A pre-Turnbull Roy Morgan face-to-face poll of 1703 respondents, conducted over the previous two weekends, has Labor’s two-party lead down from 58-42 to 55.5-44.5. Labor has taken a five point hit on the primary vote since the late August survey, from 50 per cent to 45 per cent, although the Coalition is only up one point to 38 per cent. Most of the balance is accounted for by a spike in the “independent/others” vote from 4.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent, which is 1 per cent higher than at any stage during the current term. The Greens are up from 6.5 per cent to 8 per cent.
UPDATE (20/9/08): Comments brings news of a Galaxy poll to appear in tomorrow’s News Limited papers showing Kevin Rudd leading Malcolm Turnbull as preferred leader 58 per cent to 28 per cent; 63 per cent say Turnbull will make no difference to their vote; 48 per cent describe Turnbull as arrogant compared with 23 per cent for Kevin Rudd. ABC TV reports the sample was about 400. Hat-tip: Bushfire Bill and Andos.
339 Comments
From the previous thread…
Australian petrol follows the Singapore benchmark, not the world oil price
Labor drops 5 points on primary, to a miserly 45%
Yet only 1 point of this goes to the Libs, says it all really.
Ru, we are yet to see the effect of Turnbull on polls yet.
Another surprising comment GP. I’m just totally taken back.
the papers and talkback have been laying into Rudd over the pensions and the libs have been rallying the pensioners into demonstrating, thats the only negative Rudd has had in the last couple of weeks, i dont know if that would account for the drop, going by this the libs should get a boost next newspoll.
GP
Yes thats the scary thing. It could get worse for the Libs.
3 – That’s true GP, this could be the Libs high water mark.
This only brings Morgan in line with Newspoll. Did anyone believe the last Morgan Poll? I certainly didn’t.
Talcum has an image problem, that is why the first thing he talked about in his post coup presser was the “flat” thing. He knows it, don’t tell me he has not run focus groups on it. It is his biggest problem – peoples perception of him.
He realises that the “investment banker” persona he carefully crafted may not be the flavour of the month at the moment either.
How long before we get leadership tensions rising again? I reckon after Christmas.
If not Malcolm and Costello has ruled himself out, they won’t go to Nelson again, then who?
Might Costello change his mind?
….. I guess that is the million dollar question as long as he stays in parliament
Dario, the Singapore price has fallen faster than the crude price and the differential is now in comparative ‘negative’ territory compared to when crude was at its peak. See: http://www.aip.com.au/pricing/marketwatch.htm
The NRMA has calculated petrol should be even less than my estimate – $1.32, compared with the Sydney average price of $1-54 on Wednesday.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/17/2366815.htm
I think Costello is gone for good, he may stay in parliament but he is unelectable now. Both as leader of the opposition and as PM.
Who kows who the next messiah is but I bet there are a few formulating a “cunning plan”.
I can’t see a one of them being able to swing it. The current shadow cabinet doesn’t have a single member who can pull it off. Julie Bishop can’t sell herself nationwide because she is tarred with the Work Choices brush. There isn’t anyone else, zero, zilch, zippo …….
No 12
What a surprise, coming from you, julie.
Whatever the polls do now inevitably before the next election they will get down to the 54-53 mark unless Turnbull is a total goose and appears incompetent.
Rudd wont lose the next election unless Labor do something totally stupid like a Workchoices. Just steady as you go competent management will be plenty to get them through.
This time around there will not be any narrowing for Labor as the ‘fear of change from the Howard era’ factor no longer exists. The fear if it opperates will be the other way. If the economy goes bad not many will be blaming the government as we have all witnessed how we are subject to the global economy. Australians will understand much better just how much of a role the international economy plays. Then we have Rudd and China with China seeming ever so more important now given the softness in the USA economy.
The worst thing I reckon is for Rudd to give credence to Turnbull and others by engaging them. He should press on as though they dont exist.
Ha Ha Talcum can’t help himself, he said “$600 million is not a lot of money” this was in the context of stalled budget bills in the senate but it has wider ramifications.
He is such a political novice – Talcum it would give 350,000 carers a $30 a week rise in the pension.
55-45!! Sure its only one poll but it was only a matter of time before the poll numbers returned to a more normal looking set of numbers.
In saying that with the Economy tighening and with the Government facing several tough debates the next election result will most likely be similar to the last one in terms of numbers.
13 – Now, now GP get your own line of attack. LOL
(Apologies William for posting off topic)
“The Speaker, Richard Torbay, says a by-election for Lakemba will now be held on the same date as those set for the seats of Ryde, Cabramatta and Port Macquarie.
“I intend to issue the writs on Monday and the elections will take place on [October] the 18th. All four by-elections at the same time, which I consider to be very much in the public interest,” he said. ”
All 4 by-elections on the same day as the ACT elections ……………..
Mexicanbeemer, by the next election this world crisis should be all over bar the shouting, ALL the pensioners will have been given their raise, the interest rates will be down, petrol hopefully will be lower and Rudd will have started implimenting his policies and thrown off the do nothing tag, people have found it hard to comprehend Rudd’s habit of gathering a wide range of opinions before acting, especially after years of Howard’s scribble on the back of an envelope, bypassing cabinet and treasury style of policies, i think the public will welcome Rudd’s style when they see how well researched his policies are.
15 ruawake I think he said %6 BILLION is not a lot of money…
What a pathetic notion he put out there today. Bipartisan approach?? wtf. Pass the budget and IR legislation and then we’ll talk.
Judith Barnes – I agree with that.
19 JB I agree with you on the first part; and I hope you’re right on the last part.
Yep Judith you are correct.
At the next election, interest rates will be lower, Swanee will have negotiated the great investment bank swindle, and Talcum will be past history.
No 20
Every economist in all the majors, including the Fin Review, says that a surplus of $22 billion is unnecessary and/or that a $6 billion “hit” will have no material effect on interest rates.
I think Turnbull will still be there – has any party ever had 3 leaders between elections?
Strange, I recall it being criticised for not being tough enough. Must be my memory going on me.
WA had 3 Liberal leaders before they recycled Barnett again
GP
I was talking about the important thing in politics – perception. Talcum may say this is not a lot of money, which in the context of the budget it is not.
BUT when it is pointed out how much this amount of money can be used for, pensioners, elective surgury, dentist visits, aged care etc etc. It was very dumb politics.
The Libs had Hewson, Downer and Howard between 1993 and 1996.
Vic Labor had Kirner, Kennan and Brumby between 1992 and 1996.
Not exactly the same because Hewson and Kirner were both lame ducks following election losses. I don’t think anyone except the WA Libs have ever had three NEW leaders (Birney, Omodei, Buswell) in one parliament and discarded all of them to go back to the leader they started with (Barnett).
Cheers Adam and Frank C
So now we don’t need a surplus. Well, let’s go out and spend it all then.
What really, has this government done to improve the lives of ordinary Australians. .
Sure, a lot of symbolism, like signing kyoto, saying sorry, watching food prices, watching fuel prices….
This piece from “New Matilda.” As relevant today as it was back in June.
http://newmatilda.com/polliegraph/?cat=70
And Wayne Swan is Also a Tool
by Helen Razer on June 18th, 2008
It is not often I concur with the Opp. There are a few secure issues, of course. We permit that human beings breathe oxygen; that the pope wears a white frock; that John Howard’s party boot rule created more lib factions that your average private girls’ school. And that, I’m afraid, is about it.
Although, today I am discomfited by another point of agreement. Wayne Swan (to employ the parlance of Elke) is a tool.
In government, Julie Bishop, as I recall, said some woefully stupid things. Her critique in opposition of the treasurer’s Penny Pinching hints, however, is not entirely unjustified.
You can find the tips here. Frankly, they’re about as much use as a chocolate teapot.
Along with fuel watch, nanny watch and navel watch, such initiatives do nothing but make government appear listless in the face of capital. As a list of “hints” it’s crap. I’m certain Margaret Fulton or, indeed, any number of Voluntary Simplicity/Penny Pincher websites could offer more. As evidence of the government’s hard, hard work to reverse the recession of our every day, it’s crap with more crap on top. Where’s the freaking Out Of The Box thinking we were promised? Where’s the intervention in my shopping bill? And, if you can’t mediate with the monster of capital, spend your fugging time giving me serving suggestions about, for example, grocery buying cooperatives or car pools. I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW HOW TO SPEND FIFTY CENTS LESS ON COCA COLA YOU SLUGGISH MORON.
Tags: wayne swan Comments (2)
33 – Another person who believes we should just make it up as we go along. Don’t bother about planning or, because it’s a new government, finding out where we’re at. Not needed. Don’t bother about real reform and certainly don’t bother about long term structural changes. No, just patch up the old system. spend money when someone shouts loud enogh and look good for the next election. That’s what we’ve been used to. Why change now?
Unbelievable.
No 32
Yes, surpluses are generally desirable, however excessive surpluses are not.
Oh, and of course this government should have changed everything by now, such as hospitals, education, infrastructure, computers. Ten months is plenty of time to have it all done. As I said unbelievable.
kj feel free to tell us what you think the government should have been able to have done by now. Make a list.
Sure GP. If this was a Liberal government doing this you’d be defending it.
When Helen Razor is quoted as a reputable source on politics I just have to pretend the poster is sane.
Steven Berkoff: You should play the witch in Macbeth. It would be very good.
Helen Razer: Which one?
Steven Berkoff: Any one of them. You’d suit all of them.
