Paul Kelly, in his new book, The March of Patriots, tells a version of a well-known story. It is John Howard's instruction in 2003 to his then Minister for Education, Brendan Nelson, a Catholic: 'Don't create any problems for us with the Catholic schools'.
Howard left Nelson in no doubt that he didn't want him aggravating that sector. He wanted a good harvest of Catholic votes.
Don't Get the Catholics Off Side is a theme to keep in mind when considering the politics surrounding Tim Fischer, former Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader under Howard, in his current new role in the Vatican, known as the Holy See in diplomatic parlance.
Despite his political background on the conservative side of politics (or perhaps because of it, if he is seen as a political turn-coat), Fischer's appointment as the first Australian appointed solely as Ambassador to the Holy See continues to be viewed with skepticism in parts of Canberra. It still generates vocal Opposition criticism.
For some, including his former colleagues, Fischer, a prominent Catholic, has been bought off by Kevin Rudd with a non- or half-job in order to suck up to the Catholic community. It is seen not just as a thank-you to Fischer for bipartisan services rendered at the 2020 Summit and elsewhere, but also as a ploy to help deliver the Catholic vote.
South Australian Liberal Senator Alan Ferguson has used Senate estimates to criticise Fischer's role. Ferguson doubted in no uncertain terms whether there was anything useful to do at the Vatican, a state he described as one you could walk around in a good morning. Furthermore, he argued that the Vatican has no parliament or government as we normally understand it — how, therefore, can Fischer find enough to keep himself occupied?
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials explained that Fischer's recent work included discussions on security, food shortages and climate change.
These criticisms by Ferguson show a great deal of ignorance. The Vatican may have no parliament but it certainly has an extensive bureaucracy. Cardinals act as ministers presiding over expert staff. The Australian Ambassador to the Vatican is responsible not just for interrogating a few acres in Rome, but for ensuring an Australian entrée into a huge global church.
Fischer's defence of his position and his outline of the intelligence networks available only in the Vatican, which I heard first hand