Vale Peter Andren!
Politics can be a dirty game, with back room deals and back stabbing seeming to be part of the deal.
Every now and again though, a man, or a woman of integrity rises to assume a role in a nation’s government, and somehow seems to win respect from both sides of parliament.
Such a man was Peter Andren.
I remember in 1995/96, in the leadup to the 1996 election that both Labor and the Conservatives were courting the popular television newsman to run on their ticket in the up coming election.
In a sign of things to come, Peter Andren told both parties where to get off, and stood as an independent.
At each succeeding election, Peter increased his winning margin, and in 2004 had a two-party preferred count of 75.04 per cent.
This year, Peter decided to quit the house of Representatives.
He’d decided to run for the Senate, in a bid to prevent either of the major parties winning an absolute majority.
There were several times over the years that I felt Peter Andren had made mistakes when taking a stand on issues that concerned me, but he always had my vote.
I felt that he was a man of independent thought, and knew that he had the intestinal fortitude to stand his ground.
I would much rather vote for someone like that, who I didn’t entirely agree with, than a party hack from either side who would simply do as they were told in order to stay in the fold.
My City, Region and Nation are much poorer for his passing.