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2365254.htm
What really, has this government done to improve the lives of ordinary Australians Gary?
Come on, where did I say 10 months would be plenty of time to have it “done”?
A little tetchy aren’t we?
It was this government that suggested fuel watch and grocery watch would make life easier for the ordinary Australian. Both have achieved nought, imo. Just cost the tax payer money. Even workchoices (which should have been consigned to the rubbish bin) has now become “workchoices lite”
Like I said I see a lot of symbolic stuff, but nothing concrete.
Why for instance do pensioners have to wait until June to get the rise they so deparately need.
Both Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard say they could not survive on the pension.
As Bob Brown says, it’s cruel to make pensioners wait.
I agree with GP (??) – excessive surpluses are not desirable, the Government is not there to make money. BUT I think Mr Rudd and co best keep the surplus as high as possible in the short time and wait to see how this ‘economic crisis’ plays out before spending it. It would be wise to have a lot of money set aside to inject where and when needed into the relevant areas that will need shoring up. If the crisis fails to eventuate then they can always use the money to buy back Telstra and C’Wealth bank.
kj
As of this weekend pensioners will have had an increase of $27 per week since Rudd took office, I know because I am one.
yep, what this Government needs is a good envelope to make use of the back of… surely Howard would have left some around Kirribilli.
“Might Costello change his mind? ….. I guess that is the million dollar question as long as he stays in parliament”
Actually it’s the $29.99 discount book sale question…
KJ at 39 – I know its not going to be popular but I happen to like Grocery Choice – the website was easy to use, in three clicks I found relevant info. Admittedly it could go into a lot more detail and sure it shouldn’t have cost $10 million to set up BUT, having worked in the IT industry in the Australian POublic Service under the Howard regime, I’m impressed – I’ve seen a lot simpler web services take longer to put together and cost a whole lot more and still be released with issues. Particularly internal systems – the ATO spent (and is probably still spending) 100s of millions of dollars on somethign called the ‘Change Program’ that definitely changed all the internal systems, but delivered not one extra service for the public. And it started five years ago and is still going. It would make you weep to see the amount of money wasted on that project. At least Grocery Choice delivers a service (though you might argue how useful it is).
Grog at #26
I’m not a history student but didn’t the libs go Menzies, Holt, (a Nats Leader) & Gorton
No list of what you would have expected to be done kj? Come on you’ve made the charge that they have done nothing. Tell me what you think they should have done in the ten months they’ve been in.
The pension is that it? Another patch up job, is that what you want? Just for one group, leave out the rest? Don’t worry about fixing the system that sees the pensioners as a whole group get a better deal? Easy charge to make and very short sighted.
kj @ 39. Reduced taxes? Didn’t think fuel watch was operational as yet. There’s more to the pension system than just sole aged pensioners. Why, for instance, should we not include those on disability pensions, who often have extra costs for medication or aids? In fact it’s an enormously complex system and if you’re going to reform it, particularly in conjunction with a review of the tax system, also complex, it takes time to do so, if you’re going to be thorough and try and minimise unintended consequences, such as disincentives in the tax rate for people who can do part-time work.
ruawake – well there you go. I didn’t realise that.
Hey kj that’s only $3 less than what the Libs were offering.
Mayo Feral (from previous thread). I too have been wondering why the price of petrol hasn’t dropped more. When oil was $145 a barrel, if I recall properly, the top price of petrol outside the discount cycle was $1.70/litre and the discount price was around $1.55/litre, i.e. 15 cents less. Currently oil is around $100 per barrel. Now, I don’t know what the nexus between the price per barrel and the price per litre is, but I thought I read somewhere that it was 75 cents for every increase/decrease of a dollar in the price per barrel of oil. If this is the case the non discounted price of petrol should have been reduced by approximately $45 multiplied by 75 cents, i.e. 33.75 cents before factoring in the effect of the falling value of the Australian dollar.
Currently, the Australian dollar will buy 80 cents US in round terms so it has dropped from a high of 97 cents US. However that high only applied for a very short time and at that time the Aussie dollar operated in a range of 90-95 cents US or a drop in value ranging from 10-15 cents or approximately 11-16%. I’m not sure how to apply this to my calculated 33.75 cents reduction but assuming you deduct 11-16% from 33.75 cents. I come up with something like 28.3 to 30.0 cents.
So, in summary, the non-discounted price should be 28-30 cents less than what it was at the height of oil price hike, i.e. $1.40-$1.42. Deduct from this the 15 cents reduction applied during the discount cycle, I would have thought that we should be paying something like $1.25/litre here in Adelaide on discount Tuesday.
I was (fortunately) out of the country during the Howard government’s first months – has anyone got or can remember a list of the Howard government’s reforms introduced in the first 10 months for comparison?
I know the Herald Sun did a comparison for the first 100 days I think. I’ll try to find it.
LDA @ 44
This is a true story, there used to be one Govt. Dept. that was Apple Mac based. The workers liked their new spiffy Power Macs, but the powers that be decided that support costs were too high and they should conform to Windows 98.
So they got rid of the happy Macs and put in Dell boxes. Then they thought oh dear we need to train the staff on this alien system. Someone I know and his girlfriend (as a joke) replied to the tender. They put their per hour cost at $174 an hour, BHP IT were the only other tenderer at $250 an hour.
So despite only having experience in an obscure Mac Database system and an arty farty graphic design girly with a great figure – we (ooops). Got the job training the Dept. in the use of Dell boxes we had never seen before at nearly seven grand a week.
good post enjaybee
There really out to be a link somewhere which has the price of oil in $A – not doubt there is, but in my Friday evening state I can’t be bothered googling for it!
The news should show it every night and then have the avge price of petrol
As I mentioned at the top of this thread, Australian petrol prices are dependent on the Singapore benchmark (where 95% of our petrol comes from I believe), not on the world oil price. You are using the wrong yardstick for your calculations.
Re NSW by-elections: I thought Sartor resigned his seat too – is this not the case?
Dario, I went to google and typed “singapore benchmark” to find out more about it. The first link directed to this interesting site in WA:
http://www.fuelwatch.wa.gov.au/info/dsp_petrol_prices.cfm
No Adam, I don’t know for sure about that, but just that 4 seats are going on the 18th of October and those would be the ones mentioned in the earlier post. Don’t know what Sartor’s seat is but unless it is one of those 4 (Ryde, Lakemba, can’t remember the other two) he hasn’t stepped down.
I think Costello is finally finished now. By the time they could replace Turnbull with him his reputation and public popularity, as it might be, would have faded away to zero.
So this is it for the Liberals, their best and only shot really. No wonder Labor got stuck into him early, he is like the last batsman.
What a problem for the right-wing loons in some parts of the media then, who ache to support the Liberals but dislike that non-extreme Liberal Turnbull who beat the plans of Minchin and Co. How they must have to keep swallowing their bile when writing their PR pieces exalting the words and deeds of Turnbull as they must over the next two years. Some might go for the more palatable option instead and stick to slinging off at Rudd at every opportunity. Maybe.
BTW If Rudd had gone out and implemented a whole bunch of projects in the first 6 months before analysis the media would be all over him like a rash as they should be. He would be called reckless. It is nutzoid to criticise a government for not doing anything within their first year.
26 Grog, etc: the only federal party leaders never to contest an election were Downer (Lib) and Crean (ALP), so the only strings of three in one term were Hewson-Downer-Howard and Beazley-Crean-Latham. Holt had one election, in 1966.
As for those NSW by-elections, Watkins/Iemma/Meagher took the money and ran in Ryde/Lakemba/Cabramatta, and Rob Oakeshott went federal so the other by-election’s in Port Macquarie. I don’t think anyone else quit… yet…
Yes. There are a lot of elements to the price of fuel. Just because one component goes down by 30% doesn’t mean the end price goes down by 30%.
e.g. Price for good X = $30 raw goods + $10 transport + $5 storage + $10 processing = $55. If the cost of the raw goods goes up by 50% ($15) then the total price increases to $70, an increase of 27%
Judith Barnes 20!
I agree with you on that Interest Rates will be lower, but Penioners will always be moaning about their lot but regarding your comment about the Global Economic situation while I think Australia will avoid recession but America and Europe are or will be in recession and while things can turn around fairly quickly the problem the Americans have is the vacant houses that need to be sold and also their budget position is very weak, America has been severly weaken by the past few months but in saying that China is still looking at 10% growth, and Asia as a whole is in very good condition.
As I wrote elsewhere the best case for America is an Asian economic type recession which can be overcome within a few short years or worst case a repeat of the Melbourne 1890s Depression which could take many years to recover from.
TP @ 58,
“What a problem for the right-wing loons in some parts of the media then, who ache to support the Liberals but dislike that non-extreme Liberal Turnbull who beat the plans of Minchin and Co. How they must have to keep swallowing their bile when writing their PR pieces exalting the words and deeds of Turnbull as they must over the next two years. ”
Maybe they can emmigrate en masse to Alaska
[McCain is going DOWN ........... ]
OK, what has the Rudd govt done…
hmm
Handed down an economically responsible budget?
Stopped the “pacific solution”?
Began caring about infrastructure?
Brought in a solar panel rebate (should’ve been more but it’s a start)?
Got rid of AWAs?
Introduced an IR legislation policy that is actually what it promised in the election?
50% child care rebate?
Actually done something on the water issue (rather than just say “Hey we’re going to spend $10b – and then do nothing)?
Making the policy about climate change actually about doing something rather than just trying to scare the horses?
Providing the tax cuts its promised to deliver at the last election?
