The Rt Hon. Charlton Philip Robards, BJ (b. June 30, 1963) is a Georgeland politician, journalist, diplomat and academic who is a former Prime Minister of Georgeland, a former Georgeland Ambassador to the United Nations and a former candidate for the office of President of Georgeland. In 2012 he was elected as Mayor of Santa Christina, his home town. He is the first former Prime Minister to be elected to another political office.
Robards was the youngest Prime Minister in Georgeland's history. He was also the first bachelor (though he is now married), the first avowed athiest, the first to be Prime Minister three times and (arguably) the first to be dismissed from office by the President. He is also the first Prime Minister to represent more than one political party, having been a member of three during his time in office.
Robards became Prime Minister on October 20, 1995 and served three seperate periods in office. The first ended on May 13, 1999. The second ran from June 9, 1999 to August 1, 2001, and the third from August 14, 2001 to July 30, 2005.
On January 2, 2006, Robards was named as Georgeland's new Ambassador to the United Nations, taking office on January 30. On July 4, 2007, he resigned from his post, citing the election of a Conservative government as the reason, stating that he would rather resign than be fired.
Robards sought and won the nomination of the Liberal Democratic Party of the United Islands as the party's presidential candidate in the 2008 presidential election. The front-runner for much of the campaign, he was narrowly defeated by Lois Daniels on May 2, 2008.
Early Life[]
Robards was born on June 30, 1963, in Birmingham General Hospital, Birmingham, Mainland, the first of two children. Birmingham, an outer suburb of Santa Christina, Georgeland’s second-largest city, is now an upper class, wealthy area, but at the time was a firmly lower-middle class area, populated with blue-collar workers. His parents are Michael Robards(1932-), an English migrant who was employed as a clerk in the local government office, and Janice Hopkins (1936-), a second-generation Georgelander of English.Irish parentage. He has one sister, Catherine Fossey. Neither parent was deeply religious. For the first forty-four years of his life, Robards believed that he had never been baptised and that his father was a Methodist by birth. However, in February 2007, family records were uncovered by the Robards family revealing that, in fact, Robards' father was actually baptised as High Anglican, and that subsequently he himself is also baptised High Anglican. It was revealed that the baptism was carried out at the instigation of Robards' paternal grandmother, Christine Hindle (d. 1990), and that his father never knew about the baptism. Robards' mother is an Anglican, though she is not devout.
Robards grew up in and around Santa Christina, leaving his Birmingham home in 1975 for an inner-city apartment to fit in with his father’s new job.
After seven years in Birmingham Primary School, Robards entered High School in 1975, attending Weston High, which was a well-funded government school, located in a wealthy area. Robards’ parents were tireless advocates of public education, a commitment Robards continued into his adult years and his government administration. Robards flirted with politics from an early age, running unsuccessfully for his High School council in 1978 and successfully in 1979. As School Councillor, Robards earned the wrath of the school’s teaching staff when he organised a boycott of the school’s canteen until service and quality improved. Faced with ever-dwindling profits, the canteen and the school relented. The sixteen-year-old Robards earned a reputation as a firebrand and, according to those in power, a troublemaker.
Following his graduation from Weston in 1980, Robards enrolled and was accepted into the University of Santa Christina on a scholarship. He studied Journalism, a four-year course. During this period, he worked as a ‘gopher’ in the office of an outer-Santa Christina paper, the Globe Weekly, which introduced him to the world of professional Journalism.
All through University, Robards continued his political pursuits. Although initially defeated, he was elected to the University Student Council in 1982, and in 1983 he was President of the Student Council. He pursued a parallel line with the administration, working for mutual co-operation rather than the adversarial relationship characteristic of previous administrations.
Although elected President on his own ticket, the next year he was introduced to his local Labour MP and persuaded to join the Labour Party.
His academic record was not overly distinguished, but decent enough. He graduated U.S.C. in 1984 after a second term as President with a Bachelor of Journalism, specialising in Political Affairs.
Journalist[]
Armed with his degree and a working knowledge of the world of professional journalism, the 21-year old Robards marched into the office of the editor of the Globe Weekly and demanded a paid job as a junior staff journalist. The editor was impressed by the audacity the young man showed and offered him a cadetship. In 1986 he began writing full time for the paper, but in very early 1987 the Santa Christina Herald snapped him up as a reporter after seeing his work, but Robards was forced to quit the Labour Party to work for them. From 1988 to 1989, Robards was the Herald’s Topstad correspondent. In 1990, the paper’s editor retired and the paper’s owner appointed Robards his successor. He was only 26 years old. His appointment sent shockwaves through the journalistic community, and many argued the new editor was far too young and green to be the editor of the nation’s premier metropolitan daily. In fact, Robards was the youngest person ever to edit such a newspaper.
The pressures of editing a newspaper took their toll on Robards. He became subject to anxiety attacks and stress-related heath problems, and so resigned his position in mind-1991. About the same time, his old friend Matthew Wyngard, an MP in the federal government of Noel Quarton, persuaded him to run for public office. Robards agreed to run for his local council as an Independent but when the Labour Party offered to reinstate his membership if he agreed to run for the House of Commons, he agreed.
The 1991 election saw the re-election of Prime Minister Quarton’s Labour/Democratic coalition government. Robards, at 28, was elected to the seat of Santa Christina, representing the city's central business district. Unlike journalism, where he had to be carefully impartial, Robards enjoyed the opportunities to let his views be known in Parliament. In his maiden speech, he condemned the right wing cause and championed public education, healthcare and social welfare. This so impressed Quarton he began cultivating a firm friendship with Robards, lasting until Quarton’s premature death in 1999.
Early Political Career[]
Through his friendship with Quarton, Robards rose extremely rapidly through the ranks of Parliament. In 1992, just eight months after entering Parliament, Robards was appointed Quarton’s Parliamentary Private Secretary. The young man and the Prime Minister had established a relationship akin to the protégé and the mentor. In July 1994, following the embarrasing resignation of Douglas Westerman due to a bribery scandal, Quarton nominated Robards as his replacement in Cabinet as Minister for Health. The party caucus was thrown awry as MPs considered the qualifications of a 31-year-old former journalist as Health Minister. Quarton and Robards, plus their supporters, won the day, and Robards was sworn in.
Seven months later, Quarton declared a general election. The result; a surprise and shocking loss for the government. Georgeland elected its first Conservative government in twelve years. Quarton vowed to stay on and was re-elected leader, with the former Union headkicker Jim King his deputy. Robards, content with his position, remained as the Opposition Health spokesman. However, only two months later, Quarton suffered a heart attack. Although mild and non-lethal, Quarton, aged 59, decided to call it quits. He declared Robards, aged just 31 years old, as his preferred successor.
