Reflections on the Miracle of Democracy at Work in the Greatest Nation on Earth

Essential Research: 62-38

The latest weekly Essential Research poll has Labor’s lead steady at 62-38. Also included are an interesting question on what Peter Costello should do (34 per cent quit, 46 per stay in various possible capacities), along with very detailed material on economic management. Not only but also:

• A comprehensively briefed Andrew Landeryou at VexNews explains the background to the Victorian Liberal Senate preselection vote to be held this Friday. Michael Ronaldson seems assured of retaining his top position, but Julian McGauran faces an uphill battle for third place against Ross Fox, a Peter Costello backer. The second place is reserved for the Nationals.

Phillip Coorey of the Sydney Morning Herald reports on a NSW Liberal state executive ruling that new members in Bradfield will not be eligible to vote in the preselection to replace Brendan Nelson, to be held in nine months. Normally party rules require membership for six months for eligibility, but that would be an invitation to mass branch stacking in the current circumstances. Coorey also weighs in on recent shenanigans in the Perth seat of Tangney.

• Tasmanian LHMWU secretary David O’Byrne has confirmed he will seek preselection as a candidate for Franklin at next year’s state election. O’Byrne is a former state party president and brother of Bass MP Michelle O’Byrne. Among the Liberal candidates will be Vanessa Goodwin, who narrowly failed to defeat the now-departed Paula Wreidt at the 2006 election.

1,522 Comments

Pages: « 126 27 [28] 29 3031 » Show All

  1. 1351
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    Cancel the ETS!

  2. 1352
    fredn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    redwombat, you summed it up.

  3. 1353
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:18 pm | Permalink

    More tax cuts! Good point by Rebecca!

    Yeah! Tax cuts solve every problem, and have nothing to do with any problem.

  4. 1354
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:19 pm | Permalink

    Okay, shut up Tony Jones!

  5. 1355
    thewetmale
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    Costello has his own policies.

  6. 1356
    Cuppa
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    I know! They’ve put a tack on his chair so he stays awake.

  7. 1357
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:20 pm | Permalink

    That woman is the best question I have heard all night!

  8. 1358
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:22 pm | Permalink

    #1357
    And Tanner just made her look “stooopid”

  9. 1359
    Dario
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:22 pm | Permalink

    Please bring Costello back… the ALP could use another 10 years in government :D

  10. 1360
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:23 pm | Permalink

    Costello’s 2008 appearance on Q & A was miles better.

  11. 1361
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    Costello will lead at the 2013 election!

  12. 1362
    fredn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:24 pm | Permalink

    Take away message from that, Costello is an idiot.

  13. 1363
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:25 pm | Permalink

    “He who Hangs in the Hammock in Higgins” has got no hope!

  14. 1364
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:25 pm | Permalink

    Glad I didn’t watch it.

  15. 1365
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Permalink

    Costello’s 2008 appearance on Q & A was miles better.

    But he gives the same answers all the time! “I’m great, cut taxes, APRA, tsunami, bring back WorkChoices.”

  16. 1366
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:28 pm | Permalink

    Why when looking at Cossie does the film the “Life of Brian” come to mind……..that’s it….HE IS NOT THE MESSIAH!

  17. 1367
    Glen
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:29 pm | Permalink

    Tanner for Treasurer!

    Costello for the backbench ‘let him get good with old age’…just so we could use him if we ever needed it…

    I think Costello is loving the current environment, everybody saying nice things of him, everybody wanting him to lead the Liberals this is not what he got during the Howie Years…

  18. 1368
    Gusface
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:31 pm | Permalink

    I think Costello is loving the current environment, everybody saying nice things of him, everybody wanting him to lead the Liberals this is not what he got during the Howie Years…

    out of that coal seam of yours,from time to time,comes a diamond.

  19. 1369
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:31 pm | Permalink

    The only way Costello will quit politics is if Turnbull becomes PM in 2010.

  20. 1370
    The Finnigans
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:32 pm | Permalink

    did anybody notice that Rebecca woman was trying to drive a wedge between tanner and swanny where there was none

  21. 1371
    Bree
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:33 pm | Permalink

    I bet you Turnbull told Tony Jones to ask Costello those questions.

  22. 1372
    Tom
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:34 pm | Permalink

    I note that he refused to answer yes or no when asked if he wanted to bring serfchoices back. Pleeeaaasse make him the opposition leader. Labor will rule for 25 + years.

    Tom.

  23. 1373
    Oz
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:34 pm | Permalink

    Bit of a boring episode.

    Costello was occasionally funny but generally idiotic. Tanner should be Supreme Emperor of the Universe.

  24. 1374
    fredn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Permalink

    Glen from the liberal parties point of view, Q and A was an absolute joke. Costello is not going to be the leader and his behavior was more about undermining the Liberal party, and as for those egging his on, what a bunch of jerks, and as for the happy clappers. It was an absolute disaster for the Liberal party.

  25. 1375
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Permalink

    Jones should have asked “so where are your goolies”?

  26. 1376
    Gary Bruce
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:36 pm | Permalink

    Jones got Cossie a beauty with the tsunami comment. Cossie in full swing, saying Rudd uses exaggerated language re the GFC and going through the words Rudd used. Then Tony chimes in with Costello’s tsunami comment re the coming economic probelms before the last election. Magic.