50% education tax rebate introduced?
Decided that $50k is not exactly high income, so increased the medicare levy threshold?
geez, I don’t know – that’s all from memory… will have missed other things.
Look ok they haven’t done a hell of lot “big stuff” – though I would like to know what they should have done that is “big”.
And the fact is, if they did try and do anything big, the LNP would block it in the sentate and accusse Rudd of being all talk.
According to Turnbull $6b now “is just rhetoric”. Intersting, I guess inflation really is out of the bottle then.
I thought that the Singapore price was less than the world price anyway and given that other components of oil pricing haven’t changed (which they may well have – but how would you know) I still stand by my rough calculations. In reality prices haven’t changed very much at all.
I think banning Naked short selling is a Family First plot. We need more Naked shorty stuff.
Maybe Naked QT? On that note its bed time for sick old me. Nite All.
Exactly. If the oil price is only one component then a 30% drop in it may only mean and end price petrol drop of 15%. Combine that with the AUD dropping 15%+ and it has roughly balanced out.
WA Labor had four Opposition Leaders in the first term of the Court govt.
Lawrence, Taylor, McGinty and Gallop
Dario at #66
I’ll have to bow to your superior knowledge but I still think that compared with whatever the price of oil was at its highest the price and if the MSM media is correct in their assertion that a dollar drop in the price per barrel equates to 75 cents drop per litre in petrol at the bowser then petrol today should be roughly what I stated and on that note I’ll end my ranting.
enjay, how often is the MSM right about anything?
69 – They’re usually pretty good with yesterday’s footy scores.
the target rate tracker on interest rates has been at 100% likelihood of another drop in October for the last 4 days:
http://www.asx.com.au/sfe/targetratetracker.htm
with 2 interest rates falls in a row, I don’t think Rudd will be feeling too much of a need to seek Turnbull’s “bipartisan help” on the economy…
I think Shanahan is living in another dimension or else taking some substance that he may be better off giving up forthwith.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24367650-7583,00.html
Yeah, since Rudd became opposition leader. How’s that strategy been working for them so far Shanners? Time for another ‘the honeymoon is over’ pronouncement?
It’s The Narrowing!
No 72
Scorpio, we shall await the results of the 2010 election.
How on earth could the Liberals think such utter nonsense? There is quite plainly no evidence in support of his statements, it is 100% fantasy. In fact they in truth will be worrying that their Liberal party could be decimated at the next election if Turnbull is unable to get any traction.
Surely the Liberal party are not that deluded?
Rudd will not lose the next election unless the government does something quite terrible. They wont be voted out just because the Liberal party find themselves an acceptable leader which is still to be shown.
If there is a real economic smash of course Rudd could lose in 2010. The parallels between Rudd and Scullin are interesting. Although that analogy requires Nathan Rees to be Jack Lang, which seems unlikely.
GP,
A PREDICTION!
2010, Labor to be the shortest price favourite since mainstream betting on election results.
let me know if China and India stop buying things we dig out of the ground.
Hey, now I know why Rudd hasn’t achieved anything.
He is always out of the country.
He is off to New York on his 10th (that’s right folks 10th!) junket.
How long has he been in government?
That’s right 10 months!
I believe that’s a record for a pm in the first year of government.
Oops my bad.
He hasn’t been in government for a year yet!
Haven’t you heard of globalisation, kj? Is this latest line of populist Liberal tripe? Pretty feeble.
snore kj. At least when Rudd goeas overseas he goes to do business, not catch a test match at Lords.
and apparently there are these new thingys called telephones that enable him to keep in touch with the acting PM.
Clearly, the MSM Liberal supporters have so little faith in any Coalition resurgence, that they are trying to create a narrative that they believe if they repeat it enough, somehow, miraculously it will come true.
It ain’t going to happen that way and a number of them are going to be on suicide watch or taking very strong anti-depressants for a long time after 2010.
I really can’t understand how these people can possibly think that they can put forward nonsense such as this day after day and people will actually be influenced into believing any of it.
I love this bit from Shana:
“From the first minutes of the Turnbull reign there has been a discipline within Liberal ranks not seen for years”
Years??? Even the harshest ALP hack (which some may call me) couldn’t suggest the Libs under howard were undisciplined. Weeks, definately, months, maybe. But years? Time to put down the pipe Shana and check what you’re smoking.
Scorpio (78)
Last time I looked, Labor was $1.19 to win in 2010.
More Shana gold:
“After the soap opera of appeals to Peter Costello to think about becoming leader and the hype surrounding the release of his memoir, coupled with Nelson’s loss of authority within the shadow cabinet, the Opposition leader’s political life was limited to a few more weeks at best.”
Gee, good thing Shana kept right out of that whole soap opera mess.
kj, Howard used to be overseas 60 days a year or so
At least when Rudd goeas(sic) overseas he goes to do business, not catch a test match at Lords.
Or put an appearance in at a strip club. lol!
Actually, have you been getting stuck into the grog mate. !
I think you guys tried that line last year. Remind me again how it went…
KJ @ 80,
I am sure this is one of the lead issues from the latest Liberal “talking point sheets” out of Lib headquarters.
It’s clogging up the internet and is being so overdone that the exact opposite effect will result.
Why can’t Lib supporters put forward positive issues that will improve the standing of their favoured Party in the electorate.
Trying to tear down Rudd and Labor hasn’t worked to date, the Polls clearly demonstrate that, so why oh why do you all persist with a badly loosing formula.
The last thing people need, especially at a time like this, is constant negativity and personal sniping. The Liberal Party have been relentlessly attacking Rudd since before he attained the leadership and all it has done is bolster his approval.
Very slow learners, these people.
Dario. (Howard) Not in his first year mate!
Perhaps Howie was a slow starter, huh?
and?
Darn @ 85,
That’s pretty low this far out. I predict around $1.05 after the election is announced.
first year, second year… what does it matter??
So what whether it’s in the first year or not kj? So Howard didn’t go away in the first year – so what?
Apparently there’s some unwritten rule for PMs we don’t know about…
One thing I did notice is Shannahan has resumed having “comments”. Also, for some reason they’re letting in critical ones. This must have stung if he read it.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24367650-7583,00.html
The Liberal party are walking a high wire at the moment with no safety net. If Turnbull turns out to be a dudd then the next election will be a blood bath. If Turnbull fails they will have to adopt a low profile and be compliant in the Senate so as to not get too badly punished.
Too bad the NATS went with the Libs in WA.
At least kj you’re reeling off all the Libs catch cries. You’d have to be a party member I reckon.
So what whether it’s in the first year or not kj? So Howard didn’t go away in the first year – so what?
Nobody would invite him anywhere was the reason Howard went nowhere in his first year.
90 – I agree scorpio. The Liberal Party handbook is being used extensively as a reference here tonight.
the best line in Shana’s article:
“Just because the Liberals think something doesn’t mean it is going to happen, and arguably it’s evidence of the opposite”
I give him credit for that.
Pity he followed it up with a page of “my dog is an animal; my cat is an animal; therefore my dog is a cat” logic and argument.
101 Gary, the Liberal polling must be showing the first week has not been kind to Talcum. He can’t even sort out a bunch of Lawyers to put on his Shadow Ministry by today like he said he would. How did he go with reversing the National takeover of the Queensland Liberals, has anybody heard?
Okay time to show my hand.
I did not vote for Howard(never have)
I did not vote for Rudd either.(Though, I don’t think he is such a bad guy… really.)
You guys are just too precious! You believe that because I criticize Rudd I must be a Liberal supporter!
Rudd is just another megalomaniac like his predecessor.
These days there is not much difference between the two parties.
More’s the pity.
Here is my take on the “Rudd will be a oncer” line from the Liberals.
I believe it was invented to assuage the hurt and indignation that the born-to-rule feel. It’s meant to soothe them by more or less saying, “Be patient, your pain will be over soon.”
I’m sure if they could do a Kerr and dismiss Rudd they would do so in a flash. Piers, in his furious one-hand blog, serially fantasises about something called the “Heiner Affair” finishing Rudd off and returning the Liberals to their rightful place in government.
They believe the electorate made a grievous error last November. Rudd hoodwinked them. Their world will right itself any day now as they triumphantly reclaim of what is rightfully theirs.
Fantasy, all of it. Delusion, a coping mechanism to mollify their intense outrage.
Dennis is dog-whistling aggrieved Liberals.
103 steve – don’t you realise, the front bench issue is, according to Shana, a show of discipline.
C’mon Turnbull put Julie Bishop at shadow treasurer. Please, please, please.
You’ve got to be kidding, right?
Ditto!
104 [You guys are just too precious! You believe that because I criticize Rudd I must be a Liberal supporter!]
No, but when you are sprouting the exact lines uttered by Turnbull and Bishop earlier in the day, it’s unlikely we are going to think you are a Greens or… what a lapsed Democrat?
The front bench hasn’t been named yet so I think Sham-I-am is having a lend of himself.
The other flop for Talcum this week was trying to draft Nationals Leader Barnaby Joyce who told him he was not interested in a Shadow Cabinet position.
104 – kj, it sounds as though you were just having us on. Personally. I have much more respect for someone parroting the Lib handbook with conviction than someone playing bunny fuggers.
It’s true that there hasn’t been a one-term government since Scullin. But we should recall that:
*Scullin came to power after an election in which the previous PM (who had tried to bring in harsh new IR laws) had lost his seat.
*Scullin had a large majority in the Reps, but faced a hostile Senate.
