Cover image: ALBANESE Telling it Straight by Karen Middleton. Image via Penguin Random House Australia.
As far as biographies go, Karen Middleton’s profile of Labor MP Anthony Albanese is flawless. Middleton sets a new standard for political biography. Maintaining a distinct sense of aloofness from the political events described while also providing an informative account of current affairs. Middleton channels a pragmatic path through the calamitous events of Albanese’s rise to the upper echelons of the Labor hierarchy. A biography in every sense of the word, the result is a meticulously researched, forensically detailed and painstakingly corroborated battler life story, as much about the inner machinations of the Labor Party as it is about Albanese.
Born and raised in Sydney’s inner west, Albanese is depicted as a Camperdown boy through and through. From his humble beginnings raised in a single-parent family living in council housing, Albanese learnt to appreciate three pillars of his life from an early age – his love for his mum, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Labor Party. By delving into the motivations behind each of these bonds, Middleton paints a picture of a man who is unwavering in his devotion and steadfast in his principles, garnering respect from both sides of the political divide.
Tracing the family back to George and Maynor Ellery, the parents of Albanese’s mother Maryanne, Middleton weaves a narrative of hereditary Labor Party devotion. Stemming from the rank and file base, the snapshot of Albanese’s Catholic, working class heritage could so easily be that of any of Albanese’s contemporaries, a comparison not lost on Middleton in her allusion to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s background. The key differentiator in Albanese’s remarkable life story, however, is the secret that his mother kept from him until he was 14 years old – the story of his father. Having initially told Albanese that his father had died in a car accident before he was born, Maryanne fatefully admitted to her teenage son that his south Italian father had actually not perished and that being unmarried, Maryanne was almost about to give Albanese up for adoption.
Introducing us to this key fact early on in the biography, Middleton then meanders from this crucial detail as she charts Albanese’s upbringing attending the inner city St Mary’s Cathedral College and graduating from there to study Economics at Sydney University. Proximity played a key role in the decisions to attend each of these institutions and Albanese’s familiarity and history with the locality of his electorate, Grayndler, is not lost on his constituents. Always known affectionately as ‘Albo’, even the usually antagonistic Murdoch press rallied to his defence when the MP faced a potential assault from Greens candidate Jim Casey in the recent 2016 federal election. His eventual return to the seat with an increased majority reinforces Middleton’s depiction of Albanese as a galvanising force in life and politics.
When Albanese was handpicked for a role in the office of Labor stalwart Tom Uren, Middleton is quick to draw parallels between Uren’s role as mentor and father figure. Although Albanese insists that the absence of a father did not detract from his upbringing, Middleton’s interviews with Albanese’s inner circle reveal a different perspective (not that anyone would dare suggest that Maryanne’s love and affection for her son was in any way insufficient). Nonetheless there is a hint of the possibility that Albanese’s yearning to find his father may have arisen much earlier than when the task commenced, which was well into his federal political career and whilst juggling ministerial portfolios. Triggered by an exchange with his own son Nathan, Albanese’s search to find his birth father was a momentous effort bridging the partisan divide and involving a string of players who lined up the limited clues available to trace the mysterious Carlo in a series of extremely fortunate and serendipitous events.
Albanese’s partnership with former State NSW Labor Minister and Deputy Leader Carmel Tebbutt, formed in Albanese’s mid-20s after his return from overseas travel, is regarded by many as a near perfect match. Despite some murmurings of political opportunism, there is no doubt their marriage cements their status as a power couple of the political elite. Earning the praise of old Labor hands such as John Della Bosca, Tebbutt is regarded as the ideal partner for a party loyalist like Albanese. Together with their son Nathan, the Albanese family unit reinforces the pillars to which Albanese has shown ultimate devotion throughout his life.
Middleton demonstrates the attention to detail and journalistic patience that have made her one of the most respected and accomplished political reporters in the country. Although the detailed dissection of the inner machinations of Labor Party factions are likely to prove scintillating reading for only a dedicated few, it is impossible to fault Middleton’s investigative skills in unearthing events of factional warfare dating back well over 30 years ago. A staunch member of the Labor Left, Albanese’s run-ins with the right faction of his party during university days have no doubt shaped him into the formidable opponent he’s proven to be on the national stage. In each of the pre-selection battles that have loomed for NSW Labor, Middleton unveils Albanese as a crucial player, particularly in supporting women candidates such as Meredith Burgmann and Linda Burney.
With crisp, clinical prose and a penchant for weaving in random obscure facts about the political establishment, Middleton demonstrates her impeccable knowledge of the subject matter and the relevance of Albanese’s life story to future Australian politics. Since his elevation to Deputy Prime Minister, albeit briefly upon Kevin Rudd’s resurrection in 2013, Albanese’s career has lurched from strength to strength. Disappointing the majority rank and file members when he lost out on the caucus vote to Bill Shorten in Labor’s 2013 leadership ballot, speculation has been mounting ever since that Albanese has his eye on the leadership and ultimately the top job. Presumably to dispel insinuations that the biography was released as a cynical tactic to increase Albanese’s profile for leadership, the acknowledgements of the book are quick to point out that Middleton approached Albanese on her own initiative. As a case in point, the closing chapters reinforce Albanese’s reassurance that his priorities lie with what is best for the party and this will always override his own ambitions.
The selection of Albanese as a political warrior case study strategically allows Middleton to delve into her journalistic treasure-chest, producing tidbits of information that only someone as entrenched in the establishment of current affairs reporting as herself would have at her disposal. While the level of detail explored can be at times dry and keeping up with the various characters involved almost warrants a flowchart diagram, Middleton impressively condenses what is essentially a history of NSW Labor into a personal, empathetic account. Albanese Telling it Straight complements the public figure we know as ‘Albo’ with a history that is frank, unabashed and personable. It is likely to prove a welcome addition to the bookshelves of politico aficionados.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
ALBANESE Telling it Straight by Karen Middleton
Available in Trade Paperback and EBook
9781925324716
Released: 29 August 2016
Penguin Random House Australia
Vintage Australia
RHA eBooks Adults
