Quote:
ANDREW DENTON: I want to ask you about a few of the people you've met in politics, but again more on a personal rather than a policy level. Starting with the man that coined you the 'Feral Abacus', the 'Visiting Professor'. You got to know him personally in a way you didn't expect, didn't you? Tell me about that man.
JOHN HEWSON: Yes. Well it's interesting. I mean, just to answer your first question - I do respect him and I think he had a view for Australia and he fought for it. But we had a very interesting experience, I had with him. As we went back to Parliament for the resumption of Parliament after the '93 election, he called me over behind one of the columns and said, "How are you?" I said, "I'm fine." He said, "No, I mean seriously, how are you? You must be terrible, you lost." I said, "Yes, well, I did better than I thought and I'll beat the hell," I actually said, "beat the s**t out of you next time". He said, "No, no, you don't understand. I want to say something to you." He said, "I called you a lot of terrible names in that campaign, a lot of terrible names, and I want you to understand that I didn't mean any of them. I quite like you and I quite respect you." He said, "But you've got to understand," and I've never forgotten this, "You've got to understand, mate, that politics to me is a game and I'll say or do whatever I have to, to win." That sort of 'b*****d factor', if I could use that expression, is essential to be a good leader in politics. It's something I didn't have.
JOHN HEWSON: Yes. Well it's interesting. I mean, just to answer your first question - I do respect him and I think he had a view for Australia and he fought for it. But we had a very interesting experience, I had with him. As we went back to Parliament for the resumption of Parliament after the '93 election, he called me over behind one of the columns and said, "How are you?" I said, "I'm fine." He said, "No, I mean seriously, how are you? You must be terrible, you lost." I said, "Yes, well, I did better than I thought and I'll beat the hell," I actually said, "beat the s**t out of you next time". He said, "No, no, you don't understand. I want to say something to you." He said, "I called you a lot of terrible names in that campaign, a lot of terrible names, and I want you to understand that I didn't mean any of them. I quite like you and I quite respect you." He said, "But you've got to understand," and I've never forgotten this, "You've got to understand, mate, that politics to me is a game and I'll say or do whatever I have to, to win." That sort of 'b*****d factor', if I could use that expression, is essential to be a good leader in politics. It's something I didn't have.
Whole interview here
