Quarterly Essay 83 Top Blokes: The Larrikin Myth, Class and Power by Lech Blaine

Author:Lech Blaine [Blaine, Lech]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Men's Studies, Social Science, Political Science, World, Australian & Oceanian, Social Classes & Economic Disparity, General
ISBN: 9781743821718
Google: 4C89EAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Black Inc.
Published: 2021-09-11T13:04:17+00:00

THE LAST WALTZ OF THE JOLLY SWAGMAN

If the larrikin weren’t already dead, he would have croaked during Covid-19. Australia removed the mask of anti-authoritarianism to reveal a nation of law-abiding citizens. On Twitter, each lockdown turned into a clash of fake doctors, anti-vaxxers, dobbers and hypochondriacs who love politicians so much they wouldn’t tolerate a bad word about them. Annabel Crabb hosted the Australia Talks survey. Nearly 80 per cent of almost 60,000 respondents agreed with the proposition that Australia should keep its borders shut indefinitely until the coronavirus pandemic was over.

“When push comes to shove in this country, the larrikin thing is just not true,” says Crabb. “We love a bloody tough border! Whether it’s keeping boat people out or keeping Victorians out if they’re having [a Covid-19] outbreak. Australians love rules, and we are really good at obeying them.”

But it wasn’t the widespread acquiescence to border closures and rolling lockdowns that heralded the death of the larrikin, nor the booming popularity of the politicians who brought in the restrictions. It was the airing of a documentary called The Death of the Aussie Larrikin? Host Rowan Dean left the question mark hanging, because he was here to rescue anti-authoritarianism, via Sky News. Dean was interviewed about the doco on The Bolt Report by Andrew Bolt, a man who makes a six-figure salary from attempting to cancel actual larrikins.

“The scourge of political correctness has tried to put a stranglehold around the Aussie larrikin,” said Dean with an Australian flag over one shoulder and an Akubra over the other. “Every Australian now has to choose: am I on the side of the political correctness wowsers? Or am I actually going to stand up for free speech and the genuine larrikin spirit of this nation?”

The silvertails of Australia’s right-wing elite weren’t even making the effort to wear costumes or feign ocker accents. Bolt wore a blazer with a pocket square. They were giddier than two teenagers after raiding the liquor cabinet at a sleepover. Dean flashed an untouched meat pie and can of VB.

“I’ve got my beer ready, Andrew,” said Dean. “I’m going to watch with the VB. I’ve got the pie ready … I’ve got the sauce! I’ve got the sauce as well!”

“I’ve got Colonial!” cried Bolt, cackling uncontrollably. “Brilliant!”

The two most thin-skinned wowsers in the Australian media claimed the larrikin tradition as their own, and officially extinguished it. Dean – a Canberra Grammar boy and ex-advertising executive whose “satire” is subsidised by a billionaire – became the official spokesperson of a working-class tradition. Bolt sipped a tinnie like a child receiving 10 millilitres of cough syrup. “Hmmh,” said Bolt. “It’s actually … very nice!”

I sighed with relief that my publican father wasn’t alive to suffer another aneurysm. “‘The Aussie Larrikin Is Dead’ Says The Last Two Cunts On Earth That You’d Invite To The Pub,” reported The Betoota Advocate. “In a rare turn of events,” wrote editor Clancy Overell, “Sky News has actually produced a television program – as opposed

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