
Issue No 64		28 July 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Tool Shed

Victoria's Number One Tool - Victor Perton

By Caroline Block in Melbourne

This self-styled cyber pollie and civil libertarian would have to be the biggest tool in Victorian politics - and that's a big call.

Victor, the State Liberal MP for Doncaster, after being passed over by Kennett for a Ministerial position for seven years was forced to use his website to keep himself occupied and promote himself. But Victor's online bombastic self-flattery makes one wonder about the state of his palms.

While you may be excused for thinking "why bother if he's so pathetic?", Victor invites the scrutiny by promoting his website at every possible opportunity. He refers to himself as a "WEO" - Wired Elected Official. Whoever can think of the most creative alternative for the acronym WEO wins a free set of steak knives.

A dripping wet, small 'L' Liberal, Victor's preaches tolerance through his website while at the same time insulting working class families with contemptible putdowns about their level of intelligence and ability to raise children.

Last week at Brimbank Council in suburban Melbourne - which represents the working class suburb of St Albans - Councillors passed a unanimous resolution condemning Victor for the following comments in a speech he posted on his website:

"There are lots of highly intelligent children in St Albans, Cabramatta, or Toowomba, but whose development and capacity to end up coming to your attention is held back because their schools don't have the money for the technology, or don't have the teachers who are adept at utilizing cheaper forms of technology. Or even worse, whose parents have no interest and gain their cultural fulfilment from General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, Midday and Neighbours."

Councillors wrote to Victor and to the Speaker of the Victorian Parliament (Alex Adrianopolous) voicing their outrage at the comment, which they felt was insensitive and offensive. The Speaker's reaction will be interesting considering he was a former Member for St.Albans.

The Internet is Victor's weapon of choice. How appropriate then, that it has been the vehicle for exposing his shame.

He was recently embarrassed in Victoria by being caught out nominating himself for a British New Statesman Media Award for his own website. Needless to say, it did not win.

In May the Victorian Parliament heard how Victor had written online of his adventures in Singapore, where he imbibed in a local aphrodisiac, "deer penis wine". The bizarre substance was immediately dubbed "Victor's Viagra" in the media.

But I think it's this speech he delivered at an ANZAC Day ceremony in his electorate in 1998 which reveals what a complete Tool Victor really is.

Remember, this is a speech - to Diggers - on ANZAC Day:

"American Film Director James Cameron, in his acceptance speech for the 1998 Academy Award for the best picture, said "the message of 'Titanic' of course is that if the great ship can sink, the unthinkable can happen, the future is unknowable." The only thing that we truly own is today. Life is precious, so during these few seconds, I'd like you to also listen to the beating of your own heart, which is the most precious thing in the world. Let us take a moment to imagine the beating of the hearts of the young men 83 years ago, as they waited on their ships to mount the beaches of Gallipoli."

I don't know about the heart, but something else sure is beating hard in Doncaster.

Check out Victor's website:

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~victorp/

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Issue 64 contents

Interview: Greg Sword Unsheathed
The NUW national secretary is set to be endorsed as ALP Federal president next week. He talks about the relationship between the two wings of the labour movement.

Unions: Phone Rage, Headaches and Stress
A comprehensive survey of the call centre industry conducted by the ASU has revealed an industry workplace culture dominated by excessive monitoring and stress.

Economics: And the Winner Is .... Sydney?
Austrade chief economist Tim Harcourt looks at the export impact of the Sydney Olympics and asks if we'll win gold.

International: Western Sahara: Referendum Or War?
A June UN referendum in Western Sahara could have provided the people of Western Sahara a chance to exercise their right to self-determination and independence. It didn't.

History: The Union's Roots in Song
We look at some of the songs that kept working people going through their darkest hours.

Media: Unchaining the ABC
The ALP needs to rethink our public institutions to determine how they might better deliver the ends for which they were originally established.

Environment: Motorways Fail the Pollie Test
Our daily grind of congested roads, polluted air, and frustrated motorists is putting all and sundry to the test, and not least Liberal and Labor politicians.

Satire: Murdoch Launches Bid for Under-9s Netball Team
Sydney's lucrative junior league netball broadcasting market has been shaken by a bid by one of the world's most predatory entrepreneurs, Rupert Murdoch, to secure ownership of the most successful team in the league.

Review: Espionage a Trois
The Whitlams' brass section his teamed with some of the hippest cats in Sydney to make the sort of music you'll want to shoot baddies to.

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» Fair Traders Call for World Where People Matter

» Accor Makes 'Cheeky' Olympics Offer

» Sacking Threat Was �Group Therapy�

» Doing It For The Love Of It

» Deadline to Vote in ARM Poll Approaches

» Grief Support for Workplace Tragedies

» Workers Invited to Mark Federation