Veteran reporter Ian Mackay has revealed that South Australian Liberal politician , the late Andrew Jones , paid him a lousy 20 dollars for ghosting the above book.
In 1966 , at the age of 22 , Jones , of the Liberal Country League , with ultra conservative views, became the youngest politician elected to the House of Representatives when he won the seat of Adelaide which had been a Labor stronghold .
By Peter Simon
He caused an uproar when at the newly formed Adelaide Liberal Luncheon Group ,held at the Arkaba Steak Cellar , off King William Street , he delivered a speech covering his first impressions of Federal Parliament .
Questions were asked at the conclusion, during which he said honourable members in Canberra were half drunk half the time . He also said he had been amazed one day in the House to see there were only nine of 124 members present .
Three were asleep, two were doing a crossword and one was reading an outdated Donald Duck comic .
He did not realise the uproar that would result from such colourful remarks- which went worldwide .
In the book, Jones said he was shattered by the initial media response and follow ups . His mother cried , his enemies rolled in the aisles laughing , his brother was ridiculed at school, Young Liberals were up in arms and wanted his blood , he did not sleep for five nights .
Cartoonists, of course, had a field day - Paul Rigby in particular ,the book illustrated by him.
Rigby's version ,below, of Jones apologising in the chamber for his comments about parliamentarians is an absolute gem. Jones was called by the party whip to apologise for his statement on the floor of the House .
Now living on Magnetic Island , Queensland , Ian Mackay explained how he came to write the book .
An experienced television and newspaper reporter , he had written a book on the Vietnam War , published by Rigby , Adelaide . For Rigby , he had once ghosted a book for a doctor .
The publishers asked him if he would ghost a book on Andrew Jones who was receiving so much colourful media coverage , a local young man seemingly going places .
For three hectic months , Ian , working on the Adelaide Advertiser, regularly went to Andrew's sleepout at the back of his parents' residence , his father a banker , and took copious notes , then belted out the manuscript on his Olivetti Lettera .
It covered being raised in Sydney , attending St. Peter's College, Adelaide, going to sea with the Blue Funnel Line as a cadet , time at Adelaide University , the wild election campaign ,the Vietnam War a major issue at the time , the aftermath .
The book included an opening letter from Prime Minister Harold Holt to Dear Andrew, which said his narrative might encourage young Australians to get involved in politics.
In part, he wrote : "Young Australians of this generation have more cause , perhaps, than ever before in their country's history, to inform themselves about the large international and domestic issues which bear on their future. There is a need for them to play an active part in the political life of the nation and for a growing number of them to find their way into its Governments and Parliaments."
Launched with much publicity , the book sold well . From Jones , Ian received a presentation copy , the signed title page shown below ,now in his book collection .
After some time, Ian contacted the publishers, asked when he would be paid for his ghosting of the book . Much to his surprise, he was told that Andrew Jones would pay him for his services . Ian raised the subject with Jones in a North Terrace drinking establishment which enabled imbibing after 6pm, the official pub closing time in those days.
Jones acknowledged that yes , the arrangement with Rigby's was for him to pay Ian for his services. Then he reached for his wallet, pulled out a $20 note , gave it to him , probably the first time in his seasoned career that Ian was lost for words ... $20 !!! !!!
A bottle of South Australian wine was bought with the piddling payment .
It is interesting to note that Jones once described alcohol as "the devil's urine".
Wikipedia states he caused further controversy through the release of " his book" which made further comments on the "wickedness " of parliament .
He had caused further uproar when he wrote the spoken word record Shadow Valley and Iron Triangles by The Young Australians played over the tune Waltzing Matilda
Jones had described it as "anti- Communist"; his supporters said it was "a reaction against the spate of sick, immoral and depraved pseudo-folk music which pours from the radio".
It contained the lines: "When you hear the anthem, lift up your head, remember our past, see our glorious future and let your voice sing out, and friend, thank God you're free."
Detractors described the record as "awful" or "pure jingoism". An online shot of the record conversely displays the comments Commo Propaganda and CRAP .
The record made it onto The Worst Records of the World An Arcade of Audio Atrocities website, run by Darryl W. Bullock . He described it as three minutes of Australian jingoistic nonsense masquerading as a call to support the Vietnam War.
The Young Australians , he said, were actually the narrator , Rex Headings , a former DJ and television executive who went on to create the popular Aussie kids' character Humphrey B. Bear. Issued in 1967, the record had been banned from several radio stations, although it reached Number One in the Adelaide district.
Jones lost the seat of Adelaide to Chris Hurford of the ALP at the next election. He made a failed attempt to be elected to the Senate years later ,was reported keeping a low profile in Western Australia , died December 2, 2015.
With compound interest, Ian Mackay would be happy to receive a million bucks or a handful of bitcoins as belated full settlement for his ghostly experience with the Jones boy .
