The lost art of consensus

Consensus is a word we no longer hear mentioned a great deal in Australian politics.
Bob Hawke rode into The Lodge largely because of his promise to bring to the Prime Ministership a leadership style based on consensus after almost a decade of divisiveness under Malcolm Fraser .
I mentioned this to a chap I sat next to while flying to Sydney last week. His name was Edward de Bono and he introduced himself as a specialist in what he termed “lateral thinking”.
“Any relation to Sonny?” I asked. He mustn’t have heard me because he fell silent for a moment before launching into an analysis of political leadership styles.
He said he had just written a book about that very subject.
Apparently, Mr de Bono has written several books. He rattled off a couple of titles - “The Six Thinking Hats”, “Six Action Shoes” and his latest offering “Six Condoms of Leadership”.
I like to believe that I am not easily shocked, but in this instance I was somewhat taken aback. Not that I have led such a sheltered life that I didn’t know what a condom was.
In fact, I used one once - my good lady wife, Devon, insisted upon it – on our honeymoon. I only hope they are more reliable these days, because the very next day Devon told me she was pregnant and that she felt we should never again take such a risk.
But, I digress.
Mr de Bono’s statement made even me think: what have condoms got to do with political leadership?
He soon explained by way of examples.
In Bob Hawke’s case, Mr de Bono had categorised him as a “ribbed tickler” – with the ribs on the inside.
He said this suited Hawke because of his undeniable sexual magnetism and admittedly huge ego. A “ribbed tickler” – with the ribs inside – suggested the capacity to satisfy others desires while quenching his own egomaniacal demands.
Paul Keating, on the other hand, was of the “glow in the dark” variety.
Being unfamiliar with this type of prophylactic device, I asked Mr de Bono to expand. He was eager to do so.
Paul Keating, he said, brought flair and excitement to the Prime Ministership, even a hint of danger.
Yes, I thought, a “glow in the dark” seemed a perfect description.
And, I offered, what about John Howard?
Mr de Bono looked puzzled. He said he had been trying very hard to fit Mr Howard into one of his six condoms.
The best he could come up with was the basic “snug fitting” Durex.

...

I had been contemplating the word consensus after reading the many and varied proposals for the preramble to our proposed new Constitution.
There are now so many proposed prerambles on the table, so to speak, that it is hard to see how Australians can possible achieve consensus on a single version.
So, inspired by my brush with Mr de Bono, I thought I would sit down and read carefully through all the proposed prerambles on offer and find the common ground in all of them.
After examining the John Howard/Les Murray, Jeff Kennett, Peter Beattie and Gareth Evans versions, I have distilled the essential words that all of them share. Here it is:
“We the people of the Commonwealth of Australia share a unique and ancient land that the Aborigines owned first. In this spirit we commit ourselves to this Constitution.”
It leaves a little to be desired in terms of length, but it will certainly secure broad support.
I might send it off to Mr de Bono to see what he thinks.

Rufus Badinage MBE, now retired, is one of Australia’s leading
experts on politics and public administration having worked as a
senior bureaucrat for various state and federal governments.