The Grill - Peter Costello
As the Federal Election dominates the headlines, let’s take a look back at when would-be Prime Minister Peter Costello took his turn on The Grill.
Federal Treasurer Peter Costello is a well known Essendon supporter, but has curiously taken a liking to the Cronulla Sharks in the NRL. Costello occasionally turns up at Sharks games, usually at about a rate of one a year. The Serve finds out if he is serious about Cronulla.
TS: Thanks for joining us, Mr Costello.
PC: Please call me Peter. In fact, there’s an election soon, isn’t there? Call me Pete.
TS: Pete, we recently saw you at a Cronulla Sharks game knocking back a beer. Are you really a fan of the Sharks?
PC: I certainly am. It hurts me that people don’t seem to believe that, it really does. I, um, love my footy.
TS: Well, what can you tell me anything about the club’s history? Could you tell me some of your favourite players, for example?
PC: Ooh so many to choose from. Gordon Abercrombie, Russell Aitken, Greg Allen. He was good. Jarrod Anderson, Barry Andrews. I could keep going…
TS: Did you memorize those names from a book?
PC: Look, I object to that statement. Such a negative accusation when we’re living in such prosperity. Is it really necessary to try and find a negative spin? I would look very hard at the agenda of the person making the statement.
TS: You didn’t answer the question.
PC: Good soundbite, though.
TS: Okay, can you name a former Sharks player whose surname doesn’t start with ‘A’?
PC: Well, there’s, um, the one who had his old fella in the magazine a few years ago.
TS: E.T.?
PC: No, a footballer.
TS: Andrew Ettingshausen?
PC: Wonderful player. They named the stand after him, you know?
TS: Yes I do. Why Cronulla?
PC: Given I spend so much time in places where rugby, sorry, rugby league is big, we all agreed I should have a team. I always enjoyed the way the Sharks played. They seemed pretty exciting, certainly from the highlights I saw on ABC news.
Added to that, there’s the small detail of Cronulla being smack bang in the middle of the seat of Cook, perhaps one of the safest seats in the country, so we felt there’d be less people wanting to boo me. A marriage made in heaven, really. I also like the colours.
TS: I didn’t know you were a Crown Lager man?
PC: Oh, God no. Hate the stuff. Hate any beer. I tell you it was sheer torture. You see, we had a monitor in the box, and when it looked like there could be a cutaway shot, I’d take a sip. So many times we were just out of sync, it was so frustrating. But once the magic shot was captured midway through the first term, we broke out the Chateau Haut-Brion. After the earlier sloth, that first sip was like a cigarette in the morning.
TS: Any plans to go to Toyota Park again this season?
PC: Certainly. I’ll have to check the schedule though.
TS: Your diary’s full?
PC: Oh no, not me. I mean Cronulla’s schedule. Do they have any matches on Channel Nine? I’m not going to debase myself for a pay-tv game!
TS: Thank you, Peter.
PC: Unless Johnny calls a snap election. Have you heard anything?
Interview may not have actually happened
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| > | The Grill: Elka Graham | > | The Grill: Peter Jackson |
| > | The Grill: Shane Warne | > | The Grill: Stuart MacGill |
| > | The Grill: Rupert McCall | > | The Grill: Andrew Demetriou |
| > | The Grill: Jana Rawlinson | > | The Grill: Rick Burton |
| > | The Grill: Vince Grella | > | The Grill: Peter Costello |
| > | The Grill: Shayne Hayne | > | The Grill: Aaron Baddeley |
| > | The Grill: Tony Roche | > | The Grill: Candice Falzon |
| > | The Grill: Michael O’Connor | > | The Grill: John Connolly |
| > | The Grill: Terry Wallace | > | The Grill: Malcolm Speed |
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