One senior Liberal MP said glumly after the leadership ballot in which Ms Redmond beat Vickie Chapman and Mitch Williams she would be "all right ... she was the best choice in a shit sandwich".

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25770690-5006787,00.html

What a pompous wanker!

Everything he ever says burns me up. He was the worst.

Downer included a high proportion of academics and university graduates as one of the reasons that the Liberal do so well. Are they all high end academics and university graduates mainly from non Art/social faculties and professions? Or has Downer forgotten the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s not to mention the Howard Governments higher education policies and the reasons behind them?

Liberal sources say the growing number of "yuppies" in the Stirling-Bridgewater-Mt Barker area will ensure the party keeps its stranglehold on those seats.

They believe the only credible challenges to a Liberal MP could come from an independent or from the Greens.

The former foreign minister and member for the Hills seat of Mayo from 1984 to 2008, Alexander Downer, has a simple explanation for why the area keeps putting Liberals into Parliament. "It is because Hills people are more intelligent," he says. "The ALP has never won a seat in the Hills."

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25763346-2682,00.html

What a pompous wanker!

Ms Redmond yesterday found herself defending her position, less than 24 hours after being elected leader.

The Government was gloating after she said on radio that whether convicted murderer Bevan Spencer Von Einem was released or not would depend on circumstances.

She would be hesitant, however, to move against a recommendation of the Parole Board, she said.

Soon after the radio interview, Ms Redmond called her first press conference as leader and said she needed to clarify the situation.

"I want to make it absolutely clear there is no possibility of Von Einem ever being released from prison," she said. "It is clear to me he is an unrepentant person who has committed the most heinous crimes."

She described the Government's attack on her over the issue as "an appalling political tactic".

They were prepared to "dredge up the most preposterous scenarios", Ms Redmond said.

"I know the Government is out to target me," she said. "Anyone can call this a hiccup if they want. I don't consider it a hiccup."

While she said Von Einem would not be released, Ms Redmond said that, as a rule, government should not interfere with the recommendations of the Parole Board "otherwise you end up with a government that decides who is going to be in jail and who is not".

Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said Ms Redmond was "throwing political baggage overboard on day one".

He said all the convicted murderers whose release was vetoed by the Rann Government now would be free on the streets if she were Premier.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25758518-5006301,00.html

It is true that marginals do often swing more than safe seats but it is quite possible that swings to the Greens are stronger in safe seats.

I wonder if Possum has done a graph comparing individual seat swings at the 2007 federal election…

It is true that marginals do often swing more than safe seats but it is quite possible that swings to the Greens are stronger in safe seats.