I'm a keen follower of politics but a fairly impartial voter....I'm more concerned with the process and the twists and turns rather than favouring a political side.
I find it fascinating...never miss a Question time.
I'm also very cynical about the motives of pollies and judge them more on how they manipulate and manage situations rather than their policies.... because at the end of the day they're all about gaining and maintaining power.
The best ones do that well.
Think what you will about him...Tony Abbott has in the past proven to be a pretty astute politician...Let's face it....You don't get to be PM if you don't have some skills in that area.
That's why I find the decision to 'grant' a knighthood to Prince Phillip incredulous.
What was the bloke thinking?
It is a dumb move politically.
It's a dumb move for monarchists
It's a dumb move for the Liberal party.
He wont be PM by the middle of the year...if he lasts that long.
....and it's a move that's given a huge boost to the Republican movement.
No fan of Abbott or the Royal family and I think the former's days are numbered and this strange Knighthood for lucky Phil is another nail in his coffin.
I'm a keen follower of politics but a fairly impartial voter....I'm more concerned with the process and the twists and turns rather than favouring a political side.
I find it fascinating...never miss a Question time.
I'm also very cynical about the motives of pollies and judge them more on how they manipulate and manage situations rather than their policies.... because at the end of the day they're all about gaining and maintaining power.
The best ones do that well.
Think what you will about him...Tony Abbott has in the past proven to be a pretty astute politician...Let's face it....You don't get to be PM if you don't have some skills in that area.
That's why I find the decision to 'grant' a knighthood to Prince Phillip incredulous.
What was the bloke thinking?
It is a dumb move politically.
It's a dumb move for monarchists
It's a dumb move for the Liberal party.
He wont be PM by the middle of the year...if he lasts that long.
....and it's a move that's given a huge boost to the Republican movement.
Amazing really. Abbott keeps stumbling. So much easier being a one trick Opposition Leader...just say No and promise the World. Labor are playing it smart really. Keeping it relatively clean, sitting back and letting them eat their own. With Mr.Charisma Bill Shorten, they've been lucky in that regard. Mind you, my Liberal fanboy mate actually met Shorten in his electorate and was very impressed by him..that says a lot if you knew my capitalist mate.
Anyway. Interesting call you think the middle of the year Lods. Big call. I wonder if the QLD vote will be another serious blow. From memory though the QLD crowd will vote in the LNP intent on destroying the Reef and pocking gaseous holes all over Australia's prime farm land...what they haven't sold off to foreign investors to feed their on populations on back in Asia. Bloody tragic. Quite telling that the current Prime Minister is not welcome in QLD at the moment. How telling is that!
As for the LNP. Ms. Bishop would be a hell of a leader I'd say. Smart, incredibly hard working and with a death stare a Sith would be proud off. She surely would be more moderate that the Monk.
Snake Oil Pine and Cigar Hockey have no chance and Morrisson...Jesus No. The only other one..the one that Abbott had Minchin help screw over, is Malcolm Turnbull. I genuinely felt sorry for the poor basta%rd when he lost the leadership by 1 point. God he must have been shell shocked loosing to Abbott - knowing what he was like before the rest of the populace truly saw what he knew.
Hope either Julie or Malcolm take the helm and repair the damage these muppets have done.
I think from this point Abbott is a "dead man walking".
It's now a question of who and when.
Turnbull strikes me as a 'lazy' politician....not necessarily in terms of his work ethic in his portfolio but in the political sense... i.e. in terms of working hard enough to gain the leadership and then keeping it.
Bishop is the flavour of the month and has performed well...but under the scrutiny of a being a potential PM it will be interesting to see if she stays strong or a few cracks start to appear.
Yes I think Tone's truly flipped with this one! WTF was he thinking - if indeed he was thinking at all? Mystifying.
I think from this point Abbott is a "dead man walking".
It's now a question of who and when.
Turnbull strikes me as a 'lazy' politician....not necessarily in terms of his work ethic in his portfolio but in the political sense... i.e. in terms of working hard enough to gain the leadership and then keeping it.
Bishop is the flavour of the month and has performed well...but under the scrutiny of a being a potential PM it will be interesting to see if she stays strong or a few cracks start to appear.
Being a woman brings extra attention as Gillard found out but like Angela Merkel I think Bishop probably has the personality to get the job done and mix it
with the world heavyweights....
re: Turnbull...the Jarrod Waite of the Liberal party...highly rated with plenty of talent but goes missing too often....
the decision by Abbott to firstly reinstate knighthoods and secondly hand one to the Prince Phillip is beyond comprehension - remember Abbott was the go to man to terminate and destroy the push for the republic years ago. i have grave fears for our country. Of the 28 or so Prime Ministers Australia has had I could only count about 5 to 6 that were any good...the last 3 were absolutely disgraceful...
I'm a keen follower of politics but a fairly impartial voter....I'm more concerned with the process and the twists and turns rather than favouring a political side.
I find it fascinating...never miss a Question time.
I'm also very cynical about the motives of pollies and judge them more on how they manipulate and manage situations rather than their policies.... because at the end of the day they're all about gaining and maintaining power.
The best ones do that well.
Think what you will about him...Tony Abbott has in the past proven to be a pretty astute politician...Let's face it....You don't get to be PM if you don't have some skills in that area.
That's why I find the decision to 'grant' a knighthood to Prince Phillip incredulous.
What was the bloke thinking?
It is a dumb move politically.
It's a dumb move for monarchists
It's a dumb move for the Liberal party.
He wont be PM by the middle of the year...if he lasts that long.
....and it's a move that's given a huge boost to the Republican movement.
Amazing really. Abbott keeps stumbling. So much easier being a one trick Opposition Leader...just say No and promise the World. Labor are playing it smart really. Keeping it relatively clean, sitting back and letting them eat their own. With Mr.Charisma Bill Shorten, they've been lucky in that regard. Mind you, my Liberal fanboy mate actually met Shorten in his electorate and was very impressed by him..that says a lot if you knew my capitalist mate.
Anyway. Interesting call you think the middle of the year Lods. Big call. I wonder if the QLD vote will be another serious blow. From memory though the QLD crowd will vote in the LNP intent on destroying the Reef and pocking gaseous holes all over Australia's prime farm land...what they haven't sold off to foreign investors to feed their on populations on back in Asia. Bloody tragic. Quite telling that the current Prime Minister is not welcome in QLD at the moment. How telling is that!
As for the LNP. Ms. Bishop would be a hell of a leader I'd say. Smart, incredibly hard working and with a death stare a Sith would be proud off. She surely would be more moderate that the Monk.
Snake Oil Pine and Cigar Hockey have no chance and Morrisson...Jesus No. The only other one..the one that Abbott had Minchin help screw over, is Malcolm Turnbull. I genuinely felt sorry for the poor basta%rd when he lost the leadership by 1 point. God he must have been shell shocked loosing to Abbott - knowing what he was like before the rest of the populace truly saw what he knew.