*Shortly after his election, there was a crash on Watt St.
Sound familar? This is what happened next.
*He didn’t have the nerve to call a DD to overcome Senate obstruction.
*His Treasurer (a Queenslander) had to resign over a trumped-up scandal.
*The Senate rejected most of his budgets and any attempts to reflate the economy.
*His government broke up into three factions, and at the next election Labor suffered the worst defeat in its history (14 seats out of 75).
Maxine was right on the money during Q&A the other night… the Opposition don’t seem to have realised what actually happened in November last year — and more importantly, why. Until they take a long hard look at themselves, and go through all five stages of grief, they’re not going to be particularly effective.
Turnbull, who had less skin in the game than most of the current leadership (Abbott, Hockey, Bishop, et al.) might just be the guy to sort them out. Might.
Watt St.? Did a building collapse in Box Hill?
112 – ok I doubt Rudd will call a DD; but the other 3 should be fine (Xen and Fielding will take the deals offered, and so will the greens)
Gary, not having you on mate.
Just showing you up for the cyclopses that you are.
Adam – interesting but you could have long odds of the bottom events taking place again.
kj – I call it having us on. Consequently my responses will be directed at people who are serious about their views. GP leaves you for dead for sincerity mate.
116 kj you are only showing what a cyclopse you are. Say what you mean and mean what you say if you want to be trusted around here. Nobody here cares who you voted for or when.
116, yep well done kj you came along, said Liberal Party line by rote and we criticised them. Guess you showed us.
But, I’ll take you at your word; you’re not ALP or Lib, but you’re on a politics blog, so obviously you have some interest in the matter, and have some policies in mind that you think Rudd should have implemented by now?
Give us a few – you never know we might agree.
One commenter pikhed him up on that very well. I bet it hurt.
This annoying man in the blue tie keeps trying to sell me something but I can’t hear him.
Scorpio
without trying to be inflammatory, kj has a valid point re the 10 trips
as a perception issue it certainly dogged whitlam
joe public dont care for reasons
The bad week for bankers continues.
THREE executives dubbed “Germany’s stupidest bankers” in the press have been suspended from state bank KfW over erroneous transfers of more than €500 million ($892.38 million) to the bankrupt Lehman Brothers, the KfW said.
Two board members and a top risk control manager were suspended “pending final clarification of the incident” following a meeting of KfW’s supervisory board meeting attended by top ministers including Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck, the bank said in a statement.
A law firm has also been hired to see if further “consequences” are appropriate. The bank is already under fire over its rescue of IKB – Germany’s biggest casualty of the subprime crisis – will subject its business procedures, especially those of risk management, to an “in-depth audit.”
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24372294-3122,00.html
I would think most people wouldn’t know if Rudd was in the country or not and wouldn’t care.
123 – yes but Whitlam went on a tour of greece (from memory) – and plus back then direct overseas calling wasn’t even standard. You could be in London or next door to me and I wouldn’t know the difference. If I need to talk face to face there’s skype etc.
Yes the perception is not great; but the Libs get into Rudd about being too worried about percepetion; so he should what not go because to go looks bad?
Grog
the MSM create the perception-adding more grist to the mill only aids in building the perception of an absent PM
I think the Liberals are comparing Rudd’s trips to the trips taken this year by their extraordinarily lazy Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs. Googles everywhere flies nowhere.
Agree GB @ 125, o/s travel is a non-issue. So don’t know why you are going on about it so much.
More to the point is that Rudd and Gillard have sold out workers (and voters) by keeping much of Workchoices. Very disappointing that Gillard’s announcement received warm approval from employer groups as being “balanced”. Says it all really.
kj – I call it having us on. Consequently my responses will be directed at people who are serious about their views. GP leaves you for dead for sincerity mate
Suits me fine. I am just not one eyed is all.
I think that Howard was quite radical,. Rudd on the other hand is truly what he says he is. A conservative.
He believes in God. He does not believe that humans evolved without a higher power. He spoke out against Bill Henson’s sexually provocative photography.
He supports McClelland in the Benbrika saga.. etc.. I like him.
However… Whether he and Swan(an academic with no qualifications in economics or business, nor experience in the real world) can run the country is another thing.
gusface,
See Gary’s post @ 125. Hammer, nail, head——whack!
I spend a lot of time around lifetime LNP supporters. That issue has never been raised.
Dislike for Julia Gillard was today’s main subject.
well Turbull spent a week in the sun in Italy doing nothing; though I guess when you’re only shadow treasurer it doesn’t matter what you do.
One thing for sure if Rudd misses four days of Parliament then it will be so he can make some big announcement while in NYC.
The LNP are quite like a winning tennis player that gets beat by a new more skilled player but cannot accept they lack the ability to beat this new player. Instead they blame a bad day, beginners luck, the new guy played well above themselves, the equipment was faulty, bad umpires etc.
I don’t doubt some commentators and some inside the party understand that they are out gunned in the talent department but it would seem the vast majority are in the bad looser category as above. They are still sulking and spiteful like the bad looser.
It is fine that the wont accept that they are out skilled as it means they will do nothing to improve themselves. They intend to rely on a hopefully charismatic Turnbull.
They still wont admit or are simply ignorant of the fact that Rudd and Labor worked their butts off to get up to speed and that was coupled with talented people.
Bolt made a comment on the Insiders before the election about the depth of talent inside Labor that was a real problem for the LNP if Labor won.
They should be encouraged in their belief that they were just unlucky.
Scorpio
I work with em
seriously this issue is a sleeper that will be used to build the “out of touch,quasi intellectual meme”
TP and the fact Rudd feels no concerns leaving Julia in charge for 4 days of QT underlines your point.
I remember back at the start of the year how the Libs were rubbing their hands together for when Rudd went overseas, because they thought they’d be able to trip the Govt up and show them as unable to function without Rudd telling everyone what to do.
No one tries to make that point anymore.
Doesn’t seem to be working very well. Any of them. The Costello leadership ambitions was a classic failure.
The perceptions that the Rudd Government is all spin & no substance is not working. That the Govt has no policies and is not achieving anything of substance is not working.
Check the Polls. Check today’s Morgan. Sorry, next!
Oh Dear,’People Skills’ Abbott has taken up lobbying for a Shadow Cabinet position on News Ltd blogs. The Shadow Ministry he has at present just isn’t good enough so he got a Dorithy Dixer up in the local rag.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24370690-26103,00.html
135 I do see you point, but I think it’s a very deep sleep – so long as there aren’t any/many scenes of Rudd touring the acropolis (like Whitlam) or sitting down in the members stand of Lords (like Howard) any harm will be slight.
You need lots of vision to put in adverts come election time. Otherwise you’re just left with Bolt and Blair saying “when is he going to make a visit to Australia?” har har ha.
Has there actually been any criticism of his trips this year? Aside form Nelson suggesting he needed to visit another country (Japan), No one has actually said “well that was a waste”.
Maybe they have, but I don’t recall any – in fact generally the press bemoans how these overseas trips are long days and hard work to keep up with Rudd’s hectic pace.
Sorry
your deep intellects and obvious insights leave a mere mortal like myself humbled
a certain sense of balance would help in your analysis though
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24370896-662,00.html
remember the MSM create the perceptions
gusface, it’s only an issue at Liberal Headquarters and in the minds of those who wish it to be an issue. Sorry but its got less legs than an old carpet snake.
Can’t your “brainstorming” sessions work on some positive issues of substance and which could improve life for the average Tom & Jill in the street.
Your lot are stuck in a time warp of grief & negativity. It’s time to move on. The rest of the country has and it’s time the Liberal/Conservatives did too. Howard taking his party & supporters back to the 50’s has not been a very positive move.
The dogs have stopped barking & the caravan has moved on. Time to get moving & catch up.
I recall Gillard as acting PM in QT quite enjoying herself staring down those opposite.
Has there actually been any criticism of his trips this year? Aside form Nelson suggesting he needed to visit another country (Japan), No one has actually said “well that was a waste”.
No one has actually said it made a difference either!
You guys are too much.
How about a bit of perspective, eh?
Don’t you think it is hypocritical that the labor mob criticize Turnbull for being rich(120 million) when their own leader is rolling in dosh thanks to(upwards of 60 million) his wife.
The hypocrisy is breathtaking..
vison of Rudd addressing the UN General Assembly will go down well I’d suggest.
Scorpio
you sad cyclops
just ask whose side i run with
anyway when you can dispassionately look at the perception issue we will be able to debate
ps your 141 has been saved and sent to my local (alp) member
maybe he wont invite me to dinn dinns anymore
Give up the grog, Grog!
More symbolism!
yes it is hypocrtical kj; but then when Turnbull starts his first press conf saying how he came from ‘umble beginnings, he can hardly cry foul when people examine just how humble his life has been (and is).
ditto all the stories Rudd had to go through about his family being evicted – the sleeping in the family car (I recall Tim Blair going on and on about a combi van not really being a car etc etc).
I have never criticised either for being rich – I merely make fun of Turnbull’s “please don’t think I’m a silvertail” line – somewhat like Bill Leak does:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/opinion/cartoons/
gusface, if the Liberal Party intend to lie back in their hammocks and rely on the MSM to “create perceptions” which they are relying on to steer them back into office, then they are going to be wandering in the wilderness for 40 years like the ancient tribe of Israel.
All this strategy will achieve is a lazy, incompetent Opposition and a Government, un-threatened or challenged, which will be able to continually sleepwalk back into Government election after election. It’s not good for the country or its people.
still waiting for that list of policies you want implemented kj. C’mon you non-Liberal voter, impress us.
