In his 20 years in politics, one can’t imagine Peter Costello giving a speech quite like the one he gave on Friday night. Money is “bewitching and beguiling”, the former Federal Treasurer told the crowd of 600+ Christian men—the same man who, under Howard, raised and allocated over $3.6 trillion dollars in government money.

Speaking at Belgrave Heights Men’s Convention, an annual gathering in Melbourne’s East, Peter Costello’s keynote address explored money, fame and power as part of the conference theme: Men at work.

Peter Costello and wife Tanya.

Costello was in his element speaking to the group about the definition of money: “a unit of measurement, a medium of exchange, a store of value”. What surprised the crowd was his warning of the failure of money to ultimately satisfy. “Rather than make you happy, it makes you envious­ we never quite have enough,” he said.

Costello defined the rich as “people with more money than me” and revealed that even billionaires compare themselves to each other. He humorously recounted a dinner meeting with the late Kerry Packer. The Australian dollar had just fallen and Packer was lamenting how much money he’d lost. Packer reportedly said, “do you know how much this has cost me? Don’t think I’m rich, I’m not a Bill Gates.”

Turning from politician to preacher, Costello quoted Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do not store up treasures on earth, but treasures in heaven.”

He then spoke on the fickleness of using achievements and reputation to etch our names into immortality. Costello emphasised how our achievements and reputations are ultimately temporary, an idea brought home later in the evening by Queensland Theological College Principal Gary Millar as he taught the very same concept from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes.

Who in politics today would give a speech claiming that achievements and reputations do not last. Yet in this presentation Costello was campaigning for a different leader, exhorting that it was of greater importance to answer to the judge that really counts.

Costello closed with the key theme of the 2004 Federal Election campaign by asking: “Who do you trust?” Political figures will not save you, he said. “Political figures won’t save your marriage or give purpose for living. Politicians can’t solve personal problems. Christians look to God and faith in Christ. Put not your trust in Princes.”

Costello then quoted Psalm 146, “Happy is he whose hope is in the Lord his God. He remains faithful forever.”

The message transcended political party lines as he encouraged those gathered to follow a truly great and enduring leader.

Robert Martin works for City Bible Forum, Melbourne and attended the Belgrave Heights Men’s Convention over the weekend.

Image: petercostello.com.au