Well, it’s been a very Jeff couple of weeks. Thinking about questions to ask Jeff, writing and then re-writing the questions for Jeff, wondering if Jeff will answer the questions, researching Jeff, googling Jeff, being utterly downcast when Jeff politely declined to answer our questions, more discussions about Jeff, thunderous editorial meetings about Jeff. Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. I’m staring to feel I bit like a Luenig cartoon.

After all this Jeffing though, I’ve come to a conclusion. Jeff should definitely come back. Not as a re-incarnation of what he was when he was premier of Victoria, but as he is now. The same Jeff, but different.

And not to Victorian politics, but to Federal politics – that’s where we need the most Jeff.

I figure I’ve lost most of the Jeff-haters by now, but if any of you are spluttering into your coffee but still gamely sticking with me, well done and read all the way to the end before you start sending in your hate mail.

I don’t really remember a time where politicians were well regarded by the general public; most of us rank them somewhere between TV evangelists and the guests on a Jerry Springer show. It’s understandable, but also a little sad, because I think some people really do go into politics out of a genuine desire to do some good – poor fools. They end up getting macerated by the spin doctors, back room factional dealings, continuous compromises and constant pandering to the media that inevitably rules modern politics; and finish up impotent, unrecognisable and utterly lacking in credibility. Yesterday’s news.

Which is pretty much exactly what happened to Peter Garrett.

The ones who survive know that to keep going they need to placate the back room power brokers and feed the fickle and dangerous media hounds dogging their every step.

The remainder of their time is spent throwing mud pies at the other side of parliament and hoping that some of it will stick, then running around shrieking about how unfair it all is when the other side does the same thing.

The result of all this is a cynical and apathetic attitude towards politics on behalf of the voters and scurrilous back biting from the media, who know they will sell more advertising with 500 words about who grabbed whose breasts at a party than 3,000 words analysing policy directions.

Anyone who believes (with some justification) that politicians are all venal, power hungry narcissists should take a look at the Mark Latham Diaries – it’s paranoia soaked in vitriol and coated in self-justification, but a couple of things, that I suspect are entirely unintentional, come through very clearly. (He also had some very revealing anecdotes about Kevin Rudd – written long before Rudd was touted as a possible Prime Minister – that show Rudd up as the self-satisfied, convictionless little media whore he has since proven himself to be.)

Latham appeared to launch himself into politics with a naive belief that the ALP existed to change Australia for the better, that its driving force was to look after the workers and the poor and that it remained a shining embodiment of the Australian mateship ideal. Despite his personal issues, he is an intelligent and well informed man who had deeply held beliefs about the need for social change and the economic responsibilities of government. Unlike many in the labour party, he also had at least the beginnings of clearly developed policies on how to achieve these things. The deep sense of grief and personal betrayal he felt when he discovered the full force of the nasty bitey little backroom shenanigans that render the ALP so dysfunctional turned him a bit nutty and you can’t help but feel some pity for him; but what I found most surprising that he found it so surprising. Isn’t that pretty much what anyone would expect from politics – on both sides of the aisle?

What does all this have to do with Jeff, you ask? Well, have some patience, I’m about to get to that.

Jeff was many things; he’s been described as a Machiavellian monster, arrogance given human form, the saviour of Victoria, the worst hairdo since Ray Martin, the biggest mouth in the south and the only true leader in Australian politics since Paul Keating. All these things are probably true, but his worst enemies have never accused him of being weak, easy to push around, mealy-mouthed or lacking in opinions.

He has been fairly careful over the last few years to not comment publicly on political matters, but the few times he has, he has been direct, opinionated (no, really) and speaking an inordinate amount of common sense.

We were not able to interview Jeff for this article, but below are some things he has said in recent years that speak directly to the reasons we need him to come back:

“I don’t know if I was ever a hard man, but I can understand people having that view. But I do say this: I think life is a continuing learning process, and there are, at times, different emphases in your life. If I had my time over again, based on what I have learnt over the last eight years, both as Premier and as Chairman of Beyond Blue, when I've been concerned about depressive illnesses, I would certainly have put more emphasis on dealing with issues such as mental illness, in caring for the aged, which is the other area that I think is so misunderstood, under-resourced, and given such a low priority in society today.”

“No political party is about a person. We're a collection of people, and within that collection of people, I believe you best present yourself to the electorate and you best represent the electorate if, in fact, you are clearly focused on a philosophy, but within that philosophy you allow and encourage different points of view, to make sure that the debate is relevant to the society in which you live. If you try to get rid of all the moderates, or if you tried to get rid of all of those who may be considered to be more hardline - it didn't matter from which side you're pushing - then I think the party is weaker.”

“While the public will appreciate money in the pocket, my personal concern is that we have some underlying issues here in this country about preparing us for the future. And by that I mean quality teachers for education to educate the children of the future, our workforce. Secondly, being able to put in place attractive packages to attract people, both professionals and non-professional people, to our health system. And I would very much like to see some of the very large surplus be devoted to those areas as well as, as I have continually and consistently argued for, the development of a national water plan.”

“While you in the media are very critical of politicians, we are equally critical of what I can only call the sub-standard level of professionalism exhibited by our media.”

"If there is a need to do it, if that is the best thing to do, then it should be done regardless of the political risks."

The same Jeff, but different.

As he said, life is a learning process, and he is no longer the man he was when he was Premier. He has developed more compassion, softened his approach to dealing with opposition and recognised the need to listen to a broader constituency. At the same time, he still retains the knowledge and clarity of purpose that made him such a driving force in Victorian politics.

Admittedly, he has the advantage these days of not being in politics; it’s far easier to express opinions on policy when you don’t have to placate lobby groups or keep your financial backers quiescent. However, no matter how much Jeff may have softened, it seems unlikely that age would wither him to the point that he would be easily rolled by anyone, nor would custom stale his infinite ability to raise the level of public debate in this country. Many people might, and probably would, violently disagree with things he says, but no-one would be able to ignore it in favour of the latest master chef contestant or the hair-pulling antics of Canberra’s front benchers.

I think it is also worth making the point to all those Jeff-haters who complained about his arrogance or his cronyism: what exactly do you want from your politicians? If you are asking them to be utterly flawless then you are asking them to lie to you. If you accept that they are human and thus flawed then what faults are you willing to accept? Arrogance? Utter belief in themselves and their ideas? Or would you prefer them to be venal, self-serving, convictionless little media whores? Be careful, because you will get what you ask for.

So, why do we want Jeff to come back? Because there is no-one, no-one, in politics at the moment who has the balls to say what they think, the strength to stare down back room power-grubbers, the conviction to rise above petty squabbles about trivialities, the nouse to develop policies and the force of personality to carry them through. We are in desperate need of strong social, economic and environmental action, designed for long term results not for tomorrow’s opinions polls. Rudd can’t do it, Turnbull can’t do it and there doesn’t appear to be anyone else who can do it. Jeff, more than anyone else on the horizon, has the best chance of getting us, if not there, then at least on our way.

Come back Jeff, all is forgiven.

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