“The NSW Opposition Leader, John Brogden, could not have asked for a
more level playing field if he had been driving the grader himself,” The SMHeditorialises
today. “One long sweep of the blade has cleared away not only his
nemesis, Bob Carr, but senior ministers Andrew Refshauge and Craig
Knowles. What a gift for an Opposition leader whose coalition is ahead
in the polls but whose personal rating has stubbornly trailed the
former premier…”

Err…up to a point. The bruvvers seem to be packaging Iemma as J-Bro
Lite. Sussex Street’s strategy seems to be aimed at making Iemma and
Brogden so indistinguishable from each other that J-Bro won’t be able to
get the big swing he needs to gain power in 2007. Iemma looks as if
he’s taking on everything the Libs have done in the last two years and
making it his own. Look what he’s done in two days:

  • Abolishing the vendor tax (J-Bro had been scoring runs on his promise to abolish the tax)
  • Taking on the Treasury portfolio (J-Bro was Shadow Treasurer until his recent reshuffle)
  • The war on waste (A big J-Bro pitch)
  • Declaring mental health a priority (J-Bro appointed a Minister for Mental Heath six months ago)
  • Establishing a central agency for infrastructure, based on the Olympic model (J-Bro talked about this in a speech in April)
  • More PPPs and asset sales (ditto)
  • Coming to an agreement with the Clubs on the pokies tax.

It’s a risky strategy. If the Libs play the game properly, they can
make Iemma look like a follower, rather than a leader. It’s negative –
making the new Premier look as if he’s clinging to what little ground
he’s got left rather than staking out new territory.

However, if he successfully rips the ground from under the feet of the
Liberals, they’ll have to find some new turf of their own – and some
black and white differences with Iemma to make sure they get the big
swings they need to win in 2007.

It’s a compliment on Brogden’s success against Carr, but it might not get him into Government in two years’ time.