Caucus considered Robards’ candidacy a joke. Jim King saw the leadership has his by right, having been deputy leader since 1983. King’s Right faction was in nearly open warfare with the Left, led by former Attorney General Lance Williams. Williams and King were clearly the front runners, but Quarton’s support for Robards carried some weight. When it was revealed Williams might have used his position to gain insider trading information in the late 1980s while Finance Minister, Williams withdrew from the ballot. His Left faction switched support to Robards, who won the ballot 58-50. Robards became the youngest man to lead a major political party, and the youngest ever Leader of the Opposition.
Opposition Leader[]
The government of Eric Edge elected in February 1995 was a weak one. Denied a Senate majority, and with a handful of ex-business elites and party hacks occupying the government benches, their support quickly dwindled. A series of embarrassing financial scandals cost Edge several key ministers. When the Democratic Party of the United Islands won the Zigit by-election in August, the government’s House of Commons majority was reduced to one. Edge’s government looked like it was in serious trouble. When its legislation to reform small business unionisation was defeated in the Senate, Edge’s agenda crumbled and he sought an election. Unfortunately, Georgeland’s constitution stipulates there must be at least eight months between elections, and the President can refuse to grant one before fifteen months have elapsed since the last one. Edge desperately needed Upper House control, or at least a bigger majority in the Lower House. With Robards’ support, Edge gained the permission of President Donald Davis for a double dissolution election exactly eight months after the last one.
Robards and Labour campaigned with a simple message: the Tories were incompetent. They had, according to Labour, been in office eight months and done significant damage to the economy, social structure and the institution of government. Imagine what they could get up to if they had a full four-year term! Edge countered with the fact that he, at 63, was much more qualified to be Prime Minister than a 32-year old who had been in Parliament for only four years. The Tories heaped refuse on Robards, claiming he was a dangerous element in government, due to both lack of experience and his previous history. They claimed Robards had smoked marijuana frequently as a teenager, that he had a drinking problem and that he was a compulsive gambler.
Robards hit back hard, by debunking everything Edge claimed. He made history by publicly admitting that he had smoked hash in university – but just once, and he had found the experience unpleasant and never touched it again. He also proved by means of testimony from close friends that he hadn’t touched alcohol since 1989. And finally, he admitted he had, in the past, gambled away too much money. But, in a famous speech, he claimed, "gambling, by and large, is a risky business. But this gamble is no risk. In this election, Eric Edge is gambling because he knows we are going to kick his butt!"
Robards and the Labour-Democrat alliance won a respectable majority in the House of Commons, but control of the Senate fell to the centrist Georgeland Party. Not a landslide victory by any means, but enough for Robards to consider inviting Quarton back to re-assume his office. Quarton refused, saying Robards had won the victory, so it was Robards’ time to be Prime Minister.
Prime Minister (1st time)[]
The 32-year old Robards was and is, to date, the youngest man to hold the office of Prime Minister of Georgeland, and one of the youngest men to lead a nation ever. He was sworn in at Martin Hall, the Presidential residence, by President Davis. Jim King served as Robards’ Finance Minister, and as Deputy leader of the senior coalition partner the third most senior man in Cabinet. Leonard Hand, the Democratic leader, was once again Deputy Prime Minister of Georgeland, and once again Foreign Minister. The Tories elected the 61-year old Shawn Hedges, Edge’s former Treasurer, to lead them.
Robards’ first term was mainly spent undoing much of what he saw as 'damage' due to Edge’s eight-month administration. Robards cleaned up the public service, expelled two senior department heads for corruption, and ended the Edge government’s Business Council, a body made up to advise the government on business issues, chosen from the elite, wealthy business leaders.
In 1996, Robards made his first visit abroad as leader to the United States and Canada. In Washington he met with U.S. President Bill Clinton, and established a friendship and working relationship that lasted until the end of Clinton’s term in 2001. At the 1997 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Robards impressed Commonwealth leaders with his persuasiveness, informal style, and knowledge of the issues. In an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, he formally invited Her Majesty to Georgeland. When she toured later that year, she became the first British monarch to visit Georgeland since 1924.
1997 re-election[]
Parliament was dissolved two years ahead of schedule to capitalise on the strong economy and opinion polls showing Robards leading Shawn Hedges by sixteen points. The campaign was dominated heavily by economics, with Robards espousing his government’s economic credentials. A minor embarrasment occurred in late July, when Treasurer Tom McGann misquoted an important economic figure and was pounced on by the Tory wolves. On election day, a higher-than-expected turnout of 72% produced an overwhelming victory for the coalition, with workable majorities in both houses, although in the Senate they relied on the support of two independents. Democratic Party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Leonard Hand had decided not to contest the election. His deputy, Communications Minister Andrea Perkins, was elected to replace him, thus becoming the first woman to hold that office.
The Robards government’s second term was marked by a concentration on social policy. The Parliament passed a landmark bill in January 1998, which provided for guaranteed paid maternity leave for working women. Childcare benefits were increased and the Georgeland National Health Service, failing in recent years, was bolstered. Defence spending was cut, but offset by outsourcing several defence elements to contractors, under heavily monitored conditions.
Once again, Robards set off on jet setting tours of the world. In March 1998 he became the first Georgeland leader to visit Africa since the 1970s. In Lusaka, he made a speech in which he pledged to join the war on AIDS. True to his word, parliament donated two billion dollars in May to the Red Cross in order to battle the AIDS outbreak in Africa. Robards also extensively toured the European Union in 1997-98, in an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate a free trade agreement with European nations. He also failed in his attempts to establish a FTA with Australia, but the Australian government said it was prepared to negotiate in the future.
The biggest failure of the second Robards term was an attempt to deunionise the Labour Party. Labour unions exerted what Robards called ‘undue influence’ on the party, and in late 1998 he set out cleaning up union corruption within the party. The party’s Left faction fought him all the way, and former Union heavyweight Jim King, the party’s deputy leader and a member of the Right, staged a leadership challenge in December. King lost, and resigned his deputy leadership and from Cabinet. The deputy leadership fell to Anthony McDonald, the Transport Minister.
1999 re-election[]
Perhaps unwisely, Robards called a general election for February 9, deciding to campaign on the issue of union reform and workplace relations. The Tories showed a one point lead going into the campaign under their new leader, the young Michael Fisch. With Fisch 45 and Robards 35, it was the youngest election in Georgeland history.
