Speech
The Power of Persuasion
Selected Speeches of Brendan Nelson
Edited by David Furse-Roberts
Jeparit Press
Paperback, 322 pages
ISBN: 9781923224186
Mid-August 2024 Release
From the Introduction by Simon Berger
Assembling a collection of speeches for Dr Brendan Nelson is not without challenge.
For a start, he almost never read from a prepared text. Instead, he relied on his extraordinary memory and ability to read a room.
Furthermore, there are no former speech writers to consult. Brendan had many fiercely loyal staff. However, he held the view that ultimately “I was elected to offer my own thoughts and ideas, not those of a staff member or public servant”.
When an important speech warranted meticulous research, he usually did this himself.
In doing so, he not only sought to broaden his already considerable knowledge. He sought to really understand and empathise with people he was speaking about. The words reproduced on these pages are powerful. However, it was Brendan’s passionate delivery that often left audiences mesmerised.
The range of topics of Brendan’s speeches is as diverse as his career.
While most parliamentarians held a different job before or after politics, Brendan Nelson’s career path would confound any career counsellor.
In three decades he has been: a general practitioner; President of the Australian Medical Association; a parliamentarian; Education and Defence Minister; Liberal Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition; Ambassador; Director of the War Memorial; and President of Boeing Global.
In each role, his calm demeanour belied the sense of urgency with which he tackled problems and implemented change.
As AMA President, he brought into sharp focus the unacceptable state of Indigenous health, long before the Closing the Gap framework.
He staunchly defended the medical profession from a Labor Government that invoked class war rhetoric against doctors and was openly hostile to private health.
As Education Minister he championed standards and values in schools and the right of parents and students to make their own choices in education.
He delivered substantial reform of universities. Importantly for a generation of Liberals, he also delivered Voluntary Student Unionism.
In 2006 John Howard appointed Brendan Defence Minister, saying the portfolio required somebody who “would burn the midnight oil” and that “Brendan is your man”.
With the War on Terror raging and great instability in our region, he presided over ten deployments, mounting a strong moral case for them.
He also drove major investments in our capability, including two new army battalions and new heavy air lift capability, air warfare destroyers, amphibious ships and Super Hornets.
Brendan became Leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in 2007, following the defeat of the Howard Government.
At that time, morale was low, internal debate was rife and Kevin Rudd was the most popular Prime Minister in Australian polling history.
Well-documented disunity added a further degree of difficulty.
As Brendan would later reflect, his role was a “poisoned chalice”...
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