the time has come for garrett

in the midnight oil song 'people of australia', writer and lead singer peter garrett sang:

"our continent, our home it needs wise management"

and finally a wise decision has been made in federal politics. musician, environmentalist, aboriginal activist and social justice crusader garrett has been accepted into the ALP and is set to stand for the labor-secure seat of kingsford smith at the next election. you mean we might actually hear a federal politician speaking candidly about environmental and indigenous issues? thats crazy talk.

already howard and downer are going out of their way to discredit garrett, accusing him of voting evasion, radicalism and anti-Americanism (obviously anyone who doesn't want to tongue kiss dubya is a radical and bad politician). they have also criticised latham of "wooing" garrett into the ALP entirely based on his anti-US stance.

peter fitzsimmons had this pearl to say:

"if we can get people in Parliament with his kind of power and passion for australia behaving like a grown-up nation, it can only be to the good."

indeed.