RIP Al Grassby...

[Violet_Crumble]

Unlike Bjeke-Peterson, there's plenty of good stuff to say about Al Grassby...

Father of multiculturalism, or just a colourful lair from Griffith? The Honorable Albert Jaime Grassby, who has died aged 78, was a bit of both, and then some.

His arrival in Canberra in 1969, and subsequent promotion to minister for immigration in the Whitlam government's first term from 1972-74, was a shock to the system.

It was to Grassby's eternal credit that, through political vision, his wit and some outrageous stunts, he turned this into a plus, helping to bury the discredited White Australia policy of the Menzies era.

Grassby literally wore his politics on his sleeve - one that, often as not, was part of a purple or gold safari suit. Or, if the suit was conventional, there would be a wild tie.

He called it his "Riverina rig", and it carved an eye-straining sartorial swathe through Canberra, about as subtle in the corridors of power as Sir Les Patterson at a cocktail party.

Grassby's policies began the transformation of an Anglo-centric, or at least Euro-centric Australia, to one that welcomed Asians and people from every part of the globe.



http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Al-Grassby-father-of-multiculturalism-dies/2005/04/23/1114152363110.html

[Matilda]

1. One of those colourful characters that only Labor produced.

I use the past tense, because the suits rule in today's ALP. A
Grassby probably wouldn't have a chance.

[Djinn]

2. given how much they back

current detention centre policies I'd say Grassby would definetly be on the outer in today's ALP and it's a damn shame.

I can't even imagine how dull it must have been in Oz in the white australia days (being a relatively recent immigrant) something I always miss about home when travelling is the diversity.



what a man - what a suit!

[oscarmitre]

3. He was

a crook. Sorry to burst the bubble. He was as crooked as Bjelke.

[Djinn]

4. trawling through archives

I stumbled across this and in case anyone else ever reads this I had to loudly say that comparing Grasby and Bjelke is ludicrous and offensive.

Bjelke rigged elections, took bribes, ran the filthiest bunch of racist fascist blackshirts in the guise of the QLD coppers (anyone who was politically active in unions, indigenous politics, or the left generally at the time has tales of targeted police harassment, bashings and fit-ups)

Grasby on the other hand:

was charged with criminal defamation of Mrs Mackay. He always maintained his innocence and fought a 12-year battle in the courts before he was eventually acquitted on appeal in August 1992. He was awarded $180,000 in costs.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Al-Grassby-father-of-multiculturalism-dies/2005/04/23/1114152363110.html

The sleazy insinuation has always been he "defamed" Mackay in order to take the heat off his "mafia backers" - quite simply the usual racist tory bile. Every Italian in or near Mackay was being harassed, because much like the au courant view that you're obviously a terrorist if you're wearing a hijab, back then if you were Italian you killed Donald Mackay and were from "The Family"

Grasby fucked up in clumsilly attempting to deflect the negative attention on the Italian community it hardly comes close to Bjelke's nefarious deeds.

Hyperbole is one thing but your post is just bullshit.