‘I don’t hold a hose, mate’: Australia’s political history is full of gaffes. Here are some of the best (or worst)
- Written by Frank Bongiorno, Professor of History, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, Australian National University
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a gaffe as a “blunder, an instance of clumsy stupidity, a ‘faux pas’.” It evokes a sense of triviality rather than high seriousness. If one’s clumsiness results in the outbreak of war, it would not usually be considered a mere gaffe.
Nor are gaffes ordinarily seen to result from...
Daily Bulletin