Robards buried Fisch in the debates, and on the speech circuit showed more of the dynamic firebrand spirit he had always been known for. Possibly what won him the election was the firebombing of his Santa Christina electorate office, traced by police to a gang with connections to union organised crime. The people may have seen Robards’ point that the unions needed cleaning up, and re-elected him. Although his margin over Fisch was not as high as it was in 1997 over Hedges, Robards won a comfortable victory. Fisch remained Tory leader.
Robards was sworn in as Prime Minister again on Valentines Day. Back to work again, Robards set about choosing a new President. The current office holder, Dr. Thomas Andrews, had declared he would stand down on April 1, after having suffered a mild heart attack. Andrews had only been in office eighteen months, and Robards was not expecting to have to choose a successor so soon. Following his ‘jobs for the girls’ platform, which had already seen women filling key government roles such as ministers for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Justice, Robards decided on 57-year-old Constitutional lawyer and Supreme Court justice Susan O'Byrne to fill the post. O'Byrne’s choice was controversial among the extreme Right, who felt a woman was inappropriate as head of the armed forces. She also attracted criticism from the Scoitan Protestants, who claimed O’Byrne had discriminated against them while serving on the bench, being a devout Catholic. However, Robards got his way without too much fuss, and on April 1, O'Byrne was sworn in.
The Labour Split and the birth of the Liberals[]
Robards had still not wavered in his attempts to clean up the unions. With several high-profile union leaders speaking out against him, and with the National Trades and Labour Council threatening to withdraw support for Labour, Robards faced another leadership challenge in May 1999. The challenge came from Anthony McDonald, representing the Left and the militant, Unionist Right, who wanted the unions left alone. This time, they had the numbers, and deposed Robards by one vote.
The Robards supporters, which included the Right, save the five or six who had initiated the challenge, and the non-aligned MPs, refused to serve under McDonald as Prime Minister. They walked out of the Party Room, declaring their allegiance to the Labour Party was hereby dissolved.
McDonald faced a problem in that, as Parliament was in session, no party commanded a majority. The Robards camp pledged to block any motion in the House of Commons unless McDonald stood down and returned the leadership to Robards. On May 13, McDonald was dismissed by President O’Byrne, who for the single day of May 14, assumed executive authority herself under the constitution. The next day, she appointed Opposition Leader Michael Fisch as caretaker Prime Minister, with a double dissolution election to be held on June 4.
2nd Election of 1999[]
On May 19, Robards’ disgruntled ex-Labour camp formally announced the formation of the United Islands Liberal Party, consisting almost entirely of ex-Labour rank-and-file members who had quit when McDonald took over. Although barely meeting the minimum five hundred members to qualify as a party, within just three weeks, the Labour Party’s membership had shattered as members shifted en masse to the Liberals. What tipped the scale was the shock announcement of a merger between the Robards camp and the centrist Georgeland Party led by Christine Hinkle. Hinkle’s faction was accepted into the Liberals and Hinkle herself became deputy leader. Just before the election, on June 1, Robards and Perkins made a deal which would see the Democrats shift support to the Liberals over Labour should that result produce a government.
It did. A three-way bloodbath ensued, with Robards and his ‘maintain the rage’ mentality dominating the campaign. Because there was really no official Opposition, Robards and McDonald slugged it out with each other as often as with Fisch. No one was spared; even Perkins dragged herself in with vicious attacks on its former coalition partner, Labour.
The result yielded no majority for anyone, but the forty-odd Liberals had had their numbers increased to over ninety in the election, with voters overwhelmingly endorsing Robards over McDonald. The Democrats broke the coalition and came in with Robards, re-establishing the Robards-Perkins team with a new dynamic. Labour was reduced to only 38 seats and the crossbenches. McDonald was replaced as leader by Jim King. Three weeks before his 36th birthday, Robards was sworn in as Prime Minister for a fourth term, his first as a Liberal. Many pointed out that he was in his fourth term in as many years, and critics pointed to him as the sole cause of Georgeland’s so-called political destabilisation.
The Liberal-Democratic first term was spent primarily in fixing the damage caused by the split. Some former Labour supporters, who had sided with McDonald, came crawling back to the Liberals, only to be denied entry, which alienated the Labour Party further.
Several months into office, a major scandal threatened to derail the new government. Leaked documents revealed a serious breach of electoral laws by the Liberal executive, who, it was claimed, had falsely registered hundreds of members in order to qualify as a party for the last election. The outrage grew, and Robards weathered storm after storm of Opposition and Labour battering in the House. On October 3, Robards personally intervened and had the entire Liberal executive suspended, and forced an investigation into the affair. A week later, an anonymous source came forward and told the GBC that the leaked documents were faked. The documents were sequestered by a Special Commission into the scandal, and were shortly thereafter declared, indeed, to be fakes. The mystery of who faked them remained.
Cleaning up the unions remained a high priority, and two crime bosses with influence in the trade union movement went to jail in 1999-2000. The Robards government declared that the fight was being won but that it would take many years before organised crime had been cleared from the unions.
Prime Minister (2nd time)[]
Three weeks before his 36th birthday, Robards was sworn in as Prime Minister for a fourth term, his first as a Liberal. Many pointed out that he was in his fourth term in as many years, and critics pointed to him as the sole cause of Georgeland’s so-called political destabilisation.
The Liberal-Democratic first term was spent primarily in fixing the damage caused by the split. Some former Labour supporters, who had sided with McDonald, came crawling back to the Liberals, only to be denied entry, which alienated the Labour Party further.
Several months into office, a major scandal threatened to derail the new government. Leaked documents revealed a serious breach of electoral laws by the Liberal executive, who, it was claimed, had falsely registered hundreds of members in order to qualify as a party for the last election. The outrage grew, and Robards weathered storm after storm of Opposition and Labour battering in the House. On October 3, Robards personally intervened and had the entire Liberal executive suspended, and forced an investigation into the affair. A week later, an anonymous source came forward and told the GBC that the leaked documents were faked. The documents were sequestered by a Special Commission into the scandal, and were shortly thereafter declared, indeed, to be fakes. The mystery of who faked them remained.
Cleaning up the unions remained a high priority, and two crime bosses with influence in the trade union movement went to jail in 1999-2000. The Robards government declared that the fight was being won but that it would take many years before organised crime had been cleared from the unions.
The Corbana Crisis[]
2000 was a bad year for Robards. In February, he was targeted by claims of sexual misconduct with the wife of the Swedish ambassador. Robards insisted his innocence, but remarked that even if he had been involved, he had committed no misdemeanour, as he was not married and there was no security breech involved. But more serious was the April invasion of the Georgeland-controlled island of Corbana in the north Indian Ocean by India. Apparently provoked by plans to use Corbana as a naval base, India seized the island and declared it Indian – Corbana, had, in fact, been Indian before 1910, when the British ceded it to Georgeland. Robards was reluctant to start a full-scale war, and responded in moderation with naval blockades and an SAS attack on the island. Saydney, however, did not respond in moderation, sending in thousands of troops and a naval battle group against the entrenched Indians.