Hope either Julie or Malcolm take the helm and repair the damage these muppets have done.
Really like what you wrote here, Woodstock - greatest rock concert ever. I sometimes wonder if Abbott is 'on the spectrum'. Shoving his head up Phil's dot is one crazy move. And the fact he did not consult his colleagues says how self-righteous he can be.
Reckon you're so on the money when you talk of Turnbull or Bishop heading up a new LNP. Bishop does have a history of terrible errors under pressure but seems to have grown beyond this and may in fact make a terrific deputy leader/treasurer. The Labor party would be dreading the LNP changing leadership and probably kick in a few bucks to pay Abbott's wages each month. An election campaign against Abbott would have so much ammunition to completely obliterate the poor d1ckhead.
I think from this point Abbott is a "dead man walking".
It's now a question of who and when.
Turnbull strikes me as a 'lazy' politician....not necessarily in terms of his work ethic in his portfolio but in the political sense... i.e. in terms of working hard enough to gain the leadership and then keeping it.
Bishop is the flavour of the month and has performed well...but under the scrutiny of a being a potential PM it will be interesting to see if she stays strong or a few cracks start to appear.
Turnbull did only loose the leadership vote by 1 or 2 votes... he was brought down because they were negotiating with the Rudd government over the carbon tax. God forbid, given it was a policy both parties had taken to an election at the time. You could argue that Australian politics has been broken since then... mindless partisanship, ALP implosion, minority governments, current Senate balance of power in the hands of micro-parties.
Bishop... please. Some of you jokers could be Foreign Minister and appear competent. It's the easiest job in government... everyone else does the hard yards and you get to hang out at the UN. Keep in mind she failed as Shadow Treasurer.
But i doubt the Libs have it in them to pick up the sword and dispatch Tony. I can't see that happening - it's not their way, and it would garuntee defeat at the next election.
More chance of Tony calling an early election. I mean, he only has to beat Bill Shorten.
^^
He is a dead man walking.
He will either get knifed, or he will be voted out.
At this point, Labor dont even have to win the election, Abbot will lose it.
Certainly no fan of Abbott... I also have no idea wtf he was thinking.
The real question is can they get him to stand aside ?
I don't think they can afford to knife him after the Rudd/gillard debacle.
Certainly no fan of Abbott... I also have no idea wtf he was thinking.
The real question is can they get him to stand aside ?
I don't think they can afford to knife him after the Rudd/gillard debacle.
There is more damage to keep him on.
LNP members in marginal seats wouldn't need much convincing.
Even hard core conservatives would be shaking their heads over his performance in recent times.
This is a bit like an iceberg.
All we're seeing is the tip of the discontent.
Deep in the party the manoeuvring would already be under way.
The problem is the alternative and the timing.
"Sticking with Tony" is not an alternative.
He's done pretty well to keep the 'real' Tony Abbott under wraps....but he's out again now.
What that means is there are potentially 'no gains' to be made for the LNP leading up to the next election under his leadership... only a gradual weakening of their electoral position and constant leadership speculation.
I think questions have to be asked about the competence of the Prime Minister's office and his advisors as well.
While it may be tempting to surround yourself with similar thinking anachronistic reactionaries, it's clearly not working ::)
I think questions have to be asked about the competence of the Prime Minister's office and his advisors as well.
While it may be tempting to surround yourself with similar thinking anachronistic reactionaries, it's clearly not working ::)
Even more important , questions have to be asked about the PM himself !!!!
I think questions have to be asked about the competence of the Prime Minister's office and his advisors as well.
While it may be tempting to surround yourself with similar thinking anachronistic reactionaries, it's clearly not working ::)
Even more important , questions have to be asked about the PM himself !!!!
Haven't they already been asked?
I was just spreading the net :)
:D
My wife's just been talking to her Aunt in far North Queensland. A passionate National party voter and huge Tony Abbott fan.
She had her on loudspeaker and she gave him an absolute serve.
If she's off the bandwagon Tony's in real strife ;D
Bizarro world stuff from Tony. No matter his intention, he must have known that he was never going to be able to get his message out on this one. It was simply a "here's me head, please kick it" moment.
Well Tony has been PM for long enough now to get the car, assistants, flight card etc once he moves/gets moved on yes? Massive rort this. Bah!
...
Saw this via a mate and gave me a few chuckles:
Prince Philip has expressed profound disappointment at his recent demotion to a knight, advising that he intends to fight the appointment. “I’m taking the matter to Fair Work Australia,” he said. “I’m a prince g0ddammit, not a knight. Am I seriously supposed to ride a horse again?”
The Prince has been reeling from the news at Windsor Castle surrounded by his closest bottles of gin. “I’ve worked hard all my life attending party after party after party dealing with an eye-crossingly dull wife, stupid children, h0rny staff and patting poor people’s babies and what is the thanks I get for it?” he asked whilst putting up a sad-face on his Facebook page. “A mad colonialist telling me I have to be his chainmail b!tch.”
Australian prime minister and leading satirist Tony Abbott announced yesterday that the Prince be appointed his knight. “He’s a Catholic for god’s sake,” the Prince said fumbling around his bar. “I can’t serve a Catholic. Are you mad? Didn’t we get rid of them in the war?”
It is not known when the Prince is to report to duty and what his shifts will entail. “Will I have email?” he asked. “And I want to be to able to tweet while I’m at work.”
There is no word on what the Prince’s exact title will be. “Liz suggested Sir Drinksalot and I told her to go to he!l.”
The Royal Couple were seen yesterday shopping for tights and helmets at Harrods. The Prince remained despondent, insisting: “Nothing fits and they seem to be out of swords. We might have to go Tesco.”
The Queen has promised to come and visit the Prince while on duty. “I’ll bring his lunch if I can,” she said, while sorting through the red-spot specials of scarves at Harrods. “He loves my sandwiches.”
At first, it was thought the Prince would be completing his duties in Sydney but it appears now he will be stationed in Canberra. “I mean honestly, how many m0rons with no teeth can I take? Will there be anyone decent on Tinder?”
Mr Abbott was contacted for comment, but was unable to provide any. He’s expected to announce Prince Andrew’s appointment to the Royal Children’s Commission later in the week.
Some gold in here, make him the PM! haha
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ninety-gaffes-in-ninety-years-2290148.html
I'd take more interest in politics if I could find an individual / party who was aligned with my political position.
Extreme centre.
Lodsie, I agree he's gone, he just needs to comprehend it...
I'd take more interest in politics if I could find an individual / party who was aligned with my political position.
Extreme centre.
Know the feeling, starting to feel like a radical being so 'moderate' :o
(http://theaimn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/tony-abbott-baby_pe.jpg)
Who says Tone's a monarchist? :D
Jesus Lodsy old Son..are you watching ABC 24??? LNP are getting smashed...Toxic Tony is imagining footsteps behind him >:D
Jesus Lodsy old Son..are you watching ABC 24??? LNP are getting smashed...Toxic Tony is imagining footsteps behind him >:D
I am watching it.
