While perusing the web yesterday
Crikey stumbled across a listing for the Member for Brand and Leader of
the Federal Labor Party on this website of “Australia’s premier Speaker and Entertainers Bureau”, ICMI.

Kim
Beazley is the only currently serving politician listed on a page
titled “Legal and Political Speakers” where he’s in such fine company
as Australian radio identity Tracy Bartram, the former Victorian
Premier Jeff Kennett, RJ Hawke and Crikey’s own Stephen Mayne.

We
rang to find out how much it costs to get the Bomber to speak –
clutching our wallets tightly in case he’s charging by the word – and
were told he can’t charge for his time because he’s a working
politician. In fact, the helpful woman at the end of the phone added,
he’s available to “speak for free” – if we want him.

So do we?