The media and LNP did their best to sully the reputation of Rudd as soon as he became Opposition leader. The idea is to get in first to help influence the public’s perception. In Rudd’s case he had some years on tv so it was too late.
Labor strategists are ineed trying to have the impression created that Turnbull is out of touch with normal Austrlians and more represetitive of the priviliged. It won’t work however unless there is something about Turnbull that gells with this impression. And there is. Turnbull is aware of this public impression and is why he wanted to address it when accepting leadership of the LNP. But it was quite lame and he would have been better remaining silent.
It is politics – Rudd suffered this startegy in spades at the hands of a hostile Howard loving press.
Grog, it seems a bit rich alright worrying oneself sick over symbolism and not being able to name a dozen or so policies that need to be implemented by Rudd. I am beginning to think that this symbolism card might be a touch overplayed.
Hey, settle down champ. I have not been personally attacking you but just pointing out where I believe the opposition are getting their whole strategy wrong.
If you disagree with me, then point out where you think I am mistaken. Sometimes it is useful to take a bit of notice of what other people have to say and analyse their perceptions and opinions.
No 142
And people have the hide to criticise Turnbull’s alleged arrogance.
Scorpio
Jho created the “image” via the MSM
Rudd (rightly or wrongly) relies heavily on the MSM to maintain his image.and at times it can bite him on the bum
As i earlier stated it will be used to BUILD the meme.
at no stage do i condone or condemn rudd, just the link with goughito has already been used esp. on the radio
last years win was not easy and personally i do not trust the MSM one bit
btw for someone that coined both “worstchoices” and ’serfchoices” i was deeply offended that you would associate me with lib central
but as a mere mortal i’ll move on
GP no one gets near the top of either the front bench without a fair whack of arrogance.
There’s nothing alleged about Turnbull’s arrogance (or Rudd’s for that matter)
154 fair point.
GP I think more criticism this week has been about his do nothing attitude.
Where is the Shadow Ministry he promised by the end of this week?
Where is the Shadow Ministry job for the Leader of the National Party?
Where is the decision on reversing the takeover of the Queensland Libs by the Queensland Nationals?
Gusface, I caught a portion of one of those commercial TV discussion shows this morning about 10:00 AM and Ray Hadley (who would be in the grandfinal of “who’s Australias most stupid man”) was the guest commentator and he baldly stated that “people are complaining that Rudd is a do nothing, consultation obsessed, egotist who travelled too much”, the resident air heads nodded agreement as if that was all a given and passed on to other topics. There was no mention of the polls etc, just “people”.
Hadley is a renowned spruiker for the the more lunatic fringes of conservative politics. He has probably been given the discussion points from the Libs PR people in the hope that if people like him can say it enough it will come to pass.
GP
ever met talcum?
Ikj -I’m very happy to engage anyone, including you, who wants to debate policies, elections issues, even political personalities. I’m not interested in having someone trying to persuade me to change my views on things because they don’t like it. So what if I’m biased. You be biased and have passion about it. Hell, we’re all biased one way or another. There is NOTHING wrong with it. So let’s stop with the lessons and discuss what we’re here to discuss.
that’s kj not 1kj
No 157
Whatever the opposition does is frankly not a relevant measurement.
Mr Rudd, however, easily fails the “doing something” test.
No 158
I have. Helped campaign in Wentworth in 2007.
gusface, I would suggest that Rudd has been able to build an image “despite” the MSM to a large degree, Sunrise notwithstanding.
A great deal of the MSM coverage has and still does, attempt to damage Rudd’s image. That he has such a high approval rating is quite surprising considering the battering he has sustained by sections of the media.
Gary
quick hypothetical
If it was howard taking 10 trips in his first year,would you condone or condemn?
secondly would alp strategists look to develop a meme along the lines of what is happening now?
Fails YOUR “doing something” test
Last time I checked Turnbull was supposed to be Leader of the Opposition. It appears the opposition to the Shadow Cabinet is far greater than the Leadership on display, GP.
Are those pesky factions in the Liberal Party out of control and running amok again GP?
No 165
To be honest, the criticism about foreign trips is populist piffle. I think it is appropriate for the PM to go overseas regularly.
It is all up to Turnbull and his team to show themselves to be a credible opposition and, that they have something worth changing governments for.
Turbull’s stunt today was just politics – of course if he were genuine he let government bills through the Senate.
But we are still seeing the same old negtivity today. Rudd goes overseas on business – the Opposition have try and spin it in a negative light for the sake of it. Rudd proposes $100m cc scheme the Opposition have to find some fault to take the gloss off and so on. That is normal practice but it is also negative politics of systemic whining and people will simply discount it since they hear it on every single thing.
It might make the LNP feel good but goes no way into showing that they are an alternative. To do that they have to prove they are talented and competent.
I remember the previous government shouting from the rooftops about Labor’s lack of policies well before election times. Abbott used to criticise them for not having a health policy. You mean they didn’t have to have one, GP, afterall until the time of the election?
No 167
The Liberal Party does not have factions.
Scorps
Good point re the MSM
though i would suggest rudd and co court the populist MSM eg Rove (which rudd ison sunday) and avoid the fib infested parts (where possible) like insiders,sky etc
as regards my @164 -do you have an opinion?
cheers
161: Hey gaz! You been on the grog too man?
168 – I agree GP. I didn’t think howard deserved the criticism he got at times re travel either.
No offence Grog, old mate.
Rudd
‘Part of the reason for being in the United States next week … is to speak again with the US economic regulators and financial regulators…,’
That is NOT how story is being presented because that reely was not Rudd’s prime reason for going , MSN hav picked on it and it does giv wrong ’sense’ to middle voters which is where they mainly get there voting leanings from
A pollie ignoring MSN fully asks for troublle…often they ar right , although thats a coincidence of there prime desirre to sell sensation/advrse ’storys’ to sell newspapers ….rudd succeeded by ‘managing’ MSN last year , on this issue he hasn’t , irrespective of merits of th trip
171 “The Liberal Party does not have factions.”
So what is the holdup in naming a Shadow Cabinet. Never read about the Queensland Liberals GP. Factionalised beyond sanity.
kj have you anything of value to contribute?
173 – “Too” kj? You mean this piffle (thanks GP for the word) you have been going on with has been grog powered? Now I understand.
No 177
The notion of Liberal factions is a construct of the media. The party is not factionalised like the Labor Party.
The only trouble with the theory of no factions in the Liberal Party GP is that we all have eyes and ears.
GP
how do i get rid of your bloody elephant
so from your @168 i presume you have no problems with rudd globetrotting?
I think your’re correct to this extent GP in that the Libs don’t have formalised factions but informal factions exist. Remember the wets and dries?
Lighten up GP.
I make succint points whilst having a bit of fun. You know that saying : All work and no play…
Get down off your pedestal mate.
No 182
So long as it isn’t excessive, I have no objection.
(and re: the GOP elephant; I got rid of it, but you lefties loved it
)
GP, remember the 45/41 vote for Turnbull to be Leader.
No 183
Internally, we like to refer to moderates as trots.
No 186
That does not imply the existence of factions.
With regards to the PM going overseas:
Rome burned whilst Nero fiddled comes to mind.
When HoWARd made his trips overseas there was not the economic turmoil then.
And what do the “trots” refer to you as GP?
KJ, I’m not too keen on your idea of “fun”. Stick to talking about politics please.
No 190
I won’t go there.
192 – Fair enough. LOL
mike c@158
cheers -did you you know haddles was a taxi driver in a past life
Ive met him a few times and he is ok-simply a few neurons have failed to connect but such is life.
187 “Internally, we like to refer to moderates as trots.”
And these would be the Nonfactional moderates who are tagged as “trots” would they?
No 158
Ray Hadley, a family friend of ours, is not an idiot and nor is he a lunatic. By all means reject his politics, but your baseless personal attacks are obscene.
GP@163
re turnbull,would you regard him as personable or a bit aloof
also did you find him serious or a bit of a ‘bloke”
SA Newspoll just in :
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,24373976-5006301,00.html
n=365
Labor 51 : 49 Liberals
Cats into the Grannie!!
Bad luck to the Bulldogs, they played a pretty good game tonight.
cheers,
GP
settle
Mike C calls it as he sees it, i dont think ray would be cut by his @158
sorry, tis an Advertiser poll … my mistake!
It’s been illuminating, to say the least.
.
Too much bias for my liking ,(ya gotta be a lib or preferably labor man) and not enough even handed commentary. .
I bid you good night King William and followers.
This site promised much and delivered drivel ‘err I mean little.
Syonnara. I won’t waste my time coming back.
No 197
He is very personable and very smart. No-one becomes a high-flyer like him by having rocks for brains.
In terms of his blokeyness, that’s a matter of opinion. Sure, he’s not from the ‘burbs of Western Sydney, but that’s a meaningless measure of leadership anyway. I mean, Nathan Rees is so out of ideas, that his only distinguishing characteristic from the rabble that is the NSW government is that he’s from Toongabbie.
360 people? Hell, that’s worse than Westpoll.
yeah, seems low even for the Advertiser – I think they usually at least hit the 400 mark?
I wouldn’t be concerned by any polls over in SA atm. There next election is a fixed date in March 2010.
gusface, not quite sure what you mean here?
I will say that Rudd surely did court avenues of the media to build a public profile (very successfully too, I might add) earlier but since then with his higher profile, he is now courted by the media and is able to pick what exposure he feels is necessary in his role as PM but some he can’t really avoid on certain issues such as the 7.30 Report etc.
