I find it really sad that Malcolm Turnbull would seek to rubbish a person for doing something as decent and well needed as looking after the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat… one of the world’s most endangered animals, recently listed at #2 on the critically endangered list, behind the Yangtze River Dolphin.

Mr Turnbull should be hanging his head in shame at the fact that in his time as Minister for the Environment and Water Resources he did NOTHING to aide the cause of the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat. It is an animal that desparately needs all the assistance it can get and is facing incredible odds.

I’m not a letter writer usually but am seriously considering writing to the Shadow Treasurer to explain to him the disgust his comments have made to me.

For everyone else out there… please do yourself a favour and spend a bit of time researching the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Not many people know of it and it’s very sad to learn of its plight.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/143258

Gory details here

http://theworstofperth.com/2008/06/10/fax-it-west/#comment-7545

I will go out on this – yes Bill Shorten is a serious act and could be capable of leading the Labor Party in future. But so could Julia Gillard, Wayne Swan, Lindsay Tanner and even Chris Bowen. There is so much talent in the labor side.

The Liberal Party have got ———————————well the Liberal Party have got —————————aaaaaaahhhhhhhaaahhhaahhaahhaahhahahah.

http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20080626/pdf/319tzt30p09wlz.pdf

Yeah, the CLP are about as inspiring as the federal Coalition.

What do you think the seat spread will be after the next election?

The CLP may regain a seat or two outside of the so called Berrimah line, but I can’t see any big shift in the political balance.

There simply is not any serious problems for the government, the economy is going very well, there are no scandals… The council amalgamation issue was not handled well, but it has settled down and is not a major vote changer. Crime is on the agenda (it is about all the CLP has to run on), but again I can’t see it producing a CLP government. Clare Martin staying on as leader could have been a major problem, but that has been resolved with the remarkably smooth transition to Paul Henderson, (and credit to Martin for going quietly, it could have been bloody).

Henderson comes across very well. Somebody I know who gave frequent technical advice to him until recently, said he is smart and sensible, takes on board advice, and takes a fairly conventional political and economic line, so will not upset many people.

There is no meat for the CLP to dig its campaign teeth into, and I don’t just hear any serious political talk or grumbling about the place, let alone talk of change. The previously oft invoked CLP bogeyman of untried ALP government in the NT has been vanquished, it turns out they can do the job just as well as the CLP. Surprise, surprise.

I think the truth in the NT is that if the economy is doing well, then generally speaking most voters couldn’t care less who governs.