Dimensions
168 x 235 x 12mm
An election is impending. How well do we know Mark Latham, the leader of the ALP who would be the next prime minister?
Margaret Simons, one of Australia’s foremost political journalists, delves into the heart and head of Mark Latham, wading through the mass of contradictions to find out who he is, what he stands for, and why he has the Howard government appearing vulnerable for the first time since the last election.
This is an essay that takes the political pulse of the nation - clear-eyed, sceptical, anchored in observation and an original analysis of the political state of play. It looks at the intersection between communal yearnings and the political machine, and the buttons Latham is pressing.
Can he heal the gap between the 'elites' and the 'ordinary aspiring suburbanites'? What do Labor’s 'true believers' make of him? Has he given 'family values' a radical new twist? In creating an uneasy blend of populism and traditional values, is he closer to John Howard than he would have us believe?
