I received my first birthday card this morning, from Senator Wendy Askew, one of our local politicians. I suppose I should be impressed but I'm cynical enough to think that this is just an exercise in building up Senator Askew's name recognition. I looked her up and found that her father, Max Bushby, was a senator before her. When he retired, his son, David took over the mantle and became senator. It wasn't long before David found himself appointed as Consul-General for Australia in Chicago and his sister, Wendy, became Senator in his place.
They accuse the royal family of nepotism but they're amateurs in comparison with the political families of Tasmania.
Back to the card: it seems there's a database of all the old buggers in Tasmania and, at the appropriate time, a computer spits out the names of those reaching a milestone birthday, Wendy signs the pile of pre-printed cards placed in front of her (although I wouldn't recognise her signature so any office junior could have done this) and a lackey whose salary is paid by the Federal Government sticks them in envelopes.
I can't wait until my ninetieth birthday to see which member of the Bushby family signs the card then.
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