A conversation:
A: "I heard Sir Robert Menzies had a mistress."
B: "Really? I thought he was only in love with himself."
Just wondering - how many Prime Ministers have had a bit, or bits, on the side? A considered response would be appreciated. Failing that, wanton slander will do.
without giving it much thought, Hawke shagged his way through his prime ministerial days, Chifley was estranged from his wife who stayed in Bathurst while ben lived in the Kurrajong Hotel, and was involved with one or both of a pair of sisters who worked for him, Malcolm had the wardrobe malfunction in Memphis, but was no longer PM, all the gays in Sydney will tell you thye know someone who knows someone who once saw Gough or Paul at X venue, but I don't believe it, McEwan was also estranged from his wife and married his long term sec after the wife died.
Posted by: jack | 29 January 2007 at 16:10
Well it wasn\'t a chinese sub that got Harold Holt but a posse of pissed-off Portsea husbands.
Y\'know it\'d probably be easier to list Australian PMs that did keep it zipped up.
Posted by: Nabakov | 29 January 2007 at 17:51
Jack: Was floozishness the ... errr ... thrust of Mal's wardrobe malfunction?
Nabs: I can certainly imagine the odd Federational Founding Father up to his dispatch box in scarlet letters.
Posted by: Tony.T | 29 January 2007 at 18:09
I know for a FACT that 100% of married men have cheated on their wives. And if they haven't they are foolish, stupid or crappy at pulling married women.
Posted by: Russell Allen | 29 January 2007 at 18:54
im still gobsmakcked by the cheryl kernot-gareth evans imbroglio.:)
doesnt politics attract people with a high libido but?
Posted by: fran | 29 January 2007 at 19:45
If it counts, I'm all for the majority of parliament to go fuck themselves...
Posted by: CB | 29 January 2007 at 20:12
I heard that one of the old Lib PMs used to go out in his chauffeur-driven limo late at night from his digs ; when returning he would wind down the window and put right index finger to his nose in the old tradition of indicating to the Federal Police guards, that this info was just between the two of them.
Billie McMahon was well-known as a man about town before he was ordered to get married by Mr Menzies.
Posted by: Professor Rosseforp | 29 January 2007 at 21:29
John Gorton was a pretty dab hand with de ladeez as well.
The old rule was that the media never reported on these things, but it is hard to imagine that they'd stick with that now.
Posted by: Scott Wickstein | 29 January 2007 at 21:48
Aah, the sheer hypocrisy of hacks dobbing on pollies about whom stuck what into where. Because as everyone knows, a working journalist would NEVER get a rub and tug or the happy ending from someone other than a significant other.
Posted by: CB | 29 January 2007 at 23:47
I heard a number of drunken conversations last year regarding Jack Howard and Pru Goward. Whether there's anything to it other than rhyming surnames, and the obvious fact that anyone with parental influence over Kate Fischer must be a right tart, I couldn't say. But living in Canberra, we like to believe we know these things. Notwithstanding that Jack likes to live up in Sydney. Interesting, then, that HREOC should be one of only a very few national statutory bodies headquartered in Sydney!
Yes, we 'berrans are that jealous.
Posted by: Harry | 30 January 2007 at 00:47
Scott, the journos still hold their tongues. Things go on, and they generally hear about them, as does the opposition. The rule now is not to mention it unless said politician is being hypocritical - politicking on 'family values' (Ross Cameron for example) or making personal attacks on another poli or journo.
Posted by: Russ | 30 January 2007 at 12:24
I can recommend the reading of a recent biography of Sir Ian Potter.
Gough Whitlam gave the eulogy at Potter's funeral.
Potter's proclivity is clearly stated, and his deep friendship with The Elder Statesman Of Our Time is also described in a way which makes me think .. "that's possible".
Posted by: brownie | 30 January 2007 at 16:09
Alexander Downer did a gay porn flick with Jeff Stryker in the 80s.
Posted by: IslamYuslamWeAllSlam4Islam | 30 January 2007 at 19:07
Harry, John Howard has spoken publicly about the Pru Goward rumours on several occasions, quashing them pretty convincingly. I think his open-ness in bringing the rumours under the spotlight probably confirms nothing happened.
He has championed several females in politics, including Goward, which may indicate that he likes them without doing much about it. He wouldn't be alone as a boss in this sort of attitude.
I hope Pru doesn't get elected ; she showed in her public service role that she was pretty ineffectual.
Posted by: Professor Rosseforp | 30 January 2007 at 22:12
Billy Snedden died while shagging Susan Peacock/Renouf/Sangster.
Posted by: murph | 01 February 2007 at 04:29
Now here's a thing, Murph.
Posted by: Tony.T | 01 February 2007 at 09:01
The missing link hey!
Posted by: murph | 02 February 2007 at 04:12
"Liberal Fold"? I'd never heard of Susan Peacock being called that before. Sounds about right though.
Posted by: murph | 02 February 2007 at 04:14
sh!t. just read the comment thread. the joke's already been done.
Posted by: murph | 02 February 2007 at 04:15