  27. 1377
    Gusface
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:37 pm | Permalink

    Tanner should be Supreme Emperor of the Universe.

    Isn’t that Ruperts job
    :)

  28. 1378
    imacca
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:39 pm | Permalink

    Havent seen QANDA over here as yet, but from the comments it seems that the most effective thing that the Union movement in Australia could do to ensure that the Libs never get another shot at Serfchoices would be to set up a fighting fund to help Costello take over the Liberal leadership.

  29. 1379
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:40 pm | Permalink

    I’ll hand HTV cards for Cossie :-)

  30. 1380
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:41 pm | Permalink

    LOL! Costello doesn’t believe that saving is DEFERRED SPENDING!

    He fails Economics 101

  31. 1381
    Steve K
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:41 pm | Permalink

    I think Costello is loving the current environment, everybody saying nice things of him, everybody wanting him to lead the Liberals this is not what he got during the Howie Years…

    Spot on Glen. There are 4 reasons I can think of as to why Costello is still in parliament. Your point is one. The others are:

    - he’s got nothing better to do, seriously. he has NOTHING to occupy himself

    - he needs the exposure to defend attacks on his legacy as a senior Liberal

    - he has it in for several of his former collegues

  32. 1382
    DaveM
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:41 pm | Permalink

    1366 Redwombat:

    He’s a very naughty boy!

  33. 1383
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:45 pm | Permalink

    LOL! Payroll tax relief! Yeah we never hear about that!

  34. 1384
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:47 pm | Permalink

    Hahhahah if we are in a economic storm, we should make it easier to sack people!

    Costello is like an old record that just keeps playing the same tune.

  35. 1385
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:48 pm | Permalink

    What the hell is a “union award”. Awards are SET BY THE PARLIAMENT!

  36. 1386
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:48 pm | Permalink

    And Rudd heads this team of Tanner, Swan, Gillard, Roxon and so on…. tells you how good Rudd has to be to be at the front of that talent.

    Tanner has a way of getting a clear confident message through that makes him an excellent front man. Swan struggles in that area. So does Rudd often.

  37. 1387
    imacca
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:49 pm | Permalink

    “I think Costello is loving the current environment, everybody saying nice things of him, everybody wanting him to lead the Liberals this is not what he got during the Howie Years…”

    Sounds like simple self indulgent attention seeking behavior.

    But beyond the self pleasure he seems to be getting at the moment, we are basically paying him a substantial salary to sit on his butt in parliament, write books no-one wants to read, and continually destabilize the Liberal Party.

    H’mm considering that if he actually does become leader the Libs will be even more unelectable that they are now……has anyone checked if the ALP is slipping him a few bills on the side??

  38. 1388
    Glen
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:49 pm | Permalink

    Maybe Costello will become a Tuckey or Ruddock figure in the party an old sage sitting up the back making occasional points of order…

  39. 1389
    Oz
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:49 pm | Permalink

    It’s over ShowsOn, you missed the party.

    Move to Sydney.

  40. 1390
    Oz
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:50 pm | Permalink

    Maybe Costello will become a Tuckey or Ruddock figure in the party an old sage sitting up the back making occasional points of order…

    “Old sage”? You’re always demanding they leave and let some new blood in.

  41. 1391
    Steve K
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:51 pm | Permalink

    I think tax cuts have gone too far and any suggestion that they be cut even further is simply asking for budgetary problems down the track. When the mining boom resumes as it surely will we should again work to build a strong surplus combined with further spending on significant infrastructure. Tax cuts don’t have a place in that equation.

  42. 1392
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:51 pm | Permalink

    Move to Sydney.

    Yuck, no thanks.

  43. 1393
    imacca
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm | Permalink

    Glen @1388

    Surely he has more self respect than that!! Nope, i reckon he’s actually an ALP double agent (#86, shoe-phone??).

  44. 1394
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm | Permalink

    hahhahahaha……just googled “smirky the clown”

  45. 1395
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:54 pm | Permalink

    Costello said wages went down under Hawke and Keating, but of course he left out the fact that we got Medicare and compulsory superannuation as part of a social wage. This was compensation for the fact wages and broken out under Fraser / Howard to unsustainable and inflationary levels.

  46. 1396
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:55 pm | Permalink

    Maybe Costello will become a Tuckey or Ruddock figure in the party an old sage sitting up the back making occasional points of order…

    Geez, Glen I didn’t realise your disgust for Costello ran that deep.

  47. 1397
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:56 pm | Permalink

    I think tax cuts have gone too far and any suggestion that they be cut even further is simply asking for budgetary problems down the track.

    There’s tax cuts legislated for July 1st. Also the Henry review is going to propose cutting the corporate tax rate, and paying for it by abolishing franking on shares.

  48. 1398
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:57 pm | Permalink

    Maybe Costello will become a Tuckey or Ruddock figure in the party an old sage sitting up the back making occasional points of order…

    Would it be too hard for him to ask a question during Q.T.?

    WOW Leight Sayles nice hair style and shirt combo tonight.

  49. 1399
    redwombat
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 10:59 pm | Permalink

    Ally Moore……no-one says “dacks and footzie” like her :-)

  50. 1400
    ShowsOn
    Posted Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 11:00 pm | Permalink

    Ally Moore……no-one says “dacks and footzie” like her :-)

    LOL!

Pages: « 126 27 [28] 29 3031 » Show All