Price Is Right - On Earth As It Is In Kevin

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday November 22, 2008

Annabel Crabb

MONDAY brings the first anniversary of the Rudd Government's election - still a source of wonderment and joy to the hardy veterans of federal Labor who had slogged through 111/2 years of miserable opposition to get there.

But Tuesday brings an anniversary of another kind: one year to the day since journalist Matt Price left this world.

It's been a ridiculously busy year for Kevin Rudd but it's worth noting that during that time he has paid special attention to Price's family.

The Prime Minister's capacity for unprompted, private acts of kindness is substantial. And his ability to laugh at himself was on admirable display last week as he launched Top Price, the recently published collection of Price's columns.

"Matt didn't show much mercy to me at the beginning, or actually, towards the end of my time of association with him," Rudd recalled.

"First opening up a front on my carefully manicured hair style - in Matt's words, quote, 'With the greatest respect, Kevin, it's a shocker.'

"I've been affected by that ever since. Much more so my hairdresser in Brisbane, who to this day still wishes to remain nameless.

"Then there was the scientific dissection of my hand movements - the Count Manoeuvre, the Karate Chop, the Fist Thrust Forward and the Thumb Over the Shoulder. I worry about how much footage he must have watched to come up with the analysis of my hand movements and I'm only glad he didn't write particularly on the question of the examination of my ear on a particular day in the House of Representatives.

"Then there was his outrageous assertion that I often deliberately sought out media coverage. And he said this - I think this is most unfair - he said, 'Had Rudd been born female, buxom and American, he'd have left Paris, Britney and Anna Nicole in the shade.' Unquote."

At this point, the PM gave a sneaky little smile. "Unfair," he said. "Not necessarily untrue."

It's been an amazing year in Australian politics. And a deeply productive one for Kevinism, the cult that Rudd started and Price named.

The constant, nagging sadness at the heart of many dedicated political tragics is the thought of what Price might have made of Rudd's Australia, had he lived to see it.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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