Personal Relationships of Politicians

With all the recent talk and sexual exposes in federal parliament it appears political leadership in Australia may have taken its toll on the personal relationships.

From the end of World War 2 to 1983 (38 years) the ALP had five leaders and the Liberals had six leaders. None of those leaders were ever divorced, or to the best of my knowledge, separated from their spouse. On the other hand since 1983 (the last 38 years) the ALP have had ten leaders and the Liberals seven leaders. It is of interest that of those ten ALP leaders six have been divorced or separated from their spouse and of those Liberal leaders three have been divorced not once, but twice.

I pose the question is the pressure on politicians that much greater over the last 38 years than in the prior 38 years or is Whitlam Government’s  passing of the “no fault divorce”,  as part of the Family Law Act of 1975, the reason divorce amongst politicians, and for that matter in the general community,  no longer considered as “shameful “ as it was in those early post WW2 days ?

PT, as marriages are " on the nose " it follows there will be less divorces. I believe "try before you buy" has gained in popularity over the past 20 years or so, meaning no marriage or divorce is officially recorded.  

The number of divorces is only useful as a percentage of marriages. The obvious does seem to be happening though with less marriages there are no less less divorces but they are lasting nearly 2 years longer than they did 20 years ago, still failing but lasting longer with more committed people doing it. 1 in 3 still end in divorce.

I thought there was a thread on this. It has come up a number of times most recently in the case of Beetrooter Barnyard who was complaining about the stress of politics and away time on marriage, and who can forget old mate Kevin Andrews was handing out his special relationship counselling vouchers. Might have got mixed up in other threads. Still hasn't gotten rid of the vouchers 7 years on.

That is Porter's solicitor. Not sure setting an attack dog like that on Louise Milligan will play well.

Passing Through wrote: I thought there was a thread on this. It has come up a number of times most recently in the case of Beetrooter Barnyard who was complaining about the stress of politics and away time on marriage, and who can forget old mate Kevin Andrews was handing out his special relationship counselling vouchers. Might have got mixed up in other threads. Still hasn't gotten rid of the vouchers 7 years on.

Hey Bob, you were the one who dragged Whitlam into it as an option for the cause of ''the problem''

I'm not surprised politicians have high divorce rates, they are in a "theatrical" profession, and the partner would be hard pressed to detect where the acting stopped, and the "real" person began.

People call their defactos partners these days so you are sometimes unsure if they are talking about a business partner or a defacto.

I'm old fashioned I guess I still prefer married.  One daughter had her partner split after three years after she spent most of her inherited money (less than 1/4 left).  Only because he didn't like the west and liked the good life.  Which meant she had to spend more.  And she loved it until they split.  Even then he didn't want her to come back home.  We apparently dragged her down.  Nice to know he had such a high opinion of anyone living where they can afford to buy a house and still live.  Although today I don't think that is even possible out here.  A house of a friend went for over $900,000 and one across the road went for over $1 million.

max manewer wrote: It's the 95% of lawyers that give the rest a bad name, unfortunately.

Politics, like mining, is a single's game.

max manewer wrote: I would have taken short odds you would bite, BB. Hopefully your wife can laugh at that little joke.

Baghdad Bob wrote: PT, as marriages are " on the nose " it follows there will be less divorces. I believe "try before you buy" has gained in popularity over the past 20 years or so, meaning no marriage or divorce is officially recorded.