Although the island was re-taken and fortified within three weeks, tensions ran red-hot. Indian troops continued to batter Corbana, and there were naval skirmishes between India and the combined Georgeland/Saydneyan taskforce. Robards, responding to public pressure to end the situation before full-scale war erupted, vowed to resign if a diplomatic solution was not reached by July 1. Try as he might, India refused to listen, and so, one day after he turned 37, Robards stepped down as Prime Minister.
Year in the Wilderness[]
Treasurer[]
Robards was immediately appointed Treasurer (finance minister) in Elderton's cabinet, an appointment criticised by the opposition and some sections of the Liberal Party. Robards had little economic experience, but with the aid of economic advisers he delivered the budget for the 2001 financial year in October. As Treasurer, he had significant control over the national economy, a position that allowed him to maintain substantial influence. In some quarters, Robards was still considered to be the effective leader of the country, though he deferred to Elderton on most occasions.
2001 election[]
As a seasoned campaigner, Robards was appointed chairman of the government's re-election campaign for the 2001 election. Though Parliament was only two years old, Robards and a number of other Liberal figures pushed for an early election to hold off rising Conservative popularity. As Chairman, Robards presided over a slick and efficient campaign. However, as a result of Elderton's apparent lack of media communication skills and seeming lack of government direction, the government failed to win a majority in the House of Commons. Despite this failure, Robards' support over Elderton was still high, and his supporters began to rally around him in preparation for a challenge against Elderton.
Foreign Minister[]
In April 2001, Robards was shuffled to the Foreign Affairs portfolio, where he immediately distanced himself from Elderton's foreign policy. In June, he was publicly rebuked by the Prime Minister for a series of comments concerning the alliance with the United States. The conflict between Robards and Elderton escalated, and in late July Robards was dismissed from the cabinet. He immediately announced a challenge to Elderton's leadership, with Zoe Parker running for deputy leader of the party. In August, Robards defeated Elderton on the first ballot and became Prime Minister for the third time.
Prime Minister (3rd time)[]
Response to 9/11 attacks[]
The attacks on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon occured less than a month after Robards returned to the Prime Ministership. While he reacted with the same shock and disgust as the rest of the world, Robards was careful not to 'overreact' to the crisis, and refused point-blank to enact further security or anti-terrorism laws in Georgeland. Robards said there was little evidence of a terrorist plot in Georgeland, and maintained that laws and security would not prevent terrorists from achieving their goals, and would, in fact, help them. Nevertheless, Robards supported military action in Afghanistan against the Taliban and authorised the dispatch of a squad of SAS troops to the region to assist U.S. forces. The SAS returned to Georgeland in 2003.
Assassination attempt[]
Robards was adamant that national cultural unity be maintained at that Islam not be held responsible for the 9/11 attacks. On September 31, Robards declared that "we have nothing to fear from Islam." Though his comment was overwhelmingly endorsed by Islamic leaders in Georgeland, there was one notable exception. On October 3, Robards delivered a speech at a trade union rally in Topstad. A young Islamic extremist, Hamid al-Zammah, who had recently been released from a mental institution, stepped out of the crowd, brandishing a pistol, and shot Robards in the arm, just below his right shoulder. Robards was taken to hospital for treatment and was not seriously threatened, though he spent two weeks with his arm in a sling.
Al-Zammah claimed he attempted to kill Robards to 'instill fear of Islam', apparently taking exception to Robards' denial that Islam should be feared. Al-Zammah was found too mentally unstable to undergo a legal trial, and was instead confined to a psychiatric hospital, where he has remained ever since. Observers reported that Al-Zammah shouted out the words "Now you will fear the power of God!" in Arabic as he was manhandled away from the crowd.
2002 re-election[]
In January 2002, Robards introduced a bill into the Labour-controlled House of Commons which would legalise stem-cell research and human cloning for medical purposes. Conservative and religious groups were appauled, and the opposition, now led by Mary Byrne, pledged to stop the legislation. Labour was split on the issue. Though the party supported scientific research, many Labour MPs, particularly those with a religious background, opposed the legislation.
In March, the bill came to a vote in the House of Commons and was narrowly passed with a number of abstentions. The bill moved on to the Senate, which was also controlled by Labour with a number of independents. The bill was voted on by the Senate on April 15 and rejected by 34 votes to 29. It was the first time the Senate had directly blocked any of Robards' legislation.
On August 23, the Commons rejected the bill in a consciene-vote, a condition of the bill's re-introduction. Robards now faced the prospect that he had lost control of the House of Commons, as it was the first time ever a government had failed to pass legislation in the lower house.
The following day, Robards met with constitutional lawyers and the President, Susan O'Byrne. Under Georgeland's constitution, if Parliament rejects a bill twice then the President is empowered to dissolve both Houses and call a fresh election (referred to as a 'double dissolution'). In the past, this practice had applied only to a hostile Senate. However, Robards' advice was that to call a dissolution based on the Commons loss would be legal, and subsequently advised O'Byrne to dissolve both chambers for a general election held on October 7.
The election campaign was fought bitterly by both sides, with the Conservatives, now led by Mary Byrne, campaigning heavily against Robards' cloning legislation, claiming it would mean the first step on a 'road to scientific tyranny'. They also insisted the bill was immoral and symptomatic of a government consumed by immorality, untrustworthiness and unworkable socialism.
The Robards government was re-elected, despite some opinion polls giving Byrne the advantage. Robards was said to have suffered quite ablow to his pride and reputation when he was resoundingly defeated in the first of two debates between himself and Byrne. The government nonetheless won a majority in the House of Commons; control of the Senate went to the remains of the Labour Party, which had been further decimated in the election, particularly its House of Commons representation.
Nuclear-Free-Zone[]
In early 2003, Robards made international headlines by announcing that he would enact legislation to ban nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons from Georgeland territory. While Georgeland has only one nuclear plant for power generation (the Point Freeman Nuclear Facility), and another for research (St. Andrews Nuclear Research Facility), the legislation also prohibited foreign vessels with nuclear reactors from entry into Georgeland waters and ports. This created a storm among other Western powers, as the United States Navy, French Navy, Royal Navy and Saydneyan Navy all used Georgeland as an occasional port. The Saydneyan government, until that point a close ally, reacted particularly strongly to the legislation and warned that the military ties between the two powers would be cut if the legislation were enacted. Robards held a defence summit in Georgeland and later addressed the Saydneyan Congress and the French French Parliament on the issue, but refused to withdraw his bill.