This type of exposure is not necessarily of benefit as it is unscripted, on the spot style which can be potentially damaging to his image if he slips up or gets toey. I think in general he handles this quite well though.
No 205
And hopefully Wran and that traitor, Karlene Maywalds, are ejected from office.
kj – it’s a pity you didn’t have more to offer really.
Neville retired years ago GP.
By the way, another surprising comment from you. I never would have thought.
GP: Who exactly was Maywald committing treason against?
Oh Dear, looks like ‘People Skills’ has Knocked the Opposition attack about pensioners for six.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24372680-953,00.html
No 209
Mike hasn’t retired yet, you duffer
No 211
I agree with Abbott. His talent is wasted in such a mundane portfolio.
At least spell his name correctly, it’s Rann
It was a joke GP. You spelt Rann as Wran as in Neville.
No 210
Her own conservative constituents; the National Party; and the Liberal Party.
No 215
LOL, my bad. Although, it looks like Aunty made the same spelling error: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/stories/s706936.htm
I think Abbott will cop the rounds of the kitchen in parliament next week. Thanks Tony.
Scorpio
I meant 165 (the numbering changes sometimes)
“quick hypothetical
If it was howard taking 10 trips in his first year,would you condone or condemn?
secondly would alp strategists look to develop a meme along the lines of what is happening now?”
as regards your @206 I agree but still feels his is “bound” to the media as opposed to “above” it
213 “I agree with Abbott. His talent is wasted in such a mundane portfolio.”
What talent might that be GP?
No 220
If we’re going to go there, I may as well ask the same of the ALP frontbench, the talentless bunch of union hacks that they are. There we go, I got that off my chest.
Now, can we get back to the issues?
Thanks Listy, I’ve put up a post on the Advertiser poll.
GP: Ah, I see. So when her apparently conservative electorate had the chance to punish her for her ‘treason’, why didn’t they?
No 223
They had an unfortunate exposure to bolsheviks.
I’m with GP on this. I think it is irrelevant how many trips the leader of the country does as long as there are no frivolous undertones or agenda attached.
I can’t recall any major issue being made by Labor regarding Howard’s trips but there would have been some comments regarding his extracurricular activities at Lords and Rugby Tests, Broome etc but probably beat up more by the media.
GP, it wouldn’t be because he finds shadowing Jenny Macklin a bit difficult, would it?
A match up against Julia would give him more of a challenge possibly?
No 226
It is much more entertaining watching the Julia v Tony stoushes.
No 227,
Couldn’t agree more.
We’ll decide who stays in this country and the circumstances in which they will donate to the Liberal Party.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/vanstone-in-donation-for-visa-row/2008/09/19/1221331245863.html?page=2
Annabell Crabbe put it well this morning: “Turnbull tries to give the impression that he is smarter than everyone else,” without actually saying so. Presumably that would look immodest.
So Turnbull corrects the wording of the Reserve Bank governor’s speech and offers to bring a little professional rigour into the national discourse by “helping” Rudd run the economy, all the while threatening to ruin the Surplus (those billions of dollars are a mere bagatelle, he tells us). There are so many things to do in a busy man’s life. This before he has even appointed a Shadow Treasurer, much less a Shadow front bench. LOL.
He is attempting to get the kudos for living in a rented flat on New South Head Rd., Vaucluse, for a short period (the rest of his boyhood was spent boarding at Grammar), yet at the same time claims the other 99% of his life as a rich wheeler dealer is off limits. As if to say, “I only talked about me being poor. YOU brought up me being rich.”
I suspect Turnbull will be seen off quicker than Nelson’s 10 months. Who next? Joe Hockey? Double-LOL.
BB, it’s almost like he is trying to do a reverse Whitlam, a one man “Super Ministry” but from the Opposition Benches. LOL alright.
I have got a sneaky suspicion our friend “kj” only came on board last night to engage in a bit of “tr#lling”. Not particularly impressed by his efforts though.
None of this pointless empathetic stuff from our Malcolm.
If he sat with someone in the gutter at 3 am in the morning at King’s Cross, by the time he’d left the other guy would know in no uncertain terms that a part scholarship to some exclusive school would be all that was necessary to change his life around.
You can see our Mal bounding out of the passenger’s seat in the truck, having rearranged the truckie’s schedule for the next week, straightened out the rather peculiar entries in his log book and recommended an obscure firm in the Caribbean as the best place to refinance the truck.
As for the women agonising over whether to fill the tank with fuel or buy steak for her family, Malcolm would put her on to a good thing in meat futures, indexed to counterbalance the price of fuel, and her problems would be solved.
Three people sorted out…only 19,999,997 to go…
It’s not only that Malcolm is a know-all, it’s his and his party’s preoccupation with “winning the next election” that will irk the punters, in my opinion.
He is clearly dead-scared that the economy will indeed prove to be more immune to the world financial crisis than many others, and will have staged somewhat of a recovery back to near full health by 2010. Hence his keenness to get on the winning bandwagon now, even if it is one driven by the other side of politics! Classic “big end of town” tactics: stand in the glow of what you hope will be success and hope some of it rubs off.
Speaking of “the big end of town”, according to the Herald-Sun apparently they are knocking down Malcolm’s door with donations (or so say “senior Liberal” sources), even at this early stage. No Shadow Cabinet, no policies, just Force Of Nature, Mal. Apart from a tacit admission that TBEOT is the Lib’s natural constituency (in contrast to their latest “for the little people” schtik), I wouodn’t be bragging too much about being friends with TBEOT, chief snake-oil salesmen of the Sub-Prime Crisis, in the current economic bad times.
I suspect the truth is that Mal hasn’t picked his Shadow Cabinet is because he is having a tad of trouble with the Faceless-41. I also suspect that TBEOT hasn’t been donating-up too readily and that most of Mal’s big talk is for the benefit of the troops, rather than the populace at large.
No 234
The “TBEOT” is not the Libs natural constituency. You’d be surprised how many lower-middle class, or simple working class people vote for us. Also, for your assumption to be true, you’d think the Greens would have been less successful in the inner-city wealthy areas of Sydney.
So the newfangled concern for pensioners has been exposed as a sham by Abbott who wants to be nearer the action. It’s going to make it difficult for the next Shadow Minister for Communities to get any traction with the General Public.
235 [The “TBEOT” is not the Libs natural constituency.]
We know GP, it used to be, but now it is anything to cling to Opposition that drives the Liberal Party.
232 scorpio – for some reason I though kj was a she (probably because I have a female friend whose initials are kj lol) but s/he said s/he’ll never be back – so no doubt we’ll see him/her soon – like everyone else here (myself included) who has threatened to leave for good!
230 BB do you have a link for that? I can’t find it on the web site. AC does have a nice little vale for Costello though (and credit to Annabel for not once falling for the PC is coming back line):
http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/costello-crowd-left-with-the-long-end-of-the-schtick/2008/09/19/1221331201823.html
I’m not surprised at all. The world is full of class traitors who want to associate with those they regard as “better than thereselves”.
What surprises me is that said “senior Liberal source” would boast that getting (completely unsubstantiated vapourware) donations from TBEOT is something that will impress anyone at all, much less the mainstream of middle class voters who have seen billions wiped off their superannuation by the gouging antics of TBEOT, here and overseas.
It just doesn’t work that way. If TBEOT is rushing to donate (which I don’t believe they are at all) based solely on Turnbull’s bum being on the Leadership seat, they are a very sorry lot and have big lessons to learn, chiefly the one that warns, “One swallow doth not a summer make.” Just as you cannot leverage a Louisiana dirt farmer’s dodgy mortgage into a AAA+ financial instrument, or put lipstick on a pig, you cannot elevate a flaky wheeler-dealer to the leadership of a major political party by the thinnest of margins and thereby get rid of the most popular government in decades.
I remember back a couple of decades ago when Kerry Packer was the Battlers’ choice for Prime Minister, after one evidence session before a Parliamentary committee. Turned out afterwards everything he was saying was lies. He paid no tax (theft or not) and was fully intending to take over day-to-day control of Fairfax, despite vehement denials, under oath. Turnbull the ratted on his “friend” by dobbing him in to Peter Westaway’s Broadcasting Tribunal, not out of public duty, but out for a fee from his clients. He received a recent endorsement from notorious fraudster and convicted thief, Conrad Black (from his jail cell!). He is a merchant banker in a world where merchant bankers are anathema to good governance… there will be many within and without the Party who will never fogive Turnbull for his treachery, his Machiavellian machinations, and many of the public will never forget the circles in which he mixed, and still mixes.
TBEOT… piffle.
Link here: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24374681-5007133,00.html
Turnbull: the Acibiades of Australian politics.
239 BB yes I recall all that Packer for PM bullsh*te. Rather similar to the John Elliot for leader of the Liberal Party guff. The 80s were a wierd time for the Libs…
and is it Alcibiades? (I only say because I had to google it!)
Instead of tell us the embarrassing result of the do nothing Liberal Executive meeting yesterday to sort out the woes of the Queensland Liberal Party, the Australian sent Sid Maher out to interview Ian Macfarlane.
What a surprise! He came out with a an all singing, cork popping, hallelujah chorus singing the praises of the National Party takeover. Damage control on a weekend when Newspoll is doing surveys no doubt.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24373762-5006786,00.html
steve @ 229 -
We’ll decide who stays in this country and the circumstances in which they will donate to the Liberal Party.