Sounds like the Premier is gone.
PM to follow
Jesus Lodsy old Son..are you watching ABC 24??? LNP are getting smashed...Toxic Tony is imagining footsteps behind him >:D
I am watching it.
Sounds like the Premier is gone.
PM to follow
Australia one up and QLD following Vic in giving LNP the flick . Cold beer in hand and Wifey baking in the kitchen. Fan-bloody-tastic!
Reckon Bishop and Turnbull can start working out the numbers as Abbott is finished and I reckon he will be gone by the end of the month
after tonights Qld result. When your main Liberal media yes man in Andrew Bolt starts bagging you then you know you are finished...
A post election post from the oldsite.
flyboy77 wrote:
Time will show Gillard to be far worse than any before (or hopefully) after....
Abbott will be her saving grace and a saving grace for all women in politics simply because he is such a dick!! Laughing
Actually I believe that Abbott will change the face of Australian politics simply because of how stupid he is, it's going to be hilarious. Gillard has been crucified for all manner of things, Rudd, Being a woman, Not having a family, personal image and red hair.
Abbott Laughing Laughing Laughing Laughing
I cant wait Laughing
Seriously did I say how much I'm looking forward to "TONY ABBOTT..Prime Minister of Australia" ROTFL Heaps ROTFL Heaps ROTFL Heaps
Yes, Tone will be a casualty of the national "No Dickheads" policy I'm afraid.
First term governments getting turfed, sitting PM/Premiers getting turfed... Australian politics is broken I tells ya!
I still doubt they will dump Abbott.
First term governments getting turfed, sitting PM/Premiers getting turfed... Australian politics is broken I tells ya!
I still doubt they will dump Abbott.
No one smart will want Abbott's job because the Libs will get smacked at the next election and its a poison chalice at the minute.
I think Abbot will go very soon as the new leader would have a reasonable time available to turn things around. Leaving Abbot in place pretty much guarantees a thrashing at the next election.
I'm the opposite... If they dump Abbott they will definitely be out. That would be a staggering move... Similar to giving a 90 year old Greek-English buffoon a knighthood because he managed to get his leg over our constitutional head of state.
I'm the opposite... If they dump Abbott they will definitely be out. That would be a staggering move... Similar to giving a 90 year old Greek-English buffoon a knighthood because he managed to get his leg over our constitutional head of state.
I think they would consider Julie Bishop who is probably the more popular Liberal but reckon she is too clever to want the job...its funny that Joe Hockey was probably the most media/public friendly
Lib when the Libs were first elected but since his "poor people dont need petrol as they dont have cars" foot in mouth comment he is rarely seen or heard of these days...
First term governments getting turfed, sitting PM/Premiers getting turfed... Australian politics is broken I tells ya!
I still doubt they will dump Abbott.
No one smart will want Abbott's job because the Libs will get smacked at the next election and its a poison chalice at the minute.
How much of that though is due to Abbott.
There's electoral percentage points to be had just by changing leaders..... and the next election is far enough away that any new leader has time to establish themselves.
In a contest Shorten v an other Liberal leader it would probably be a close thing.
Added to that an increasing number of Labor State governments may impact on any federal election result should they take some moves that cause a bit of pain or stuff-up.....the final result in Queensland could have a big impact on the next federal result.
I'm the opposite... If they dump Abbott they will definitely be out. That would be a staggering move... Similar to giving a 90 year old Greek-English buffoon a knighthood because he managed to get his leg over our constitutional head of state.
Labor folk aren't going to vote for him. In fact they'd love him to stay.
I think you'll find there is a tremendous anti-Abbott feeling now even amongst the staunchest of conservative supporters.
Abbott himself is enough to influence any 'middle of the road' voter in a negative fashion.
What folk don't like, and what killed the Rudd/Gillard Labor was the instability the musical chair PM created.
Where Abbott differs from Rudd is that once he's gone there is no coming back. It's done and dusted. The only uncertainty is "can the Liberal party unite behind a new leader".
Abbott has to go.
First term governments getting turfed, sitting PM/Premiers getting turfed... Australian politics is broken I tells ya!
I still doubt they will dump Abbott.
No one smart will want Abbott's job because the Libs will get smacked at the next election and its a poison chalice at the minute.
How much of that though is due to Abbott.
There's electoral percentage points to be had just by changing leaders..... and the next election is far enough away that any new leader has time to establish themselves.
In a contest Shorten v an other Liberal leader it would probably be a close thing.
Added to that an increasing number of Labor State governments may impact on any federal election result should they take some moves that cause a bit of pain or stuff-up.....the final result in Queensland could have a big impact on the next federal result.
I'm the opposite... If they dump Abbott they will definitely be out. That would be a staggering move... Similar to giving a 90 year old Greek-English buffoon a knighthood because he managed to get his leg over our constitutional head of state.
Labor folk aren't going to vote for him. In fact they'd love him to stay.
I think you'll find there is a tremendous anti-Abbott feeling now even amongst the staunchest of conservative supporters.
Abbott himself is enough to influence any 'middle of the road' voter in a negative fashion.
What folk don't like, and what killed the Rudd/Gillard Labor was the instability the musical chair PM created.
Where Abbott differs from Rudd is that once he's gone there is no coming back. It's done and dusted. The only uncertainty is "can the Liberal party unite behind a new leader".
Abbott has to go.
Bishop vs Shorten might close the gap but I still think Labor will win due to the damage that Abbott/Hockey etc have done ....the Libs are stinking it up with or without Abbott IMO...
In other words the Libs have nothing to lose and everything to gain by sacking Abbot. Most people hate him, whereas Rudd had wide support in the community.
I'm pretty sure he'll be gone this week - there I've stuck my neck out!
Lodsie, likewise - there is also enough time for Abbott to turn it around, and perhaps more importantly - i do not think the libs have ever taken this type of action before (eg. knifing an election winning PM in his first term). But Abbott does have to stop the brain fart politics.
I also don't think a new leader has 18 months. Consider the recent history of Rudd/Gillard... we had 3-4 years of the current government saying a lot of nasty things when in opposition about switching leaders (Bishop especially). Whoever takes over has to deal with the question of legitimacy (and this government doesn't have the numbers in the senate anyway, god knows what Clive Palmer thinks of all this), because all bets are off once you dump a PM in these circumstances. The Hawke/Keating leadership change was a long time ago, and that it the template they would want to follow - although the circumstances are completely different. It's more a repeat of Rudd/Gillard. Gillard could have waited another 12 months to call an election, but it was one of the first things she did. So would you fancy the Libs in an election in the next 3-6 months? I wouldn't.
I find the changes in leadership quite bemusing. We were a bee's dick away from Costello taking over Howard as well. If this was another country we'd be saying they were in all sorts of turmoil.
I think we make a bit of a mistake comparing the Rudd/ Gillard (freudian slip...I just typed Judd/ Gillard ;D) situation and the Abbott vs the rest.