Georgeland became a Nuclear-Free-Zone on October 5, 2003, and all nuclear vessels were ordered to leave Georgeland waters. Later, under pressure from some in his own party and the Pentagon, Robards amended the legislation to exise the island of Corbana from the territory covered under the legislation, allowing it to be used by nuclear naval forces.
The legislation increased Robards' popularity among the global left and his reputation as an anti-war campaigner, but only served to increasingly alienate Georgeland from international affairs. A motion in the UN General Assembly condemning Georgeland's stance was moved by France but defeated in a vote.
Formation of the Liberal Democrats[]
A merger between the governing coalition parties, the Liberals and the Democrats, had been touted since 1999, and a Labour/Democrat merger before then. Robards was personally supportive of the suggestion, but others, notably Andrea Perkins, remained opposed on idealogical grounds. In 2002 Perkins resigned as Robards' Deputy Prime Minister to take up a diplomatic appointment; her replacement, Warren Barker, was more sympathetic to a merger. In July 2003 Robards and Barker publicly announced support for a merger and initiated a nation-wide vote of members of both parties. The vote took place in December 2003 and was carried, with 69% of all members of both parties approving (though the ratio was much higher, closer to 85%, in the Liberals than in the Democrats). In January 2004, Robards was elected unopposed as Leader of the new Liberal Democratic Party of the United Islands, with Barker unopposed as Deputy Leader.
However, Liberal Democratic tensions soon erupted. The party's membership was broad and drawn from across the political spectrum, from the centre-right to the far left. This naturally caused great tensions, particularly between former members of the Georgeland Party and former Labour members. Robards always remained neutral in internal disputes, but several reports suggested Robards was frequently attacked in the party room - by the party's centre for being too far to the left and by the left for a more centrist approach. His Centralist, as opposed to Federalist, approach also alienated more conservative members of the party.
2005 re-election[]
Robards called the general election for March 18, 2005, to avoid his government losing further ground to the opposition. Robards started the campaign higher in the polls than Tory leader Sam Richardson, but his Liberal Democrats were trailing the Conservatives in the new two-party preferred vote. The campaign was generally uncontraversial. Richardson campaigned on a 'fresh start' theme, promising to undo much of what the government had done. The Robards government, for its part, concentrated on its key themes of education and healthcare. The LDP lost a dozen or more seats to the opposition but managed to stay in power. This did not, however, help Robards' position within the party. Following the election, he unceremoniously dumped Home Affairs minister Christine Hinkle from the cabinet, incurring her wrath several months later.
Retirement[]
On 7 July 2005, speaking to the Liberal Democrat party conference, Robards announced he would step down when his replacement was elected by the party. After the first round of voting in the party room, Zoë Parker and Andrea Perkins were selected to fight it out for the leadership with rank-and-file party members. Robards remained neutral on the leadership question, refusing to speak publicly on it. His support for Parker, however, was somewhat of an open secret among Topstad insiders.
Rescue Foundation[]
In August 2005, Robards announced he would be the first Chairman of the Rescue Foundation, an international human rights and aid agency which his government, during his last few weeks in office, helped establish with government grants. This was immediately criticised by the Opposition, who claimed Robards had used government money to set up a job opportunity for himself. The government has said it has no evidence of any impropriety or misappropriation.
UN Ambassador[]
In January 2006, Robards was appointed as Georgeland's Ambassador to the United Nations despite opposition claims of political favoritism. Robards has kept a low profile as ambassador, but has been at the forefront of world affairs due to Georgeland's presence as a rotating member of the Security Council. In March 2006 Robards recieved a speeding ticket from a New York highway patrol officer who caught the former PM driving a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette at 125 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone. Due to his diplomatic immunity, Robards did not have to pay the speeding ticket nor could he be prosecuted. Robards paid the speeding ticket anyway. U.S. authorities now consider the matter closed.
In July and August, following the outbreak of violence in Lebanon, Robards participated heavily in efforts to condemn the violence. Robards pushed for a motion condemning Israel and the Lebanese government, but his efforts came to nothing as the United States refused to endorse any motion critical of Israel. Robards subsequently travelled to Israel to begin talks with several goverment officials as part of a UN delegation in the hope of bringing an end to the violence.
On February 23, 2007, Robards was scheduled to be a guest on the Cryer Tonite program, when guest host Nathan Kellerman came down with 'flu and was unable to make it to the taping. Robards was asked by the show's producers to act as guest host and agreed. His performance as host met with some acclaim from viewers and the studio audience, leading to speculation of another potential career choice for the former Prime Minister in the future.
During the 2007 election campaign, Robards campaigned for the Liberal Democrats but only in a low-profile way; he did no television or radio appearances and gave no interviews. He also campaigned for his wife in Santa Christina, appearing with her at a number of events.
Following the election, which the Liberal Democrats lost, Robards announced he would stand down as Ambassador. He resigned from the post effective July 5. In giving his reasons, he stated, in typical laconic fashion, that he'd rather resign than be fired. The Conservatives had been highly critical of his appointment as UN Ambassador and it was widely believed Robards would have been replaced early in Luke Macaulay's administration.
It should be noted that despite their differences, Robards and Macaulay are friends, their relationship going back to university.
Writings[]
Robards' autobiography, Political Animal, focusing mostly but not exclusively on his political career, was released on December 11, 2006 and immediately became a best-seller in Georgeland.
After his resignation from the UN, Robards declared he would spend more time with his young family in Santa Christina, and also confirmed he was writing another book, this one to be focus more on his upbringing, university days and early political involvement. This book, Left Field, was released on September 18, 2007. The book is also a manifesto of sorts, outlining and explaining some of Robards' political views.
Robards' third book, Running for Cover, is an account of his 2008 presidential campaign (see below) and anecdotes related to the other election campaigns he has been involved with. It was released on November 12, 2009.
At the launch of Running for Cover, Robards announced he was working on a trilogy of political fiction novels, the first of which would be released in late 2010 or early 2011.
Presidential campaign[]
<div class="rellink<nowiki> </nowiki>boilerplate mainarticle">Main article: Presidential campaign of Charlton RobardsRobards had long been seen as a potential candidate for the Presidency of Georgeland, as early as his retirement date. Despite a series of events leading to a conclusion by many that he would run, Robards refused to publicly discuss the matter. When Left Field was released, Robards was asked by Jim Cryer on September 20, 2007 if he would run for President. He told viewers that they could "expect an answer pretty soon" and implied an announcement would be made shortly.
On October 26, Robards broke his silence and publicly declared he would be a candidate on the television series Cryer Tonite. His announcement was met with a roaring cheer and standing ovation by the studio audience. He followed up his announcement by declaring that, if elected, he would commission an annual "State of the Nation" report to Parliament and advocate change in areas of Georgeland's society that needed improvement.
