded deputy prime minister Julia Gillard of the latter when she ventured into the political equivalent of Subiaco Oval this week, attending an away game at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA to sell her government’s new tax, which is about as popular in WA as flooding the backline.

Having risen through the ranks of Labor’s political machine, Ms Gillard was probably prepared for a group of angry blokes exhibiting naked hostility – hence she came armed with jokes about footy.

Unfortunately, The Note’s operatives reckon she looked a little out of touch, and struggled for touch with her approach.

Ms Gillard told the audience that the west was witnessing two modern miracles: the extraordinary rise of the resource sector and the amazing performance of the Fremantle Dockers.

Claiming to be a die-hard Western Bulldogs fan who didn’t want the Dockers to do too well, she lamely suggested “us westies need to stick together”.

Wesfarmers boss, Dockers director and audience utility player Richard Goyder saw the opening left by Ms Gillard’s fumble and took the ball running.

Querying why the federal government’s response to the two-speed economy was to hobble the mining sector, Mr Goyder said it would be like the Western Bulldogs taking star players Adam Cooney and Brian Lake off the field.

“It might even up the competition, but you would never win,” he said, placing his drop punt directly between the posts.