Abbott is on the nose not only in the community in general but at the grassroots level of LNP support.
There would be no questions regarding the legitimacy of any successor because I have a feeling most folk voted Liberal in spite of having Abbott as the leader, not because of him.
A lot of folk voted LNP last time with severe reservations over the leadership.
They wouldn't vote for them today with Abbott as leader
The Libs wouldn't call an election early(next 6 months) because... yes they would struggle.
...but in reality most of the 'stuff ups' since they took government have really been 'potential' ones....they haven't made it through the Senate...they haven't really impacted. They've scared folk but they haven't hurt them so the effect will be quickly forgotten with a change in direction
On key election commitments...stopping the boats, carbon tax, mining tax they've been quite successful in delivering (whatever you think of those policies ;)).
@Lods
Yes, this is more of a personal thing. The Libs real perceived failures have been with Tone's pet projects like PPL and the royal knighthood, which have primarily been associated with him personally.
Put an effective leader into place and I think he/she could quickly make up ground on Shorten, who is an opportunistic stooge and stands for little of substance.
I'm the opposite... If they dump Abbott they will definitely be out. That would be a staggering move... Similar to giving a 90 year old Greek-English buffoon a knighthood because he managed to get his leg over our constitutional head of state.
This is the issue. Abbot must have known his message was never going to get across. Prince Philip was awarded what is basically the equivalent of the Victoria Cross as a WWII veteran, this year is the 50 year anniversary of the establishment of the Duke of Edinburgh award. Which I guess is why he was getting the nod.
Just another factor in this issue.
NSW goes to the polls on the 28th March.
The government probably aren't in any real danger, but as in Queensland there is potential for a significant re-correction, and the Liberals will lose some seats.
One thing they wont want to see would be people taking the opportunity for a a side issue of a "national leadership/ protest vote".
There would be some pressure from NSW State folk to see this leadership business fixed up before election day.
Just to be fair and balanced.... ;) :D
Tony's at the press club at the moment and he's not going too bad.
Playing a pretty straight bat to questions of leadership.
Emphasising the need to be more consultative going forward.
Admitting to a few mistakes in the recent past.
Just to be fair and balanced.... ;) :D
Tony's at the press club at the moment and he's not going too bad.
Playing a pretty straight bat to questions of leadership.
Emphasising the need to be more consultative going forward.
Admitting to a few mistakes in the recent past.
How can anyone trust assurances that come from an apparent liar?
It is interesting to see how much support Tony is getting, that is primarily because his supporters like Hockey and others will lose their jobs as well! They are obeying the first rule of politics, survival!
How can anyone trust assurances that come from an apparent liar?
You cant trust assurances from any of them... ;)
Most of the time when they say "The leader has my total support" they're lying.
I was watching Abbott on and off at the press club...gee he is not great public speaker. Especially when his neck is on the line. You could tell the press smelled blood and were sticking it to him. His colleagues looked resigned to a change of leadership.
Talk about a faux pas...starts to go back to blaming the previous government again. Jesus. Stop whining and pointing fingers. You are the most powerful man in the country..get on with it. Exact change. Compromise and reach across the aisle..Oh, what's that you say? They won't listen and keep saying no..even to legitimate ideas? That is called Karma Tony. Just flapped his lips with empty platitudes.Uninspiring, insipid, a cooked goose. Bad news for Labor, good news for people who voted Liberal (not Abbott).
Abbott's fall from grace shows the enormous gulf between opposition leader and prime minister. As opposition leader, all Abbott had to do was to say 'no' and repeat rehearsed lines about poor economic management and broken promises. As prime minister, he has to implement policy, explain why hard decisions have to be made, keep his party in line and negotiate with the cross benches, and he is absolute rubbish at all of that. On top of that there is his unbelievable hubris, inability to open his mouth without putting his foot in it, poor political judgement, disconnection from the general public, poor policy choices and ridiculous "captain's calls".
I visited Scotland the day after Abbott made his inappropriate comments about the independence referendum and I was a little concerned about how the Scots would respond to us as Aussies. I shouldn't have worried, everyone said that Abbott was well known for talking crap and they knew that most Aussies have a lick more sense. However, they did wonder how we could have elected such a d1ckhead as our prime minister ::)
I think we make a bit of a mistake comparing the Rudd/ Gillard (freudian slip...I just typed Judd/ Gillard ;D) situation and the Abbott vs the rest.
Abbott is on the nose not only in the community in general but at the grassroots level of LNP support.
There would be no questions regarding the legitimacy of any successor because I have a feeling most folk voted Liberal in spite of having Abbott as the leader, not because of him.
A lot of folk voted LNP last time with severe reservations over the leadership.
They wouldn't vote for them today with Abbott as leader
The Libs wouldn't call an election early(next 6 months) because... yes they would struggle.
...but in reality most of the 'stuff ups' since they took government have really been 'potential' ones....they haven't made it through the Senate...they haven't really impacted. They've scared folk but they haven't hurt them so the effect will be quickly forgotten with a change in direction
On key election commitments...stopping the boats, carbon tax, mining tax they've been quite successful in delivering (whatever you think of those policies ;)).
The average punter couldnt give a rats toss bag about the mining tax, carbon tax or the boats IMO.....you try and hit them in the pocket with extra taxes on fuel, making them pay more to see the GP then trying to force GPs to charge them more, then start suggesting that the GST could be raised and you will have yourself a political riot like we saw in Qld.
Couple that with salesmen like Hockey and Cormann who couldnt sell tupperware without making it sound like money grabbing and you have the mess that is the Liberal party.......
The worry for me is that when you have imbeciles running the country from either major party when in power you then give credibility to maniacs like the Greens, Palmer united party, motorist enthusiast party etc etc and you end up with a collection of nutters holding power who only have their own agendas to run and the country goes nowhere....
I was surprised tonight by Scott Morrison's performance on 7:30. Normally he is a very good speaker and makes his points clearly. Tonight he actually stated that the actual policies were the be all and end all rather than spelling them out clearly to the public. Therein may be the nub of the problem this government has?
I was surprised tonight by Scott Morrison's performance on 7:30. Normally he is a very good speaker and makes his points clearly. Tonight he actually stated that the actual policies were the be all and end all rather than spelling them out clearly to the public. Therein may be the nub of the problem this government has?
Leigh Sales gave Morrison the shirtfront tonight that Abbott wanted to give Putin... :)
The average punter couldnt give a rats toss bag about the mining tax, carbon tax or the boats IMO.....you try and hit them in the pocket with extra taxes on fuel, making them pay more to see the GP then trying to force GPs to charge them more, then start suggesting that the GST could be raised and you will have yourself a political riot like we saw in Qld.
Quite right...... and if they had got through then the scars would have remained.
The point is that they didn't, and folk will quickly forget....because the average punter lives very much in the present.
A change of leadership will put a further gap in the memory because those ideas will be tied to Abbott....not a Turnbull Bishop, Morrison.
12 months from now they'll have little electoral impact and the government will be decided on policies under the new leader.