On January 28, 2008, Robards was officially adopted as the Liberal Democratic Party's presidential candidate.
Robards began the campaign polling fourth, trailing the other three major candidates. Always a polarising figure, Robards' campaign was based on the theme of the 'changing nature of the office' and that only he could be the kind of president the country needed and wanted. Robards pledged to use the office for advocacy and promised an annual "state of the nation" address to Parliament. Robards began to climb in the polls during the campaign, despite criticisms and allegations that he would not be prepared to work with the incumbent Tory government.
By polling day, Robards was the leader of all candidates in the polls. In early returns his numbers were strong, but gradually began to fall back due to a rise in support from Lois Daniels in traditional Liberal Democratic areas. Robards placed second behind Daniels in first-preference votes, with 21.12%. He remained in the count until the final round, Green Party preferences boosting his numbers significantly. In the final hours of the count there was some suggestion he could win on the strength of anti-Daniels Tory voters who placed the Alliance last. However, he failed to attract enough of these votes to win election. On May 3 he conceded defeat to Daniels and congratulated her on her campaign.
Academic career[]
In July 2008, the Senate of the University of Santa Christina appointed Robards as the next Chancellor, the titular head of the university, to replace Stephen Jansen who had been appointed Governor of West Mainland. Robards assumed that office on September 24, 2008. Robards is also a guest lecturer in political science at USC, a role he also performs at several other universities in Georgeland and overseas.
2009 arrest in Italy[]
On September 4, 2009, Robards was arrested for assaulting a papparazzo (photographer) while vacationing with his wife and daughters in Venice. The photographer alleged Robards forcibly removed his camera before punching him in the face and chest several times. Robards was arrested for assault but released on bail. The former PM disputed the photographer's version of events, claiming the paparazzo had been attempting to photograph his two daughters. Robards said he did take the camera and admitted hitting the man once, but denies he hit him multiple times and said he was acting to defend his daughters, who were aged five and three at the time. In late October, the papparazzo dropped the assault charges.
Role in Haiti[]
In January 2010, following the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, Robards and the Rescue Foundation donated thirty million dollars to relief efforts. Robards visited devastated Port au Prince on January 19 and pledged that Rescue would make Haitian relief work its top priority for 2010.
Mayor[]
Drafted as replacement[]
On 29 May 2012, the Liberal Democratic candidate for Mayor of Santa Christina, Brian Williams, was forced to withdraw from the race after it was revealed he and his wife owned shares in a holding company registered in the Cayman Islands, of which two other directors had been indicted for fraud. Though Williams claimed to be innocent, the local LDP could no longer back his candidacy, and he announced his withdrawal. With local polling showing incumbent Tory mayor Greg Parker would win in a landslide, the local party met on June 4 to select another candidate. Under party rules, rank-and-file members only vote on initial preselection endorsements; if a candidate withdraws, in the interest of time the replacement is selected by the party executive. Robards, who happened to be in town at the time, was asked by the party if he would run, as he was the only candidate they believed could defeat Parker. On the evening of July 4, Robards announced that he had accepted the nomination and that he was running "as a favour to his city and his party". Robards said he held "no illusions" about his capacity to win, describing the race as "the hardest election of [his] career." On election day, June 30 (Robards' 49th birthday), he was elected mayor, defeating Parker by 52% to 48% of the two-party vote.
First mayoral term[]
Robards has said his number one priority is improving the city's public transport system and decreasing traffic congestion. To that end, Robards sponsored a voluntary alternate-day driving scheme, and signed into law a congestion charge for the inner city, a move that was initially unpopular but has been credited with decreasing local traffic. In February 2014, Robards confirmed that he would be seeking a second term in 2016, "provided there aren't any more surprises."
In August 2015, Deborah Robards was elected leader of the Liberal Democrats and thus Prime Minister of Georgeland. Robards himself took no overt role in her campaign for leadership, but media reports surfaced that he had been quietly working towards it behind the scenes.
=Re-election and presidential nomination[]
See: Martingate Scandal
Robards was re-elected Mayor in June 2016, winning 38.4% of the primary vote and almost 58% of the two-party vote, a five percent swing from the previous election. For the first year of his second term, Robards focussed on the city's response to climate change, signing into law a series of measures to reduce the city's carbon footprint, including an investment in renewable energy. He stated that the goal was to make the city carbon neutral by 2060, an ambitious goal.
On 4 May 2017, President Eileen Purves resigned from office due to revelations she had concealed her cancer diagnosis during the recent election campaign. Robards, as President of the Liberal Democrats, had been heavily involved in the campaign itself, even while running his own re-election campaign. On May 16, Robards' name began to be mentioned as a potential replacement, even though his wife was Prime Minister of Georgeland. He refused to make any formal statements on the matter, though in a tweet on May 19 he said he would be honoured to serve, but was focussed on the city.
On June 14, the government formally announced Robards as its choice to replace Purves until the next presidential election, due in May 2020. Robards' name was formally announced on June 14. The announcement, usually made by the Prime Minister, was instead made by her deputy, Keeler. Mrs Robards had departed for the United Kingdom three days before, where she was to discuss trade policy post-Brexit.
The government's rationale for choosing Robards was that he was a high-profile, unifying figure, that he had more than sufficient qualifications for the job, and that he was a loyal member of the LDP.
Immediately, criticism was rampant. Opposition leader Madeline Woods attacked the appointment as 'a nepotistic dictatorship', liking both Charlton and Deborah Robards to African dictators. Criticism was not limited to the opposition - the Green Party, Alliance and even some members of the LDP expressed their opposition. Greens leader Greg Downes said "The Prime Minister cannot, should not, and must not, appoint her husband to the presidency. That flies in the face of our separation of powers, our democracy and our system of government. It makes a mockery of the constitution, and cements one family as absolute rulers."
Five members of the ministry - Zelda Mitchell (Trade & Tourism, in Cabinet), Lisa Foster (Community Services), Greg Ryder (Territories & Local Government), Naomi Dulles (Defence Science & Industry) and Marie Keenan (Science & Technology) resigned in protest at the decision.
Robards, for his part, said the nomination was surprising, but that he had been urged to accept by his party. Public opinion was almost universally negative, with social media being especially critical.
On June 16, only two days later, Parliament voted narrowly to reject the appointment. This was immediately followed by a successful motion of no-confidence in the Robards government in the House of Commons, aided by Liberal Democratic dissenters. A new election was called at which the LDP won a small but workable majority. On 8 September, the new parliament met and voted to confirm Robards as President.
