Brendan Nelson has thrown the Liberal leadership open to a party room vote tomorrow morning. A source quoted by the ABC calls the move a “suicide mission” and “predicts Malcolm Turnbull has the numbers to take the leadership”. Nelson defeated Turnbull in the first round five days after the November 24 election by 45 votes to 42.
Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth
Liberal leadership: round two
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520 Comments
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Muskiemp,
So – the GST is now being “rolled back” by the ALP government as the Beezer promised with (presumably) Rudd’s full support. Oops – the GST was the only tax the Rudd has put out of bounds for the tax review. Oh well, back to the ol’ drawing board.
That speech from Turnbull was full of contradictions. One minute he’s criticising Rudd / Swan for taliking down the economy, next thing he’s telling us we’re doomed. Then he says Rudd is a one man band but criticises him for widely getting opinions of other people and for having a green paper for the ETS. Trurnbull is all over the place.
GP You obviously have a good intellect and at times argue a very good case for your side of politics. But referring to Labor supporters as communists just demeans you. .
GP – back to your name calling, dummy spitting best I see. How about just debating the points and leaving the childish rubbish for your friends.
For God’s sake GP @ 444, can’t you disagree with anyone without abusing them? The independence of the Reserve Bank doesn’t stop either side blaming it on the other.
440 “His success is self-made.”
And everybody else’s failure is because of the Rudd Government. Good one GP.
GP, suffice it to say you are all blather
That didn’t take long. Rudd says Turnbull should try and get the Libs behind him to support a republic. God that’s mean!
Turnbull should push for republic – Rudd
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24353705-5005962,00.html
The republic issue will be a very good wedge.
Roxanna – abuse is the liberal way.
They always have been bully’s. Old habit are hard to change.
Gary
The republic issue is almost such a horrible wedge on the Libs that the voters might even see it as Rudd exploiting it knowing it would divide the Libs. It really was pretty nasty of Rudd to call for Turnbull to work with him on a republic timetable five minutes after he was elected.
#445 Andrew,
I was not debating the GST I was just pointing out the dishonesty of Howard. Just to remind you that in the GST election of 1998, although winning the election he did not win the popular vote.
As for the GST that to was dishonest by having it at 10%. Howard never had the courage to totally reform the Tax system.
that to should be – that too.
Generic Person #444
More conservative abuse.
The Liberals apparently weren’t aware of that when they made promises regarding interest rates. “Record lows”, “30-year lows”. And they delivered what? Second highest interest rates in the developed world, behind New Zealand. The highest level of interest rate stress in the world.
Daily Telegraph, 31 December 2006
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,,20991848-5001031,00.html
Nelson and his right wing mates will be whiteanting Turnball, just watch and wait for the fireworks!
Diogenes – I really don’t see how it is nasty given Malcolm’s VERY strong position on a republic. To me many will think it a logical move rather than a tactic. Remember we’re not talking about people who follow politics closely here.
Besides, Diogenes, when Howard applied the “Wedge” those who do follow politics closely thought it was a masterstroke. Surely what is good for the goose is good for the gander.
No 458
They were at record lows.
Your dishonest campaign against the economic management of the Liberals is as obscene as it absurd.
evan14 – Nelson didn’t go to the back bench for nothing. This is a determined man believing he will lead the Libs to the next election.
Question time should be a cracker. Labor have had months tyo prepare for a transition to Turnbull and he will find the heat in the kitchen pretty hot for a while.
If Turnbull thinks he will have an easy time of jousting with Rudd, he will be sadly mistaken. Why did Costello refuse the opportunity to take over as Liberal Leader? Because Rudd & Gillard would have made mince meat of him and shown him up for the fraud that he was and is.
Good luck with the book launch Tip. Looking forward to then questions from the floor at the Press club this afternoon.
There are going to be some uncomfortable conservatives out there, assuming most monarchists / anti-Republicans are coalition supporters.
steve says:-
” Turnbull claiming he doesn’t come from a background of privilege was a bit over the top. Which slum did he actually grow up in?”
According to Lucy in a letter sent out in the closing days of the election in 07,
“slumming it in rented accommodation in Double Bay”
That’s the well known slum between Darling Point and Point Piper.
SNIP: Poor quality comment deleted – The Management.
tyo, “to”. then, “the”.
Must check before posting. Must check before posting. Must check before posting.
No GP, you don’t get away with that. The advvertising said they would KEEP THEM at RECORD LOWS. Big difference. Now who is being dishonest?