Hmmm. Mandy gives an alleged member of the Calabrian Mafia linked to a series of Melbourne murders a visa soon after he and his friends drops a wad of cash into the Howard Party collection plate and a few years later she’s off the northern Calabria, aka Rome, as our ambassador. Interestingly, she got the gig at a time when there were vacancies in the organisations’ upper echelons, particularly for a Capo di Tutti Capi (Boss of Bosses), as the Italian police became increasingly effective.
Coincidence, or….?
Correction:
a few years later she’s off
theto northern CalabriaAnd Far North Calabria might be more accurate
MF
If you want to be picky, the Calabrian organised crime group is more accurately called the ‘Ndrangheta.
Diogenes, after all those expensive Chinese lessons, Mandy probably just refers to them as the Triad.
From the Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcibiades, which I offer as a link because it seems to be very well and fairly written.
and Thucydides’ opinion:
What the Americans would call a “maverick”, who worked both sides against each other – first the Athenians against the Spartans, the the Spartans against the Athenians, then back to the Athenians again, and finally to the Persians – and ended up dying an ignominious death in exile.
No 239
What a load of rubbish. These so-called ‘class traitors’ vote for us because they have lived through the worst recession we had to have, the millions of job losses to fulfil a former prime ministers ‘big picture’ piffle and the empty rhetoric that so characterises the labor party.
The liberal coffers are filling thanks to malcolms unmistakably pro-business past. They will continue to fill as voters contemplate years of emptiness that rudd heralds.
*Arrives to wonder why the f*ck we are discussing Alcibiades*
Actually GP the 1982 Fraser/Howard recession was statistically worse than the Keating recession. Look it up.
Grog, don’t forget the “Bronwyn Bishop for PM” campaign.
It was a classic but the “Jo for Canberra” campaign which derailed Howard’s push would take a lot of beating although it was a Nationals campaign.
GP @ 248,
Just a “slight” re-writing of history here it would seem. “Millions”???
Probably IOU’s.
No “factions” in the Liberal Party, eh GP?
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24373762-5006786,00.html
No factionalism in the “Liberal” Party?
Jack the Insider, The Australian, 5 September 2008
http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/jacktheinsider/index.php/theaustralian/comments/no_benefit_of_doubt_on_planet_brendan/P25/
Does Turnbull have a religious affiliation?
He worships money?
I find that if I close my eyes tightly shut and put my fingers in my ears then the factionalism in the Liberal Party goes away.
Has anyone taken a look at the Daily Terror poll? The qustion is – who won the week, Rudd or Turnbull? I think you can guess the result so far. The Young Libs our out enforce.
I believe he converted to become a Catholic when he married Lucy.
He is only the second Roman Catholic leader of the Liberal Party. I havent a clue who was the first, maybe Sneddon or Peacock.
Snedden was a Presbyterian, Peacock is an Anglican. I can’t think of a Catholic Liberal leader. Certainly Menzies, Holt, Gorton, McMahon, Snedden, Fraser, Peacock and Howard were / are not. That only leaves Hewson, Downer and Nelson, who I don’t know about.
True Adam, but according to a newspaper i read it said Malcolm was the second Catholic leader. That would actually be a good trivia question.
Pro-business PAST?
If it’s true the Lib coffers are fillng up (and if you believe that snippet of outrageous spin then you believe in fairies in the bottom of the garden), the sober and clear-thinking nabobs of Business would not be giving Malcolm money for his PAST affiliations. They would be doing it because they think he may stab the Battlers in the back by re-introducing WorkChoices and further deregulating a finance industry already gone mad and bad.
GP, you should know it doesn’t work that way. Business people are supposed to be smart, not dumb. They don’t throw money away after lost causes. They get governments to bail them out, instead.
Well Brendan is a good Irish Catholic name, so maybe it’s the late Dr Nelson. The fact that he started out in the ALP like all good Catholics might suggest that too. I’d be exceedingly surprised if it was Downer.
“Turnbull” seems like an apt name for Malcolm.
“Turn”…
He turned on his friend and mentor, Packer. He turned from Labor to Liberal. He Turned on John Howard after the referendum (and then turned back when it was convenient). Now we hear he’s turned against his own religion for the sake of an advantageous marriage to money (unless GP’s going to argue he witnessed a burning bush at some stage).
The “bull” part of “Turnbull” is perfectly self-explanatory.
As I said above: the Alcibiades of Australian politics.
“Nelson was the first Roman Catholic to lead the Liberal Party of Australia.”
I hate to quote Wiki, but there you go 2 roman catholics in a row for our side of politics.
What is Rudd? Surely he’s not Pentacostal lol?
BB: But has he mutilated your herm yet?
Glen: “Wentworth is worth a mass,” apparently. I suspect in fact he’s Catholic in Waverley, Jewish in Dover Heights and gay in Darlinghurst.
Mor4gan Poll gets a mention in the Oz again.
But I think this statement is a slight understatement. I think they meant “obliterated”.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24375626-12377,00.html
Glen has beaten me to the punch. Nelson is the first nominally Catholic leader of the Liberal Party, and I assume he has not officially relinquished his membership despite being a serial marrier. I read at the time of the Spycatcher saga that Turnbull converted to Catholicism in order to mary Lucy.
Being a Catholic is not a descriptor of political leanings of course, despite the strong disapproval of them in the Menzies era Liberal party. Phil Cleary was a Catholic from the old Irish Catholic social democratic wing which played a very big part in the history of the ALP, Concetta Fieravanti-Wells on the other hand is from something akin the Franco-ist/Augusto Pinochet Catholic as dictator holy warrior wing. Such people are now playing a big part in the conservatisation of the Liberal Party, and will go a long way towards making it relatively unelectable if not reined in.
Rudd was raised a Catholic but changed to Anglican during his University days. He regularly attends St Johns Anglican Church in Reid ACT, just across the lake from Parliament House which I am led to believe is not a Penticostal Church in the normal understanding of the term.
Menzies always made a point of having one Catholic in Cabinet – to run messages to Dr Mannix or Cardinal Gilroy presumably. Senator Neil O’Sullivan was the first, followed Senator Shane Paltridge.
If Turnbull isn’t Catholic, he almost certainly would be Anglican. Regardless of which denomination, he would almost certainly come from the “liberal” wing of both churches – much like the religious views held by the Liberal bluebloods on the Sydney North Shore…
I think John Brogden as NSW Liberal leader was also catholic.
The mad monk is of course, Minchin, John Fahey former liberal finance minister. Also the NSW radical right nut jobs – the so called “exclusive brotherhood” are as well.
So quite a few around.
Of course the libs have plenty of people to hate these days – so no need to be exclusive in any way – better to spread it around, like the shite of their policies.
Lucky for Brogden he didn’t succeed in offing himself then. He’d've gone straight to Hell.
I remember Brogden fondly. We went to the same school )not the same year, though) and at an old boys function we got chatting. When I fessed up that I’d never vote for him, nice boke though he was, he asked me where I live. I nominated a suburb in Sydney’s leafy north-western suburbs. Chortling, he riposted, “Well, we don’t need your ****ing vote, anyway!”
I had to admit he had a point.
I think he got a bum rap from the Opus Dei cabal. Not Papist enough for their astringent likings. Should have been a Labor man. Rudd has, I think, four or five ministers from that same school.
Sorry for the double post, but I’m just listening to 9 News and they are running the latest Galazy poll results on the two leaders.
Rudd 58%, Turnbull 28%.
Rudd won all 6 categories of voter opinion except one: arrogance.
LOL.
What? Arrogance? LOL
I see Trunbull has hit his high watermark early.
Still, 28 is better than 6 if Galaxy are to be believed!
271 bit harsh there Adam.
28% obviously an outlier.
Intersting article:
Nervous people ‘are likely to be right-wing’
Obviously they didn’t poll any of the lefties here!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/nervous-people-are-likely-to-be-rightwing-935417.html
BB #273
Yeah heard that – had a great chuckle lol
Why would ppl think allbull arrogant ?
That would have to be a record for burning the “honeymoon” – less than a week !
The fibs will have look around for a new messiah real quick.
See shannanananahan getting a hiding over on his blog – the comments actually
being put up publicly.
The shadow cabinet to be announced tomorrow sometime ?
anyone know who is on Meet the Press and Insiders? Turnbull would have to bo on one of them? (And Laurie Oakes must be thinking – “that wouldv’e been my interview”!!))
276 – What’s the 6 you are referring to Glen?
Does anyone know what figure Crean started out at in the polls re PPM?
ABC news reports on Galaxy poll for tomorrow:
Preferred Prime Minister Rudd 58% to Turnbull 25%.
63% say Turnbull makes no difference to their vote.
48% describe Turnbull as arrogant as opposed to 23% for Kevin Rudd.
Ah I see William has better info than me, that PPM for Turnbull in my post was wrong.
I got it from Bushfire Bill at 273: are you sure it was you who was wrong (assuming it wasn’t reported differently)?
I didn’t hear the Turnbull PPM figure properly.
The other figures are as reported though.
Didn’t Nelson get 6%???
Adam yes that comment on Brogden was rather an unpleasant thing to say.
I’d say Laurie should win it over, but Malcolm could just as easily be on Insiders?
I hope Malcolm will announce his shadow cabinet soon?
SBS said 28% for Turnbill’s PPM.
It’s not a terrible number… but I believe Mr Crean and Mr Latham both managed numbers like that routinely.
The perception of arrogance is certainly not a promising signal early on for the Liberal Party.