Presidency[]
Personal[]
Robards spent much of his adult life as a bachelor. In 1992, he began a relationship with Labour staffer Wendy Hamilton, which lasted until 1997 - from 1995 Hamilton lived with Robards at The Residence.
Robards was linked with American marine scientist Lisa Nodori in 2001-2002, but the relationship ended after press scrutiny caused tensions, resulting in a new media code of conduct to prevent excessive scrutiny of the private lives of public figures.
Rumours persisted in 2000 that Robards had had an affair with Inga Carlsson, the wife of the then-Swedish Ambassador Stig Carlsson. The rumours were never substantiated, however, and no formal security investigation was ever launched.
In 2002, Robards began seeing Santa Christina Herald journalist Deborah Carr; the couple married in 2004. The relationship led to Carr's dismissal from her paper due to bias issues; with Robards' retirement, Mrs Robards has not planned a return to journalism. The couple's first child, Phoebe, was born in 2004 - their second, Alexis, was born in February 2006.
Robards is also the godfather of Alison Walsh (b. 1987), who was the natural child of Matthew and Susan Walsh, the PM's Chief of Staff and his wife, who were killed in a 2002 car accident. For a time Walsh lived with Robards at the Residence; she now attends Santa Christina University and resides on-campus.
Political Views[]
Robards has held left-of-centre political views since his political career began, and is regarded internationally as a standard-bearer for the global leftist movement. Robards has never claimed to be a socialist, preferring the term social democrat.
Robards' political career has been dominated by reforms to government and social institutions. He firmly supported abortion rights and gay rights from his activist days, and as Prime Minister legalised both abortion and same-sex marriage (though abortion was already legal in some states). He is an acknowledged admirer of Bill Clinton, Harold Wilson and Albert Camus. He has criticised aspects of the Third Way in the past but adopted several of its social and economic ideas into his platform. Robards has been opposed to most privatisation of government services, but does not believe in state-owned industry. He is a strong critic of private schools; his government ended all federal funding to non-government schools, though this position has now ended and some private schools (and hospitals) now recieve federal money. Similarly, Robards has always been a strong advocate for public education and public healthcare.
Robards was a political reformer, and enacted several changes to Georgeland's system of government, including ending the long-standing but impractical situation of the Prime Minister assuming the Presidency on the death or resignation of the President. He vigorously opposed a change to proportional representation in Georgeland's House of Commons, but supported standardising the system of election for the Senate; he advocated for a party list system, which the public did not support. Significantly, Robards was the most vocal opponent of a change to an elected, rather than appointed, President. The change was adopted despite his opposition. Robards has kept silent on the issue since the constitution was altered.
Overseas Perception[]
Global Left Leader[]
Robards has a reputation, particularly in Europe, as a leader of the global moderate left. Though many socialists and other far-left groups take issue with his moderate economic beliefs, his progressive social views have led to a string of admires among those with similar beliefs, particularly among the young. He has recieved a number of accolades and awards from leftist governments and institutions. Robards is less-known in the United States, though his ideological differences with the Bush Administration and his strong anti-nuclear stance, as well as his opposition to the Iraq War, gained him a certain notoriety among the American media.
Conversely, right-wing groups globally have targeted Robards as the antithesis of their beliefs. While stationed at the United Nations, Robards was jeered by a group of pro-life activists, and has also recieved (infrequent) hate mail from other right-wing groups. The conservative media, particularly in the United States, have also attacked Robards' politics and percieved anti-Americanism. In 2004, conservative commentator Bill O'Reilley referred to Robards as "Castro with a nicer haircut" and also likened him to Hugo Chavez.
Relations with the United States[]
The Robards government always had an uneasy, unstable relationship with the United States. Robards and former U.S. President Bill Clinton were strong supporters of one another and friends, but this relationship was tested a number of times, usually over economic factors such as import tariffs.
With the election of George W. Bush as President in 2000, the relationship became almost hostile. Though initially supporting the American-led effort in Afghanistan, Robards became an ardent critic of U.S. foreign policy, describing it is 'dangerous imperialism'. In 2005, Robards met with President Bush for the only time during his Prime Ministership, three days before he left office.
Robards' gripe with the USA has apparently been based around issues of national sovereignty; notably, percieved 'bullying' by the United States. Robards has for his entire career advocated international co-operation and saw Bush administration policy as contrary to same.
Robards was a leading critic of the Iraq War of 2003 and this strained US-Georgeland relations considerably. Robards did, however, allow non-nuclear US ships to use Georgeland and Corbana as a base.
The 2003 nuclear ban pushed relations further. The Bush administration strongly criticised the move and Georgeland was thrown out of multilateral defence talks. Investment suffered as well. The anti-American sentiment, however, contributed to Robards' electoral success.
Relations with Saydney[]
Robards has likewise had a somewhat turbulant relationship with the Saydneyan government.while early in his career as Prime Minister the Relationship between Tasroco and Topstad had been openly friendly there was a gradual cooling of the relationship. The cooling has generally centred around the issues of military deployment and foreign relations with other nations rather than conflicts between the two countries.
Robards and Saydney's President Marc Emerson initially had a very strong relationship and personal friendship, as both were very young, progressive leaders who were able to find common ground on many issues. The relationship suffered a series of setbacks, however, most notably during the Corbana incident. Saydney, who had amassed several hundred caualties trying to free the island, pushed for a total withdrawal of Indian troops. However, Robards pushed ahead for a ceasefire and peace agreement, using the current lines of control as the border. The amount of consultation Tasroco had in this agreement is a matter of conflict between the two governments, with Saydney saying it was not consulted while Robards maintained vigorous liasion.
Another matter which divided the two nations was the deciion of Topsdad to ban Nuclear ships from Georgeland waters. At the time of this decision Saydney maintained a large naval and air base in the Georgeland state of scoita. The base was at that stage at the centre of Saydneyan foriegn policy. Despite heavy lobbying from Tasroco and a threat to end the 20 year long military alliance Robards pushed through the bill. Though the two nations continued to refer to each other as "allies", in response to the bill Saydney cancelled its joint defence obligation with Georgeland, effectively ending the alliance in military and diplomatic terms. The banning of nuclear ships almost overnight destroyed the Saydeyan foreign position and forces Tasroco to withdraw from international commitments in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The backlash in Tasroco was fierce, with Saydney severing trade deals and agreements. The relationship was further strained by very public lobbying by Emerson for the United States to take similar action.
