The " Wizard of Oz " !

It is generally accepted that those who have outstanding talent in whatever field they choose to excel in rise to the top and achieve a just reward.   That can happen in almost any field.   We see a person with what seems an ordinary voice shoot up the pop charts and attract thousands of screaming fans to every performance.  They instantly become incredibly rich and famous and they are pursued relentlessly by the media.

Others avoid fame and remain in the shadows, perhaps starting a business that employs thousands or rising to become head of a trading organization that becomes a household name.  In the electronic age it is the day of the entrepreneur who develops a new concept that catches the public imagination - and sweeps the world.  Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook illustrate that point.

Australia produced such a genius whose name does not spring to the mind of most people but who has had outstanding success in creating the conditions that result in election success.   That man is Lynton Crosby and he is credited with devising the strategies that resulted in John Howard winning the 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2004 Federal elections.

The strange thing about that sort of fame is that such a person is hated by the losing side of politics and therefore the winning side is cautious about bestowing rewards because of the acrimony that would cause.   When the political climate changed with the election of Kevin Rudd, Lynton Crosby quietly moved to Britain - where he was enthusiastically courted by that nation's Conservative party.

This year the Crosby magic again came to the fore when David Cameron's Conservative party won a majority in the British parliament against the forecast of most pundits.  Crosby was the strategist behind the winning campaign and his genius is credited with pulling the proverbial rabbit out of a hat when it came to managing public opinion.

The Conservatives have not been shy about bestowing an appropriate reward - for services rendered.  Crosby is about to be granted a knighthood and as such he will take his place in the House of Lords. A previous British government reformed this upper chamber when it introduced life members from those granted knighthoods and thus diluted it's hold on those with hereditary titles.It is quite possible that Crosby may have aspirations beyond being the play maker behind the scenes in politics and now he will be front and centre in the field of play both sides will be watching intently as he makes his moves.

He certainly caught the British media flat footed when he devised the winning Conservative election campaign and the pundits quickly branded him the "Wizard of Oz ".   David Cameron's party was thought to be headed to - at best - minority government when Crosby turned things around and delivered a stunning majority victory.

The losing side of politics in Britain is protesting Crosby's elevation to no avail.  The Conservatives have the numbers to push through a knighthood and now this man's undoubted talent is about to be unleashed on the floor of parliament, where reputations can lead to unexpected elevation.

Australia's loss is Britain's gain !   His countrymen and countrywomen will watch with interest to see how his grasp of politics changes the scene in his new country !