That's another reason change is important for the conservatives.
......................
The average punter couldnt give a rats toss bag about the mining tax, carbon tax or the boats IMO.....you try and hit them in the pocket with extra taxes on fuel, making them pay more to see the GP then trying to force GPs to charge them more, then start suggesting that the GST could be raised and you will have yourself a political riot like we saw in Qld.
Couple that with salesmen like Hockey and Cormann who couldnt sell tupperware without making it sound like money grabbing and you have the mess that is the Liberal party.......
The worry for me is that when you have imbeciles running the country from either major party when in power you then give credibility to maniacs like the Greens, Palmer united party, motorist enthusiast party etc etc and you end up with a collection of nutters holding power who only have their own agendas to run and the country goes nowhere....
The Greens ? Maniacs ? Really ?
The Greens ? Maniacs ? Really ?
Yes!!!!! Definitely!!!!!!
Sounds like a spill may not be too far away.
......................
The average punter couldnt give a rats toss bag about the mining tax, carbon tax or the boats IMO.....you try and hit them in the pocket with extra taxes on fuel, making them pay more to see the GP then trying to force GPs to charge them more, then start suggesting that the GST could be raised and you will have yourself a political riot like we saw in Qld.
Couple that with salesmen like Hockey and Cormann who couldnt sell tupperware without making it sound like money grabbing and you have the mess that is the Liberal party.......
The worry for me is that when you have imbeciles running the country from either major party when in power you then give credibility to maniacs like the Greens, Palmer united party, motorist enthusiast party etc etc and you end up with a collection of nutters holding power who only have their own agendas to run and the country goes nowhere....
The Greens ? Maniacs ? Really ?
Yep..not a fan of the Greens, their silent leader and some of their ideas, especially Sarah HY's work, of the others, Clive is just in it for his own business reasons....Jackie Lambie is out of her depth and the motoring bloke has no idea about anything including motoring....
Yep..not a fan of the Greens, their silent leader and some of their ideas, especially Sarah HY's work, of the others, Clive is just in it for his own business reasons....Jackie Lambie is out of her depth and the motoring bloke has no idea about anything including motoring....
Pretty much nailed it EB, although I do have some time for Scott Ludlam and a little less for Adam Bandt. Of course, being a minor party with no hope of forming government means that you can have idealistic policies that will never have to be implemented.
While I don't mind minor parties and independents having a role in our parliaments, they should be elected on merit, not by convoluted preferencing outcomes. If it was up to me, I would place a limit on the number of candidates you can vote for - say six or eight - so your vote doesn't end up with some turkey whose policies are objectionable.
And I'd introduce a suitability test to weed out the morons and sociopaths :)
Yep..not a fan of the Greens, their silent leader and some of their ideas, especially Sarah HY's work, of the others, Clive is just in it for his own business reasons....Jackie Lambie is out of her depth and the motoring bloke has no idea about anything including motoring....
Pretty much nailed it EB, although I do have some time for Scott Ludlam and a little less for Adam Bandt. Of course, being a minor party with no hope of forming government means that you can have idealistic policies that will never have to be implemented.
While I don't mind minor parties and independents having a role in our parliaments, they should be elected on merit, not by convoluted preferencing outcomes. If it was up to me, I would place a limit on the number of candidates you can vote for - say six or eight - so your vote doesn't end up with some turkey whose policies are objectionable.
And I'd introduce a suitability test to weed out the morons and sociopaths :)
DJ..I dont have a problem with Independents in theory and Nick Xenophon is one of the better more honest politicians going around but I get frustrated by these one policy parties that specialize in one or two areas
but then get to vote on every other policy going through parliament of which they have no idea, have put no work into and just end up hindering the mechanics of parliament.
I wouldn't pick on the independents and minor parties though.
90+% of all the main parties people just vote as they're told, not necessarily as they believe.
That's how politics work.
I'm not a supporter of PUP, but without them in the last year pensioners and low income earners would be in dire straits now.
Thanks to Rabbot and big fat Joe.
Could this be a new Oxford Dictionary entry? ;D
This Tony Abbott bloke is looking more like a James Hird everyday! ;)
James Hird(Def)
Noun:- A human being, someone who loves themselves, unwelcome person, egocentric, exploiter, monopolist, self-seeker, neurotic, obsessive, paranoid.
1: James Hird was unwelcome.
2: We finally saw the real James Hird.
3: Relax I'm not James Hird.
Adjective:- Foolish, derisory, farcial, nonsensical, glib, superficial.
1: What a James Hird.
2: Even a James Hird would get that right.
3: Don't be James Hird.
Verb:- Disdain, decline, rebuff, repudiate, disobey, disclaim, contradict, misinform, prevaricate, hyperbolise, deceive, betray.
1: You're doing a James Hird.
2: I've did the James Hird.
3: I gave him some James Hird.
Could this be a new Oxford Dictionary entry? ;D
This Tony Abbott bloke is looking more like a James Hird everyday! ;)
James Hird(Def)
Noun:- A human being, someone who loves themselves, unwelcome person, egocentric, exploiter, monopolist, self-seeker, neurotic, obsessive, paranoid.
1: James Hird was unwelcome.
2: We finally saw the real James Hird.
3: Relax I'm not James Hird.
Adjective:- Foolish, derisory, farcial, nonsensical, glib, superficial.
1: What a James Hird.
2: Even a James Hird would get that right.
3: Don't be James Hird.
Verb:- Disdain, decline, rebuff, repudiate, disobey, disclaim, contradict, misinform, prevaricate, hyperbolise, deceive, betray.
1: You're doing a James Hird.
2: I've did the James Hird.
3: I gave him some James Hird.
:)) :)) :))
(http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/03/21/1226602/056997-tony-abbott.jpg)
The Defender, "I trust my colleagues!"(http://static.theglobalmail.org/cache/21/b7/21b74c6743071fb96dff32ba963ce3cc.jpg)
The Pretender, "When politicians offer you something for nothing, or something that sounds too good to be true, it's always worth taking a careful second look!"(http://www.sportsbet.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/julie-bishop.jpg)
The Contender, "I'm insulted and offended!"LPs advice to Tony,"Don't get between any woman and a pay-rise!"
;)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JFdQxhr1Ip8/TP4i6Dln5VI/AAAAAAAADJ0/qCG4zB1sfgo/s1600/julia.jpg)
Julia, about to enjoy a large platter of cold schadenfreude.
Dear Viewers,
What did I do wrong?
(http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/ffximage/2007/07/23/250abbott,0.jpg)
I got down and dirty with the best of them and come out on top, like a roman gladiator, no climb was too high and no insult too low, yet they still hate me! Shouldn't they be applauding me, aren't I the people's champion?
Years of head kicking, backstabbing, wall punching, bully-boy tactics all wasted! I turned the NSW Right into the stand-over men they are today, and it's not helping me!
I don't understand what I did wrong, why would they do this to me?
Yours Respectfully,
Tony.
