Politics with Purpose

occasional observations on public and private life
Lindsay Tanner

'Intensely impressive ... articulated with a formidably cool intelligence.'

Peter Craven, The Australian

'In this collection of articles, [Tanner] is good to his word that what matters in politics are ideas, not personal dramas ... Tanner's writing is like his public persona — nothing flashy but adept at cutting through the rubbish to offer views that are pithy, constructive and worthwhile.'

Fiona Capp, The Age

‘We cannot blame particular individuals for modern Labor’s malaise, because it is part of a systemic global phenomenon. We are all under the sway of politics without purpose. And politics without purpose is pointless.’

Nothing could better sum up Lindsay Tanner’s forthright attitude to politics and the public interest than these resounding sentences from the concluding section of Politics with Purpose.

In a parliamentary career spanning 18 years, culminating in his position as the minister for finance and deregulation in the Rudd–Gillard governments, Lindsay Tanner always talked straight, and was always worth reading or listening to.

Now we can see why. In this edited selection of his press articles, speeches, and occasional essays from 1990 to 2012, Tanner discusses a range of major subjects: Labor’s problems and prospects; globalisation and its discontents; the family ties that bind; facing up to important values; the need for compassion; and lessons from his own life.

Some pieces are short and lighthearted; others are longer and deeply serious. But whether the subject matter is economic, political, or personal, his range of interests and insights is remarkable. Lindsay Tanner’s thoughtfulness and humanity are evident on every page, demonstrating once again what the nation lost when he departed from national politics.

'Intensely impressive ... articulated with a formidably cool intelligence.'

Peter Craven, The Australian

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Details

Format:Paperback

Size: 234mm × 153mm

Extent:368pp

ISBN (13):9781922070043

RRP:$32.99

Pub date:26 Sep 2012

Rights Held: World

High-res cover:Download Image

AWARDS

Manning Clark House Cultural Award - Short-listed

CATEGORIES / tags

AUTHOR

Lindsay Tanner

Lindsay Tanner was the minister for finance and deregulation in the Rudd–Gillard governments, and held the seat of Melbourne for the ALP from 1993 to 2010. Having retired from politics at the 2010 federal election, he is now a special adviser to Lazard Australia, and is a vice-chancellor’s fellow and adjunct professor at Victoria University. Mr Tanner is the author of several previous books, including Politics with Purpose (2012) and Sideshow (2011), also published by Scribe.