The Fights of My Life

by Greg Combet, Mark Davis

Greg Combet has been central to some of the biggest public struggles of our time - on the waterfront, the collapse of an airline, compensation for asbestos victims, the campaign against unfair workplace laws and then climate change. From an idyllic childhood on the Minchinbury estate in the western suburbs of Sydney, Combet's world changed dramatically with the early death of his wine-maker father. The shy child was uprooted to the suburbs and an uncertain future. A scholarship allowed him to study engineering and saw him appreciate first hand the role of unions in the workplace.

He rose to lead the Australian trade union movement and become a senior minister in the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments. Along the way he has battled his own struggles, with political ideology, the impact of work on families and the loneliness of the parliamentary life. His story is not just a personal memoir; it is an insight into how power works in Australia, who holds it, how it is used and the ruthless ways in which it is snatched.

The Fights of My Life is the story of a man who faces up to the power structures of politics, big business and the media. His latest target is the labour movement, arguing that the Labor Party and the trade unions must democratise to engage the next generation of activists to fight the good fight: to achieve a more fair and just Australia.

Genres: Biography, Politics, Nonfiction

395 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 29, 2014

Reviews

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Greg Combet has been at the centre of some of the biggest battles of our time—the waterfront dispute, the collapse of an airline, compensation for asbestos victims, the campaign against unfair workplace laws and then climate change. From an isolated childhood on the Minchinbury estate west of Sydney, Combet's world changed dramatically with the early death of his father, a wine-maker.
Facing many challenges, he rose to lead the Australian trade union movement and become a senior minister in the Rudd and Gillard Labor governments. Along the way he has struggled with political ideology, the impact of work on his family and the relentless demands of the parliamentary life.
The Fights of My Life is the story of a man who faces up to the power structures of politics, big business and the media. He now makes the case that the labour movement’s work is far from done—the Labor Party and the trade unions must democratise to engage the next generation of activists to fight the good fight: to achieve a more fair and just Australia.

Political biographies can fall into two camps: dry, dull and lifeless, dealing mostly with facts and figures and why the author is such a great politician or, they are well written, neither pompous or biased, and show the strengths AND failures of the subject of the book.

This book is definitely in the second category.

Aside from the normal childhood story (which, of course, is a part of any biography), this book delves into Combet's political and personal life, gives us insight into his motivations as the leader of the trade union and as a member of the recent Labor government, and we also get a glimpse into the world of a career politician and how that plays a major role on his family life.

With some definite highlights (the Waterfront dispute of the late '90s being a perfect example), this book is definitely one to add for the political reader in your home.


Paul
ARH

[Matt John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Follows the commonly used structure for a political memoir. Combet talks about life growing up and then delves into how he became a leader in the Australian union movement and the role he played in major industrial events such as the 1998 Waterfront dispute. When delving into his more recent past as a politician and member of the most recent Federal Labor Government, the cohesive narrative style is lost and the "story" is broken up with "mini-lectures" on policies and ideologies, which almost feel like the reader is being talked down to.
Overall an interesting read, but rather dry - Combet spends the majority of the book on his professional life, with his family, partners and friends as secondary players to his story, mentioned only briefly.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read, not pompous or self focused, about the events but not a daily blow recitation or focused on the negative

[Michael Mardel · Rating 5 out of 5]

f 5 starsThank you Greg
March 2, 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
The fights of my life by Combet. I lived through all of his fights and was even more turned to vote Labor. I dallied with the Greens for awhile but now back in the Labor camp after reading Greg's memoirs detailing the climate change debacle when the Greens in the Senate voted with the Liberals on a carbon pricing legislation. Yes, they only protest, wanting all the coal power stations closed down immediately. Unfortunately the internal squabbling over leaders (and the leaking to the media) lost them the next election. Would it have been different if Kim Beazley had been prime minister instead of Rudd? Perhaps they thought a new broom like Rudd would emulate Bob Hawke? Not.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greg Combet was closely involved in the waterfront industrial dispute, the Ansett bankruptcy, WorkChoices, and the carbon pricing debate. Super interesting to see that history from his perspective. It is a policy heavy memoir, and Combet gives honest insights into the unions and the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years. Reading it straight after Jacinda Ardern’s memoir, it is a bit icky that he barely mentions his family and he doesn’t get anywhere near as introspective as she did.

[Harinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating if at times sad insights into Greg Combet's life. A man of incredible integrity.