Chris Bowen on Insiders tomorrow.
Chris Bowen the Assistant Treasurer is on Insiders tomorrow, Grog.
*yawn*
Turnbull sure he’ll beat ‘phoney’ Kev
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24374681-5007133,00.html
It’s probably been talked about already… but some of the lines in the story are just staggering:
________________
Just days after he seized the leadership, big business and votes appear to have swung behind him.
First opinion polls are expected to show a bounce back to the Liberals and insiders say the party has received “sizeable” donations.
A confident Mr Turnbull declared to the Herald Sun: “We are determined to make this a one-term Government.
“We have a lot of work to do, but we can win,” he said.
“I believe we will win.”
…
_______________
I don’t even know where to start with all that…
agreed Glen (I like Bowen, but it’s not exactly a scoop).
Is Sunday still going? Glen – didn’t think Laurie got to interview anyone on the box any more
It was a giveaway that the latest polls were bad for the Libs once they sent their talking points over here on Friday night with a bunch of aggressive amateurs.
I’ll start Itep:
not surprising “big bsuiness” have increased donations – why would anyone donate to a Lib Party with Nelson? Turnbull would also have a few mates from that end ot town… But still any % increase would be coming of a low base.
“votes appear to have swung behind him”??? Well it’s a pretty easy prediction that he’ll do better in the polls than Nelson, so it’s a bit of a nothing statement.
“I believe we will win” Well you’d bloody well hope so (and rather unlikely he’d come out and say, “I see my progression to the Lodge as being a 5 year plan).
I did like this part of the story:
“He said the PM had promised “so much, done so little” since winning the election….
Mr Turnbull said business had reacted well to his elevation.
“Good money is coming in or has been promised,” a source said.
I guess he likes the promises of big business more than those of Rudd
That’s right, what a shame. Well it would seem stupid to not have a new Opposition leader on the box the week when he came to power.
Bowen probably is more competant than Swan IMHO, at least he sounds convincing but yes it will be boring tomorrow morning.
At least Julie Bishop will give people something to look at while she’s boring us with figures (the eyes).
IR-Abbott
Foreign Affairs-Robb
Education-Pyne
Family Services-Keenan
But what do I know?
how odd is it for an opposition leader to have such a high arrogance. Suggests many have already made their mind up about him. 28% is less than primary.
The whole thing about big business donations rolling in is also staggering in its hypocrisy. Labor accepting big money from unions is bad and means that they must now be beholden to them… yet they can accept large donations from big business and expect us to believe big business wants nothing in return? It’s a nonsense.
Glen
Do you think the Abbott-Pyne tag team will take on Julia or will the Libs match the front bench to ministries?
Actually the Libs havent matched ministries have they.
Ruawake I cannot think of anybody being infrastructure shadow? So i guess we havent matched up with Labor?
Perhaps Malcolm make up his own?
Perhaps take a leaf out of Barnett’s book and have a shadow for mental health?
I wouldnt think Pyne and Monk would get along terribly well, but they both got Turnbull the job didnt they. I wouldnt be surprised if Monk got a different job, while i am not akin to all his political views he is a solid parliamentary performer. I would like to see him have a go on IR.
Thomas Paine: I imagine that there are a lot of undecideds. If his PPM is still significantly lower than the primary vote after 6 months, then we know he’s got a problem.
It does seem like it would be difficult to overturn the high arrogance rating with time, though. How do you convince people you’re not really arrogant, while maintaining your credibility?
Glen
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Local Government: Warren Truss.
But I dont blame you for not remembering.
Yes, Warren is quite forgettable isnt he!
ruawake,Truss has really matched it with Albanese hasn’t he? A super star in the making no doubt. Good to see so much youth and talent in vital areas of the Opposition front bench. Truss is only about 65 years young isn’t he?
Channel 9 have an hour long news on the Sunday mornings starting at 8.00 and Laurie conducts a political interview during that hour, usually in thelast half hour.
Who’s the fat Liberal bloke who sits on the far end of the Opposition front bench near the speaker?
Glen – you don’t think Abbott torpedoed his chances of promotion with his blog comment?
I think Oakes still does a his thing every Sunday
http://news.ninemsn.com/laurie-oakes.aspx/
thanks GB. No doubt that will be where Turnbull will be tomorrow morn.
Hawks, killing the Saints at the moment. Lock in a Cats-Hawks GF
Perhaps, but it would also look bad leaving him in a job he doesnt like and wont do to the best of his abilities.
That’s why i suspect he will be moved, perhaps to IR or Education and bring some young bloke up through the outer ministry who’ll be chomping at the bit for his job.
snap GB
Nigel Scullion may well be peeved, Barnaby took his Senate gig, I doubt he will retain the Shadow Fisherperson job either.
Glen…which, with the logic that seems to work within the Lib Party at the moment, will probably mean that Bronwyn Bishop gets the gig.
(Think of the most inappropriate person for the particular pos and they’re probably in…)
True Glen. Nice little annoyance though for Turnbull to have to deal with in the frst week. I’m betting it’s the first of many time Turnbull will be wondering if Abbott’s support is THAT necessary.
Bronwyn i think will keep her job, Vet Affairs suits her well.
I think you are referring to Bob Baldwin:
http://www.aph.gov.au/House/members/member.asp?id=LL6
This sums up the complete disarray the Liberals are in. She is at best an average backbencher, yet she gets given a shadow ministry.
Yeah it’s Baldwin:
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/work/seating.pdf
So Bob Baldwin does defence, how about swapping him with Abbott?
I havent heard him say peep!
Unless you’d prefer Alex Hawke, Shows On?
Allbull’s arrogance rating shows that us Aussies aren’t too keen on loud mouthed up themselves wankers. (smiles)
I will try again without the mobile this time.
I would have thought it unusual for an opposition leader, especially a brand spanking new one, to have such a high arrogance rating. Normally that comes with being in office. If the numbers were reveresed I would have understood. This indicates to me that people remember him from the Howard days and since and have already formed an opinion of Turnbull.
I reckon being considered arrogant when your in power isn’t so bad as it is associated with power. But having the rating without power, in the submissive positioin, probably means many think your a DH. So I reckon Turnbull has got a bit of work to do. This also explains Turnbull’s effort to show his humble origins the other day – he had already done the research and is aware of public opinion on him. It also explains Labor’s attempt to reinforce the image.
His PPM are lower than the LNP Primary so it is not as though they have been sitting waiting for Turnbull to take over so they could all cheer and then vote for him. Possum’s analysis of late that Nelson lost Liberal primary voters to others begins to ring true – but of course very early days.
Though I guess he will be much better for the polls than Nelson was.
I am still hoping for an outlier 58/42 justs to see the horror on their faces and wondering if Nelson was the correct candidate after all..hehe.
ABC TV news in Perth reports Deidre Willmott to take Chris Ellison’s Senate seat. Also says this Galaxy poll had a sample of 400.
So Willmott missed out on the Barnett cabinet, eh? I guess the Federal Senate’s not a bad booby prize.
Did they report the same figures for the Galaxy poll in the Perth bulletin?
25 PPM not a great figure for a new leader, and still means almost half Lib voters prefer Rudd as PM
Is there a 2PP figure??
SNIP: Tedious dig at other commenter deleted – The Management.
Yes Andos, 58-28 (not 25).
Vera (318)
Succinctly put.
“I am still hoping for an outlier 58/42 justs to see the horror on their faces and wondering if Nelson was the correct candidate after all..hehe.”
No-one is ever going to think Nelson was the right candidate.
Galaxy poll link
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24378436-1702,00.html
Pretty grim news for Turnbull in that poll. No 2PP in it however.
Great opening paragraph in that link Dario.
I guess he has 12 months to fix it before he gets fixed. There is a way I believe that they can close some of the gap but I aint going to give them any hints. It is trick people use when they are obviously out classed, out performed and under skilled. But then again my idea might be wrong.
So no Turnball inspired bounce for the Libs, after the MSM has spent the last few days talking up the prospects of a Coalition victory in 2010? LMAO
Hehe I thought it was Shanners writing when I read it for the first time
Ahh yes but Cossie was the true saviour, remember
If you want a belly laugh read this clown. He wouldn’t know.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/team-kevin-rattled-as-malcolm-eyes-the-middle-20080920-4kmx.html
I think ‘clown’ is a very polite description. He should hand back his paycheck for that dribble.
For a start Howard remained in office for nearly 12 long years being bland. People love bland otherwise you scare the horses.
Daley comes out with this sort of nonsense from time to time. It is pure fantasy of course. Stuff like – “…Rudd seems to be so utterly rattled by him..”
On what on earth does he base that? Nothing of course, just pure invention. I can only assume he thinks he needs to write something to lift the spirits of the Coalition from time to time. It is actually a poor piece of writing but if fills the pages and is the manadtory pro-liberal piece for the weekend.
Daley might cast his mind back to Rudd’s battle with the little electioneering master Howard and against a hostile media determined to smear and bring him down. Rudd remained cool and defeated them all under intense pressure. And we might recall he basically sent Howard into depression and, we had that infamous dark night where he almost gave up the leadership. Turnbull is no Howard and there is no Costello figure left. Rudd is up against a mostly talentless LNP and Turbull represents the pinnacle of their talent.
Rudd rattled?
I imagine we are going to get a lot of pro-Turnbull anti Rudd pieces in the near future from certain areas to try and give Turnbull a leg up.
Appears no voting intention question was included in Galaxy.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24377750-661,00.html
New thread.