(Address TBA)
Turnbull to win the spill by default as Bishop is too smart to take the job untill after the next election....Turnbull isnt that popular with his Lib mates
and it will be a tedious existence in the job until Shorten takes over when Labor win...
Well I forecast Abbott gorn by today - looks like it'll be a couple of more days yet! Wow.
A lot will depend on whether the spill motion actually succeeds.
Bishop and others may vote against that (they might not be ready yet, I think Turnbull is)..... but if it goes through then that's when it will get interesting.
The thing is that it's now obvious that even if the motion is defeated Abbott is on borrowed time.
I'm not buying this line that the people elected Tony PM and it's for the people to get rid of him.
Rudd played the same card and it's a nonsense
This isn't the USA.
We vote for parties not individuals and many would have voted LNP in spite of Abbott being leader.
Turnbull to win the spill by default as Bishop is too smart to take the job untill after the next election....Turnbull isnt that popular with his Lib mates
and it will be a tedious existence in the job until Shorten takes over when Labor win...
Cannot see Turnbull winning, most Libs reckon he is a Labor man in a blue suit!
Don't be surprised Tony gets across the line by a whisker, then whacks the dissenters!
The coalition is dead soon anyway, insiders reckon the Libs don't need the Nationals by the time the next election comes around.
Turnbull to win the spill by default as Bishop is too smart to take the job untill after the next election....Turnbull isnt that popular with his Lib mates
and it will be a tedious existence in the job until Shorten takes over when Labor win...
Cannot see Turnbull winning, most Libs reckon he is a Labor man in a blue suit!
Don't be surprised Tony gets across the line by a whisker, then whacks the dissenters!
The coalition is dead soon anyway, insiders reckon the Libs don't need the Nationals by the time the next election comes around.
Agree Turnbull isnt popular within the party but his public image is better than Abbotts IMO and those backbenchers are trying to save their seats..
With Bishop declaring her support for Abbott you are probably right that Brother Tony might just hang on....
Could be a ruse to shut up Tone's major critics on the back bench?? That's why Julie isn't running. Do we know for certain that Malcolm is?
It won't go to the vote if Tony is to stay, you'll never know!
Bishops been really careful with her words
If the spill motion gets up, and positions are declared vacant, it's no longer a challenge... it's open slather and things may change.
http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/02/06/18/01/bishop-still-silent-on-joint-ticket-with-pm-in-event-of-spill
Ahhh politicians ;D
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-comes-out-fighting-as-leadership-crisis-heats-up-20150206-1389ba.html
The more you read the more it looks like Tone is gawn. Turnbull if elected as leader, according to the quoted poll, would instantly turn the tables on Labor. The Libs are not likely to ignore that, especially if their own polling is telling them the same thing.
I can't believe the rubbish Abbott is spouting about being elected Prime Minister by the Australian people. He was elected as leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party by Liberal MPs. It's interesting that a bloke who is so wedded to maintaining links with his mother country should claim a presidential mandate. Of course, talking bullsh1t is what got him into this predicament in the first place.
I can't believe the rubbish Abbott is spouting about being elected Prime Minister by the Australian people. He was elected as leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party by Liberal MPs. It's interesting that a bloke who is so wedded to maintaining links with his mother country should claim a presidential mandate. Of course, talking bullsh1t is what got him into this predicament in the first place.
Yep. The other thing that I find highly amusing is US citizen, one Rupert Murdoch, presuming to tell Credlin to do her "patriotic" duty! The sheer arrogance of the man is breathtaking. ::)
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Yep. Fun watching ABC News 24. Let's see how he likes it. Julia must be laughing her head off. Karma.
Cooked. Just a matter of time now. 39% dissaproval rating..probably more. Remember that this was not a vote for Abbott versus a challenger..This was purely based on him..hence it it is only a matter of time. Let the madness end soon ...
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Thats a massive discrepancy right there.
The goose is cooked.
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Thats a massive discrepancy right there.
The goose is cooked.
I don't understand, there is no vote for the leadership... He lives on.
I can't believe the rubbish Abbott is spouting about being elected Prime Minister by the Australian people. He was elected as leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party by Liberal MPs. It's interesting that a bloke who is so wedded to maintaining links with his mother country should claim a presidential mandate. Of course, talking bullsh1t is what got him into this predicament in the first place.
I think when most people vote, they vote for the party leader - well, against a leader is probably more accurate.
Except for the really high profile candidates, I doubt most people could identify who they voted for.
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Thats a massive discrepancy right there.
The goose is cooked.
I don't understand, there is no vote for the leadership... He lives on.
For now - watch this space. He's mortally wounded.
It just needs a stooge, likely to be Mal Brough, to challenge at tomorrow's party meeting and the Suppository of all Wisdom will be gone.
I would prefer to see him stick around for a while though. I'm not really a cruel person but I do enjoy watching him squirming while butchering the English language to justify his decisions.
It just needs a stooge, likely to be Mal Brough, to challenge at tomorrow's party meeting and the Suppository of all Wisdom will be gone.
I would prefer to see him stick around for a while though. I'm not really a cruel person but I do enjoy watching him squirming while butchering the English language to justify his decisions.
Maybe they'll pension him off with a knighthood - "Arise Sir Pository" ?
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Thats a massive discrepancy right there.
The goose is cooked.
I don't understand, there is no vote for the leadership... He lives on.
For now - watch this space. He's mortally wounded.
It really depends. The ministry is required to vote against the spill and clearly at least Malcolm would add to the spill vote. It's up to Tone in the next few months.
@IOT
I guess it depends on whether you believe that he's capable of changing - I'm not so sure he is.
Spill defeated 61-39
The 'dance' begins >:D
Thats a massive discrepancy right there.
The goose is cooked.
I don't understand, there is no vote for the leadership... He lives on.
For now - watch this space. He's mortally wounded.
It really depends. The ministry is required to vote against the spill and clearly at least Malcolm would add to the spill vote. It's up to Tone in the next few months.
What today was about was 'testing the waters'.
You cant be really sure how folk will vote until it actually goes to the vote.
Don't believe anyone who says they'll vote for you...only believe those who say they won't.
So now it's pretty clear of the level of discontent.
From here it becomes a matter of time while Bishop and Turnbull count up the numbers and gather support.
Had they officially challenged today the likely result would have been a narrow victory either way....What a new leader would want will be a decisive victory.
In his first statement after the ballot Abbott showed very poor judgement by again referring to the fact that it's the people who should elect a PM.
That was effectively saying to those who supported the spill motion that they had no right to do so.
Party members will talk publicly about giving him time and space but behind the scenes it will be a very different story.
He's finished.
What today was about was 'testing the waters'.
You cant be really sure how folk will vote until it actually goes to the vote.
Don't believe anyone who says they'll vote for you...only believe those who say they won't.
So now it's pretty clear of the level of discontent.
From here it becomes a matter of time while Bishop and Turnbull count up the numbers and gather support.
