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People here pride themselves on 'mateship' – a value that embodies friendship and loyalty – and that extends to politics too.

He quotes Hooks’ quotation of the writer Frank Browning on eroticism: “By erotic, I mean all the powerful attractions we might have: for mentoring and being mentored, for unrealizable flirtation, for intellectual tripping, for sweaty mateship at play or at work, for spiritual ecstasy, for being held in silent grief, for explosive rage at a common enemy, for the sublime love of friendship.”

Clarke, 54, described the distinctly Australian concept of “mateship,” which prioritizes teamwork, selflessness and loyalty.

“It’s camaraderie, it’s mateship, it’s the balance of skill and strategy … but to be honest, it’s a lot of fun,” says Australian Curling Federation President Kim Forge.

“Mateship is something we take very seriously here in Australia, something that is tightly woven into our national psyche. We should have been the leaders, showing our coalition partners exactly how we treat our mates.”