'over Breakfast, He Solves The Problems Of The World'

Sun Herald

Sunday March 30, 2008

Christine Hogan

The Governor-General is retiring at the end of August but his wife will believe it when she sees it, writes CHRISTINE HOGAN.

Retirement is nothing new to Michael Jeffery. In fact, our Governor-General is something of a serial retiree. He did it for the first time when he left the distinguished military career that took him to the upper ranks of the service as deputy chief of the general staff.

That first "retirement" ended in 1993 when he was appointed Governor of his home state of Western Australia. Free of that responsibility in 2000 after seven years, he set up a not-for-profit think tank, Future Directions International (FDI), in Perth.

He left that organisation when he was appointed Governor-General in May 2003, following the scandal-dogged tenure of his predecessor, the former Anglican archbishop Peter Hollingworth. Now, towards the end of his tenure, the question of what to do in his fourth retirement is on his mind.

"I'll be taking my foot off the accelerator a bit," says the Governor-General in his study overlooking the harbour and Opera House. He has already bought a little power boat to indulge one of his major passions in life, fishing, and named it Logohu, a nod to his investiture as Grand Companion of Papua New Guinea's Order of Logohu.

"That's just to remind everyone who is the chief when we are out on the water, and in particular those retired admirals who are volunteering as deck hands and who also think they know something about boats!" he says.

But until the job at hand is finished, his days on the Logohu are limited and the fish are safe: it's still pedal to the metal in a demanding schedule which last week brought the Governor-General and his wife Marlena to Sydney. This was certainly no holiday on the water: they were here to work.

As well as charity events and attendance at the Royal Easter Show, on Thursday morning the Governor-General also fitted in an Executive Council meeting at Admiralty House with Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard during which he signed the formal proclamation of Labor's Transition to Fairness Bill.

There are several overseas trips planned before the Jefferys pack up and leave vice-regal life for good, including one as the personal guests of Chinese President Hu Jintao at the Beijing Olympics, and another in late April to Israel at the invitation of the president Shimon Peres to the country's 60th Anniversary celebrations. No wonder he advises that his successor needs to be dedicated, compassionate . . . and fit.

Marlena Jeffery will believe this retirement story when it unfolds. "Michael won't retire. He has said he will but, honestly, I can't see it happening. The thing about Michael is that he has absolutely no small talk. Over breakfast, he solves the problems of the world, and I think that is what he will continue to try to do."

Among the plans which he hopes FDI can help with are a series of exchanges into the South-West Pacific by young government employees - police officers, service personnel, public servants - and also junior employees in the private sector.

"This would obviously have to be fostered with the agreement of the governments concerned, but the key to it would be having personnel return to their postings a little later in their careers, and then again when they are more senior. It would build a continuum of knowledge, friendship and advice," he says.

His plan is informed by personal experience: as a young officer, he was seconded twice to the Papua New Guinea armed forces, a time during which he became friends with the current Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare. That relationship, founded partly on a mutual love of golf, persists to this day.

Another of his ideas is to have Australian history properly taught in schools. Again, ever diplomatic, he insists that this would happen only with the support of government.

"This country has a history of settlement which extends for 60,000 years. The syllabus could include the value of various sites around the country, students would learn about the kinship system and the spiritual connection of the Aborigines to the land, how they survived the Ice Age," he says.

"If the course were taught properly, it could help restore a sense of dignity, self-esteem and pride to young indigenous Australians. They really need it, and it is something which is important to all Australians."

There are more plans as well, waiting like the Logohu, to be put in train, including one which involves governance.

"It is right and proper that we look at better ways of governing ourselves, and it's hard to do that without knowing how the system works. It's important that our children learn about the institutions and the processes in democracy the way we do it in Australia.

"We have a stable system of government in Australia which is the envy of people around the world. One of the highlights of my term in office is the way power was transferred by the Howard government to the Rudd Government at the end of last year. It was impressive that after all the drama of a tough election that the Howards had the Rudds to tea at The Lodge to hand over and they dealt with each other with respect."

To help children understand something of our system, the Governor-General is working on a plan to allow school groups access to Admiralty House on Kirribilli Point, in the same way Government House in Canberra is open for school visits.

So how does the Queen's man see the political future of the country? As a republic?

"That would be a matter for the government of the day," he says. "But if Australia is going down that path, it is more important than ever we understand what it is in our system which has made it so stable for so long."

As he leaves office, the Governor-General has been considering the challenges which face Australia.

"We have to be very careful but proactive in how we link to the changing region, particularly in regard to China and India," he says. "We need to make them respect us, so that they continue to send their kids to our schools, so that they continue to trade with us. And to do that, we need to be a nation of excellence, not in an elitist sense, but in the sense that we all do the best we can. If we manage that, we will find we will do very well both regionally and globally.

"We need to address the question of social cohesion. We must ensure we are dealing appropriately with our indigenous brothers and sisters, and that migrants coming here understand the ethos of Australia . . . the principle of a fair go, and the rule of law."

And, appropriately, for the man who is probably the greenest incumbent at Government House ever, he names the environment as the third priority for the nation.

"I wonder how long the poor old Earth can continue to produce the food, supply the materials for the cars and the fuel to run them. Perhaps it is time for us to reassess our consumption of resources, reduce our expectations, and look at other values."

Which is a perfect plan for retirement, except that Marlena Jeffery's dream is to have no plans. She hopes, though, to spend her part of their mutual retirement at home in Canberra, travelling, doing some charity work, getting her golf handicap down and writing her memoirs.

As for her husband, he'll be fishing and solving the world's problems.

So, any thoughts about who might be his successor?

"Someone fit," he reiterates, going no further.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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