Had they officially challenged today the likely result would have been a narrow victory either way....What a new leader would want will be a decisive victory.
In his first statement after the ballot Abbott showed very poor judgement by again referring to the fact that it's the people who should elect a PM.
That was effectively saying to those who supported the spill motion that they had no right to do so.
Party members will talk publicly about giving him time and space but behind the scenes it will be a very different story.
He's finished.
Yes he is gone. Because it wasn't a conscience vote you have to assume most voted along the party lines. That means a good chunk of the voters might not actually support him given 2/3 of the backbench don't and happily go on record as such! All Abbott has done is consign us to months more of this instability!
Even LNP supperts who voted for Abbott fully expected the drongo to be replaced during his term in office.
He's about 3/4 of the way along his self created green line/mile.
About the only people praying for said drongo to retain his reign of incompetency are members of the Labor Party, who'd be willing to help pay his salary out of their own pockets.
Even LNP supperts who voted for Abbott fully expected the drongo to be replaced during his term in office.
He's about 3/4 of the way along his self created green line/mile.
About the only people praying for said drongo to retain his reign of incompetency are members of the Labor Party, who'd be willing to help pay his salary out of their own pockets.
I think the NSW Liberal Right are pretty keen to keep him on as well. Remember this is the bloke who promised to change the defamation laws for the likes of Bolt, Jones and Laws so that could profit from disharmony! Notice Bolt turn on Turnbull today? ;)
I watched Abbott walk out of that party room having controlled the vote along party lines, with that disingenuous grin on his face and the stupid strut. It's just obvious he can't and won't change, he thinks he makes the rules and he doesn't have to follow them!
“My question is to the Prime Minister,” Abbott said. “Given that one-third of her parliamentary colleagues and a quarter of her cabinet colleagues have today expressed their lack of confidence in her, how can she claim to have a mandate to continue as Prime Minister?”
Abbott's a real James Hird, if only Bishop had the balls to run against Abbott he'd be gone!
Bill Shorten thought Tony was gone?
Bill Shorten thought Tony was gone?
When you get 41 votes out of 100 by default, and 39 of the remaining 59 vote against you, you are gone you just don't
know it admit it yet! ;)
Bill Shorten thought Tony was gone?
When you get 41 votes out of 100 by default, and 39 of the remaining 59 vote against you, you are gone you just don't know it admit it yet! ;)
I think IOT means he prepared his no confidence speech for the wrong leader :D
Spent the first half of it attacking Turnbull.
Bill Shorten thought Tony was gone?
When you get 41 votes out of 100 by default, and 39 of the remaining 59 vote against you, you are gone you just don't know it admit it yet! ;)
I think IOT means he prepared his no confidence speech for the wrong leader :D
Spent the first half of it attacking Turnbull.
Australian Politics is currently a circus in just about every respect.
Shorten is shaping up as just another "destroyer" type opposition leader, focused mainly on getting rid of the current government but with few if any policies or true vision for the country. Reminds me a lot of Abbot in opposition tbh - wonder if he's modeled himself on him?
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
Dig a big hole, push em all in and back fill it fast before any get out.
Just keeps getting better.
Default
Labor oversaw 'holocaust' of jobs: Abbott
AAPFebruary 12, 2015, 11:44 am
Prime Minister Tony Abbott was met with opposition outrage when he described rising unemployment in the defence industry as a "holocaust of jobs".
Mr Abbott was answering a Labor question about the latest unemployment figures, including 7.3 per cent in the South Australia where defence industry jobs have traditionally been strong.
"Under members opposite, defence jobs in this country declined by 10 per cent," Mr Abbott told parliament on Thursday.
"There was a holocaust of jobs in defence industries."
Mr Abbott subsequently apologised and withdrew the comment. He replaced the word "holocaust" with "decimation".
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/national/a/26276495/labor-oversaw-holocaust-of-jobs-abbott/
I'm not going to excuse him.
I've been a huge critic in recent times and he should have been politically much more savvy in this case.
I'll just make the point that Tony is the same vintage as myself and in our younger days "holocaust" didn't have the same connection with the death camps of Nazi Germany as it does today but was a more generic term associated with total destruction.
Not so today... and it was a very poor choice of words.
First of all, I have to point out that I wholeheartedly agree with the American think-tank that found that Tony Abbott was the most incompetent leader of a western democracy.
However, there is a difference between a holocaust and the Holocaust, as in the Black Saturday holocaust, a nuclear holocaust and the Nazi slaughter of Jews and other 'undesirables' in the Holocaust or Shoah. Yes, it was a poor choice of words by the Suppository of All Wisdom, but not necessarily a career ending gaffe.
As a pedantic supporter of the English language, I'm more concerned that Abbott substituted 'decimated' for 'holocaust'. Of course, 'decimated' means the execution of one in every ten and that's just a little more severe than losing your job. OK, perhaps that was too pedantic, but a PM who is presiding over a dramatic increase in unemployment should think before throwing stones.
I think Abbott is a total embarrassment to our country and will go down as the worst Prime minister in our history. But that being said, the reporting of his latest gaff was weak by our media outlets. Yes he used the term "holocaust" which was inappropriate but he immediately withdrew and apologized for his use of the term. Still channel 7 have to get a comment from the president of the Jewish holocaust society.
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
We'll have to agree to disagree Cookie. I reckon she's one of the few shining lights in our tired and unrepresentative political system.
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
We'll have to agree to disagree Cookie. I reckon she's one of the few shining lights in our tired and unrepresentative political system.
It's interesting......
She usually speaks well in interviews and in public...... but she lacks a bit of fire on the floor of the house...hesitant and lacking in confidence...the government usually hit her to the boundary.
She looks OK when she is adding opposition support to government initiatives on things like terrorism, bali 9 stuff...but generally very bland
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
We'll have to agree to disagree Cookie. I reckon she's one of the few shining lights in our tired and unrepresentative political system.
It's interesting......
She usually speaks well in interviews and in public...... but she lacks a bit of fire on the floor of the house...hesitant and lacking in confidence...the government usually hit her to the boundary.
She looks OK when she is adding opposition support to government initiatives on things like terrorism, bali 9 stuff...but generally very bland
Perhaps that's why I rate her Lods. I don't have much time for the chest beating performances that are passed off as debate in our houses of parliament.
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
We'll have to agree to disagree Cookie. I reckon she's one of the few shining lights in our tired and unrepresentative political system.
It's interesting......
She usually speaks well in interviews and in public...... but she lacks a bit of fire on the floor of the house...hesitant and lacking in confidence...the government usually hit her to the boundary.
She looks OK when she is adding opposition support to government initiatives on things like terrorism, bali 9 stuff...but generally very bland
Perhaps that's why I rate her Lods. I don't have much time for the chest beating performances that are passed of as debate in our houses of parliament.
Sorry, apart from her recent effort re. the Bali situation, I think she is just another merchant of the negative in similar vein to her boss Shorten. Nothing to see here I'm afraid, totally uninspiring and carping AFAIC.
