Kennett says Paula Wriedt should look forward, not back

PAULA Wriedt needs to start looking forward rather than backwards, her beyondblue companion and fellow ex- politician Jeff Kennett says. The former Victorian premier and director of the national depression awareness organisation welcomed Tasmania's former tourism minister aboard. In an interview with The Weekend Australian published on Saturday, Ms Wriedt was critical of what she called a lack of compassion by former Labor colleagues and criticised both former premier Jim Bacon and Premier David Bartlett for the way she said they had treated her. She also spoke of her anger at being dumped as a minister by Mr Bartlett after a suicide attempt. However, Mr Kennett defended both Mr Bacon and Mr Bartlett. "I think she's got to focus on getting herself well and looking to the future rather than looking in the past," Mr Kennett said. "With illness there comes a feeling of hurt, which is understandable, and you often try and apportion blame but I've learned in my life - whether I get sacked as premier, voted out of office, lose a football match or get ill - it makes no difference. "Paula's young, she's 40, she's got a lot of life ahead of her, a lot of creative contribution. She needs to get herself fit, forget the past and look forward." Mr Kennett revealed he had tried to contact Ms Wriedt when she left politics, but added that both Mr Bacon and Mr Bartlett faced tough decisions over her second pregnancy and her suicide attempt. "We've only heard one side of the story," he said. "I've known Jim Bacon very long, for much longer than nearly everybody else, including (his wife) Honey. We used to play on his parents' tennis court together when he was a five- year-old. "Jim has had to deal with depression in his family. I always think he was very sympathetic to people with illness and issues. "I'm also sympathetic to David Bartlett. With a small cabinet if someone is not able to dispense their duties you've got to be able to move on. That's not to say someone has got to retire from parliament." Asked what he would have done as premier, Mr Kennett said: "I would have said to Paula `you're not well, take time off, you can't continue to be a minister because the state has got to continue to function. I'd ask you to resign but if you don't I'd have no alternative but to stand you down as minister. Go and concentrate on getting yourself fully fit again and then when you can continue to serve as a member of parliament come back and we'll continue to employ you'." Mr Kennett said Ms Wriedt had agreed to act as an ambassador for beyondblue. "We welcome Paula but she will undergo training, which will make her a very valuable asset for us," he said. "She's a very well-qualified and experienced lady, young, with a lot of life ahead of her." •For more details go to www.beyondblue.org.au. Anyone dealing with depression can call the 24-hour counselling service Lifeline on 131114.