In 2004 a coup in the Central Asian republic of Norman once again saw Emerson and Robards co-operating in order to ressolve the crisis. Saydney had a vested interest in restoring order in Norman; not only did Saydney have large amounts of capital invested in mining operations, but several Saydneyan citizens had been kidnapped and Presdident Emerson had only weeks before on a state visit promised to help the nation "through all crisis"
Harking back to the days when Emerson and Robards were almost insperable on the international stage Emerson and Robards worked the international community to get support for the intervention to overthrow the military dictatoship.
Following the succsessful intervention in norman, Robards again joined with Emerson in Topsdad to negotiate the new constitution of Norman. However, the succsess of the co-operation did nothing to thaw the overal relationship and following the negotated settlement Robards and Emerson returned to a what media reported was a "stalemate".
The relationship between Saydney and Georgeland has improved somewhat since Robards' departure. Emerson and Robards' successor, Zoe Parker, were not close personally but were able to establish a dialogue. However, Parker refused to repeal the nuclear ban, which led to a strained relationship. When Emerson himself left office in 2006 and was replaced by Miranda Eaton, the relationship suffered further, as Eton and Parker were known to hold a strong mutual dislike (despite their similar political views). Parker's replacement by Luke Macaulay in 2007 saw a thawing of relations once again.
Robards and Emerson appear to have reconciled since both men left office. Emerson was admitted to the board of the Rescue Foundation, which Robards founded and chairs, at Robards' personal request. The two have also held joint press conferences to announce Foundation initiatives and have made a number of appearances together.
Ministries[]
First Ministry 1995-1997[]
See: First Robards Ministry
Second Ministry 1997-1999[]
See: Second Robards Ministry
Third Ministry 1999[]
See: Third Robards Ministry
Fourth Ministry 1999-2000[]
See: Fourth Robards Ministry
Fifth Ministry 2001-2002[]
See: Fifth Robards Ministry
Sixth Ministry 2002-2005[]
See: Sixth Robards Ministry
Supreme Court Appointments[]
Robards made the following appointments to the Supreme Court of Georgeland:
- Justice Emma Ray (1997)
- Justice Jordan Haslem (2003)
- Justice Thomas Seeyal (2005)
- Chief Justice Emily O'Connor (2005) (Justice O'Connor was appointed to the bench in 1990 but appointed Chief Justice in 2005)
Awards and Accolades[]
- Robards has recieved four wikipedia:honorary doctorates - from the University of Southern California in 1998, from Cambridge in 2003, from Monash University in 2005 and the University of Santa Christina, which he attended, in 2006. Though officially entited to style himself "Dr. Robards", Robards has refused to do so.
- In 2006, at the same time as he recieved his Honorary Doctorate, Robards was appointed as an Honorary Fellow at the School of Political Science at USC.
- Recieved the Order of Georgeland in 2006 for contributions to government and diplomacy. Was also given the right to use the title Right Honourable.
- Has been awarded the Keys to the City in a number of cities, notably Paris in 1999 and Melbourne in 2002.
- Recieved the Anne Frank Medal for Human Rights and Tolerance in 2003.
- In December 2006, Robards was made an honorary Chief and Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu by Michael Somare for his contributions to the global fight against AIDS. His friend Bill Clinton recieved the same award at the same time.
Trivia[]
- The first time Robards spoke in public was at a Star Trek convention in the mid-seventies, when he asked William Shatner whether it was true he wore a wig.
- Robards’ gambling problem was real. He once lost $15,000 at a high-stakes poker game. Another time he lost his apartment, but won it back with a straight flush.
- Robards is a poker champion, having won three amateur tournaments. He thought about playing professionally, but no longer gambles at all, lest it go too far.
- Robards is a huge fan of Santa Christina United Football Club and was club President 2002-2003. He is also a lifetime member and a member of the club board. After SCU won the Georgeland Cup Final in 1996, Robards wore his United scarf on the floor of the House of Commons.
- At University, Robards had a reputation as a practical joker. He once convinced his lecture to walk out en masse and to surprise the lecturer in her office later that day. The lecturer nearly had a heart attack after opening her door to a crowd of eighty people. The penchant for pranks continued into his term of office; he regularly plays April Fools tricks on the public, including once proclaiming a bill to change the national language to Portuguese.
- Robards also plays golf, although by his own admission he isn’t very good. He once played in a celebrity tournament for charity while Opposition Leader, against Jim Cryer and Sam Carnell of The Bandits. He came dead last.
- Robards has a signed photo of Paul McCartney on his office wall.
- He annoys his staff by frequently playing rock & roll on his office sound system at deafening volumes. Speaker Janet Morris, whose office was down the hall, once threatened, as head of the Department of Parliament, to have his stereo removed. He responded by playing her favourite song the next day.
- Robards has a strict rule – nobody in the office works on their birthday. This rule applies to him as well, although he was too busy to take his 40th birthday off.
- Robards frequently forgoes the state dining room to take visiting dignitaries to Topstad restaurants – he and Chinese premier Li Peng once ate dinner in a Chinese restaurant on Republic Avenue.
Quotes From[]
“Politics isn’t about self-interest. It’s about national interest. But sometimes they overlap.”
“Not all politicians are liars. All are politicians, though, and sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference.” - Editorial column in 1990.
“I’m not sure I have the brains, courage or stamina to be Prime Minister. I’m not even sure I have them to be an average guy.” - While President of SCU Student Council
“I look forward to the day when no man or woman need fear for the safety of their loved ones…” - Speech to the Saydneyan Congress, 2003, on nuclear prohibition.
"I freely admit that there are some characters within the Liberal Party that act in a less-than-honest way. I'm not going to let it occur and I swear now to rout it out no matter what the cost.” - Radio interview, 2002
At a CHOGM meeting in Durban in 1999, Robards spent a brief period mingling with his British and Canadian counterparts, Tony Blair and Jean Chrétien. When the British PM complimented Robards on his tie, Robards replied, “I’d like to say it represents the bright hope of the Commonwealth, but really it represents my dark one being at the back of the rack.”
When meeting with then-Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi in 2000, the Japanese leader offered sake to his guest. “This is a delicacy in my country,” he said. Robards replied, deadpan, “we don’t have any delicacy in my country; that’s how I got to be Prime Minister.” As they were speaking through interpreters, and the pun doesn’t translate well, Keizo had no idea what Robards was on about, or why his aides laughed.
“This is the thing to remember about reporters. They are all slimy, weasley, money-grabbing, cynical, used-car-salesman types. I know this because I used to be one myself.”
“The first rule of politics is never to take any shit from anyone,”
“They said I was too young to be a senior reporter. They said I was too young to be Editor. They said I was too young to be an MP. They said I was too young to be a Minister. They said I was too young to be Prime Minister. To them, I say, I will still be Prime Minister when you’re buried in your grave. To them, I say, you’re never too young, so long as you’re prepared.”