So the Liberal leader limps into the Spring Parliamentary Sittings, his leadership besieged, his judgment questioned, the poll numbers horrific, facing open talk of contenders for his job and immense problems keeping his party in line on emissions trading.
Anyone feel like we’ve been here before?
Here’s an editorial we prepared earlier … about 11 months ago. It seems faintly relevant. Especially the bit about the need for a serious Opposition.
At a moment when the global economy is facing one of its biggest financial crises in decades, Australia’s Opposition is engaged in an astonishing bout of self-obsession while it continues to play cheap populism in an effort to score a blow against the Rudd Government.
We deserve better.
There’s no doubt Malcolm Turnbull is a media favourite, except for the conservatives at The Australian. There’s no doubt much of the incessant speculation that has dogged Brendan Nelson since the moment he got the leadership reflects not an interest in who is the best alternative Prime Minister, but a conviction that Turnbull will make better copy. And it hasn’t hurt that his more moderate views are closer to the political centre than many in his party.
But that doesn’t change the simple reality that Brendan Nelson is hopeless and needs to go. He has guts, and determination, and passion, but he hasn’t got the authority, political smarts or substance to seriously challenge Kevin Rudd.
The Liberals need to install Turnbull and start giving Australia a serious Opposition.
The serious bit. There’s still time to do the serious bit.
FOR THE LATEST NEWS ON THE BOOK FRONT: As predicted by ‘moi’ the people in the electorate of Higgins are taking no interest in Tony Abbott’s opus. These are the people whose lack of enthusiasm for Peter Costello’s book caused it to be remaindered with in the second week of hitting the booksellers shelves. Of course there’s to be another one, publishers insist on a two book deal before signing on an aspiring writer.
Today I conversed with four bookshops in Glenferrie Road. (Blue ribbon Liberal electorate). I asked how The Tony Abbott book was going. Like a stone was the fourfold answer. One very nice lady thought I was an admirer of Tony Abbott and was trying to make excuses for it being buried out of sight at the back of the shop. I explained I was a hostile, she laughed and said “we shifted there after the second day”. I ventured to suggest that right-wing, conservative political memoirs seldom sold well whereas left-wing ones seemed to do better.
Anyone wishing to purchase a copy of this soft-cover book would be advised to wait for another week. Although the residents of somewhere like Kew maybe more interested. This is mentioned because Kew was/is? a predominantly Irish Catholic area. In which case my advice would be to come to Higgins sometime next week.
things will change, they have got to… people always forget the past… I can vividly remember the ALP being in a very similar situation to when Latham and Crean (and perhaps Beazley) were leaders – the ALP was without direction, bickering amongst themselves and virtually seemed irrelevant as a political party at the time.
For me, Turnbull is the standout in the Coalition – I don’t think there is any question about that, the coalition is devoid of leaders for the moment and I don’t see any point in Robb challenging. I see the rationale for Robb challenging (i.e minimising damage at the next election) but I think this is a short sighted strategy which has no long term legs.
Turnbull will get there, I thought his performance on Q&A the other night was a step in the right direction to the point where Gillard looked very awkward and I suspect intimidated by Turnbull.
The Coalition needs to stick to facts and not get mixed up in things such as ‘ute gate’ as they don’t have the popularity to pull it off. I firmly believe the electorate is becoming disenchanted with Rudd but need a reason to become disenchated!
“Turnbull will get there, I thought his performance on Q&A the other night was a step in the right direction to the point where Gillard looked very awkward and I suspect intimidated by Turnbull.”
I thought the exact opposite. I thought that Turnbull was preoccupied and Gilliard was quietly smiling at his unease.
Gillard would have Turnbull’s measure in any debate on any subject of substance.
“Gillard would have Turnbull’s measure in any debate on any subject of substance”
with all due respect, surely you must be kidding??? last night being a case in point with the student asking a question on Somali immigrants – Gillard did not know whether she was Arthur or Martha – Turnbull clearly got the youth vote in the audience which I think would be a boost for him (refer todays article in the Australian).
Substance? touchy subject given our current PM.
I can’t think of any Party as hopelessly dysfunctional as the Liberals post John Howard. Some of them lingered to milk defeat – books, overseas postings etc while others like ‘Kicks Costello’ hung about for the buzz from bloodless coups. Reeling and reckless after disastrous polls Abetz and Turnbull settle on Godwin Grech (not your typical public servant but showing all signs of an enlightened disciple prepared to hari-kari for the cause) as the trigger for a govenrment demolition. Flicking Party room debate the pair turns Question Time and Senate Estimates into their own version of QandA with scripting by Grech. No doubt the gong this year will again go to the Liberals for best political farce starring directors and producers in their own roles.