If Turnbull speaks like he did at his press conference, Rudd and Gillard will be mince meat. QT just got that much more exciting.
All Hail Our One and Only leader Malcolm Turnbull!
Al least he was until 9.00 am this morning, Gary.
If he waffles like that in parliament Turnbull will be mince meat Glen.
Our two resident conservatives are excited?
I’m sniggering to myself!
Can you really imagine Malcolm Turnball winning over battlers in Western Sydney?
LMAO
Gary
I’m sure you’re right but it was so obvious it made me cringe. It is GOLD though.
What is Turnbull’s answer going to be in question time when Rudd asks him “Given your leadership of the Republican cause, will you work out a bipartisan time-table with me for a Republic?” If Turnbull equivocates, Rudd will just say “Aren’t you the leader of your Party? Don’t they agree with you.”
Diogenes,
“That didn’t take long. Rudd says Turnbull should try and get the Libs behind him to support a republic. God that’s mean!
Turnbull should push for republic – Rudd
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24353705-5005962,00.html”
GOOD on Rudd for making this his first policy area to get into Turnbull about. I hope Turnbull remains true to his thoughts on this. Shows you that Rudd is indeed serious on the Republic and was just looking for the right time to introduce the debate LOL …….
Rates did nothing but rise after the Liberals promised to keep them at “record lows” / “30-year lows”.
http://www.ozpolitics.info/election2007/econchart-interest.png
The “dishonesty” claim you carelessly bandy about applies to the Liberals:
1) promising they could control interest rates, then
2) watching them rise relentlessly, and
3) now abusively and gratuitously snarling (444) that the Reserve is independent of party / government influence.
No 466
They were at record lows due to the subprimes, look what happened to those.
The Banks were able to borrow at a lower rate than those set by the RBA. See what happened after the crash of those subprimes, the banks were forced to raise the interest rates independent of the RBA as they were having to pay higher interest, in reference to what they were before the crash.
The Republic wedge put on Turnbull by Rudd, was a master stroke.
Gary how could he waffle more than Kevin Rudd and Co???
HAHAHHAHAHAHA a CENSURE MOTION!?
Go read the Redfern speech mate.
Could be interesting in 18 months time or so.
Turnbull will spend a lot of political capital watching his back too.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24353382-5013871,00.html
The reason I want Turnbull to pressed on Workchoices as there are some still there who wish to bring something like it back in. ie Minchin, Bishop and Nelson made similar noises.
They should be made to categorically rule it out. Turnbull probably would want to but he would know that there are those there adamant it shouldn’t be.
master stroke?? what are you talking about, it doesnt take a genius to pull that one out?
How predictable and cowardly by Rudd.
Rudd needs to focus on his ETS rather than a Republic!
Rudd is great; he may not know how to speak, but he sure knows how to play politics.
ShowsOn, I am leaving for Parliament House in about 30 minutes
…. should be one hell of a ride today 
…….
They ought not have disclosed the vote, being close it should have been kept under wraps.
Glen, I think they would have had to disclose the vote, either of their own accord or in response to media questioning. It’s one of the first questions the media will ask; they can hardly refuse to answer straightly.
Glen
It was not genius but it’s very effective. What is Turnbull going to do about it? Rudd is playing the card very early, perhaps trying to spoil Turnbull’s honetmoon .
Lucky you. I’ll have to do with recording the replay.
What happened to the new Good Manners Pollbludger?
There’s no way the Liberals can stay unified behind Turnbull. He is like Hewson, Greiner, Brogden. The monarchists and religious nut jobs won’t be able to handle his social liberalism, and will spend all their time undermining him.
That’s what Rudd is playing up to.
30 Minutes ’till Hammock drops a bucket on Turnbull via his book.
What a feast today.
Midday Report.
QT
7:00pm News
7:30 Report and
Lateline to boot
ShowsOn,
“There’s no way the Liberals can stay unified behind Turnbull. He is like Hewson, Greiner, Brogden. The monarchists and religious nut jobs won’t be able to handle his social liberalism, and will spend all their time undermining him. That’s what Rudd is playing up to.”
Same old same old with the Libs
…….
Re: QT and the Republic – It will be interesting to see if Turnbull doesn’t blink, but rather takes Rudd up on his challenge for a timetable for a Republic, he could take the wind out of Rudd with that and get himself plenty big O2. The right in the LIBs already can’t stand him, so why would he be worried about them in this honeymoon stage?
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