A politician and Hanging Rock

Thursday 05 February 1998

In the country, Kennett finds hustings tiresome

By GARETH BOREHAM, Bendigo

Sock factory visits, plaque unveilings and public meetings wait for no politician. After a week of personal upheaval, the Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, returned to the hustings in the country yesterday.

But on his two-day tour of central Victoria, Mr Kennett seemed subdued. The toll of recent events and an unforgiving sun seemed to leave the Premier looking weary.

The small group of Castlemaine hecklers chanting "Go home, Jeff" could elicit only a meek retort - a far cry from the robust put downs he characteristically reserves for such interjectors.

Even an opportunity to have a swing at an old foe failed to excite the Premier. Asked for his thoughts on the federal Treasurer's departure from the Prime Minister's monarchist stance at the Constitutional Convention, Mr Kennett could only shrug his shoulders.

"Everyone is entitled to their opinion," Mr Kennett said of Mr Costello - a man who he has previously labelled in less-than-flattering terms.

But domestic matters were ostensibly far from Mr Kennett's mind as he performed his duties yesterday in three country towns - Castlemaine, Kyneton and Bendigo.

Offering only terse responses to the media, he was none too keen to elaborate on his future as leader of the Liberal Party. But, typically, his answer to such questioning only prompted more speculation.

Have you given any more thoughts to your future? "Yes, a lot, and the answer is no."

Earlier, while opening a Hanging Rock Reserve interpretative centre, Mr Kennett was greeted by teenagers dressed in the Victorian garb of the ill-fated schoolgirls in Joan Lindsay's novel.

But Mr Kennett wasn't about to be fooled into believing Picnic at Hanging Rock was based on a true story. "You're not supposed to exist are you?" he asked the frolicking Miranda et al.


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