Watching today the real poor performer was Tanya Plibersek seconding the no confidence motion.
Waffle!
She's a dud!
We'll have to agree to disagree Cookie. I reckon she's one of the few shining lights in our tired and unrepresentative political system.
It's interesting......
She usually speaks well in interviews and in public...... but she lacks a bit of fire on the floor of the house...hesitant and lacking in confidence...the government usually hit her to the boundary.
She looks OK when she is adding opposition support to government initiatives on things like terrorism, bali 9 stuff...but generally very bland
Perhaps that's why I rate her Lods. I don't have much time for the chest beating performances that are passed of as debate in our houses of parliament.
Sorry, apart from her recent effort re. the Bali situation, I think she is just another merchant of the negative in similar vein to her boss Shorten. Nothing to see here I'm afraid, totally uninspiring and carping AFAIC.
Abbott demonstrated than an opposition need only be negative to defeat the incumbent government. Unfortunately for the electorate, that's all we're going to get from oppositions until there's a quantum shift in our political system.
As for Ms Plibersek, her performances on Q & A, and in the media generally, show that she can think on her feet and has some good ideas for making our country a better place. She is not a head kicker in the mould of Paul Keating, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, I would prefer to see more people with Ms Plibersek's attributes in our parliaments.
@DJC
If you're happy with that then your call mate.
Just another apparatchik spouting the party line AFAIC. And why would you want someone who has used Abbott as a role model?
Just another apparatchik spouting the party line AFAIC.
But aren't they all Cookie?
Maybe it's the feminist in me but it seems that female MPs are more likely to conduct themselves without recourse to the bravado and machismo of their male counterparts, Ms Bishop excepted.
Just another apparatchik spouting the party line AFAIC.
But aren't they all Cookie?
Maybe it's the feminist in me but it seems that female MPs are more likely to conduct themselves without recourse to the bravado and machismo of their male counterparts, Ms Bishop excepted.
Do you even politics? :P Gillard gave much more than she ever took, Hanson-Young is simply rabid. Given there are plenty of gentlemen in both houses, I don't know what you can base this statement on. The only shame is that the loudmouths seem to get to the top.
Just another apparatchik spouting the party line AFAIC.
But aren't they all Cookie?
Maybe it's the feminist in me but it seems that female MPs are more likely to conduct themselves without recourse to the bravado and machismo of their male counterparts, Ms Bishop excepted.
Do you even politics? :P Gillard gave much more than she ever took, Hanson-Young is simply rabid. Given there are plenty of gentlemen in both houses, I don't know what you can base this statement on. The only shame is that the loudmouths seem to get to the top.
"Do you even politics"
I'm not sure what you mean IOT but I briefly studied political science, spent far too much time in Victoria's Parliament House and, since retiring, spend far too much time watching our Federal parliamentarians in action. My statement is based on my observations, some at first hand, others at a distance.
Yes, there are some 'gentlemen' - Keith Hamilton was one of the most principled people I ever worked with - and there are some appalling female MPs; Bronwyn and Julie Bishop, Christine Milne, Mary Delahunty and Marsha Thomson for example. However, I wouldn't include Julia Gillard or Sarah Hanson-Young in that category (although the latter is one of the most irritating politicians of all time). None of the female MPs that I mentioned even come close to blokes like Pyne, Abetz, Joyce, Thomson, Newman, Latham, Morrison, Andrews, Rudd, etc, etc in terms of disrespecting their office, opponents, and the Australian people.
I was teasing DJC but I do think the poor behaviour has little to do with gender. I think it's just the environment.
I was teasing DJC but I do think the poor behaviour has little to do with gender. I think it's just the environment.
Agree IOT. I would like to see parties focus on their own policies and much less on opposition head kicking which has reached disastrous levels IMO. I know I'm dreaming!
Brandis asked Gillian Triggs to resign before critical child detention report
http://gu.com/p/45nbc
This is why this current lot need to be removed. A golden opportunity to get some help for kids ..KIDS..and in so doing gain some favourable traction with voters...instead they go on the attack claiming bias of the report..citing the start of the report.So they try to scupper the report and shoot the messenger before it is released. I swear they're jumping at shadows and who better than Brandis to do it..well he didn't want to dirty his hands and had his secretary ask the question of resignation..while offering an alternative role.
I am amazed this isn't burning up the airwaves. Makes me bloody sick. You stopped the boats..ok..you delivered on your promise..points scored..now what about this? Throw away the keys and silence and attack anyone who tarnishes your achievement. This lot are a national embarrassment. Sounds like an episode of House of Cards.
Paul Keating warned Australia that Tony Abbott was prepared to wreck the joint for his own benefit. Most people ignored the comments as typical Keating rhetoric!
I wonder what they think now? ;)
Paul Keating warned Australia that Tony Abbott was prepared to wreck the joint for his own benefit. Most people ignored the comments as typical Keating rhetoric!
I wonder what they think now? ;)
If it a choice between a conspiracy and a stuff-up.....I'm going to go with the stuff-up ;D
Paul Keating warned Australia that Tony Abbott was prepared to wreck the joint for his own benefit. Most people ignored the comments as typical Keating rhetoric!
I wonder what they think now? ;)
Abbott was necessary to remove Gillard Rudd and Labor
Turnbull is necessary to remove Abbott
Keating is a legend but Labor now are finished as a party...30% primary vote is all they get now
And what, 55% voted for Abbott but good luck finding one of those persons now....
Keating is a legend but Labor now are finished as a party...30% primary vote is all they get now
Check out the latest Morgan poll; the ALP has 41.5% of the primary vote to 33.5% for the Libs and 2% for Nats and I wouldn't be surprised if we have a one term Federal Government to go with the Victorian and Queensland elections.
It's an interesting time in Australian politics with the conservative side displaying a dislike, if not contempt, for a significant part of the population and the electorate not willing to accept broken promises and measures not canvassed during the election. I reckon we're in for turbulent times unless one or other of the major parties can align their policies with the majority of the population's vision for the future - whatever that is.
Keating is a legend but Labor now are finished as a party...30% primary vote is all they get now
Check out the latest Morgan poll; the ALP has 41.5% of the primary vote to 33.5% for the Libs and 2% for Nats and I wouldn't be surprised if we have a one term Federal Government to go with the Victorian and Queensland elections.
It's an interesting time in Australian politics with the conservative side displaying a dislike, if not contempt, for a significant part of the population and the electorate not willing to accept broken promises and measures not canvassed during the election. I reckon we're in for turbulent times unless one or other of the major parties can align their policies with the majority of the population's vision for the future - whatever that is.
Agree....Libs are history next election and they know it....but Labor wont get it done either and I am a Labor supporter.
We do need some measures to bulletproof the country against future rising debt, global financial crisis etc but most of the obvious solutions hit joe average hard in the pocket and wont win
any votes or keep you in Government...rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer, you add that to unemployment likely to go up and the welfare system to be be stretched as more folk seek pensions etc and its tough times ahead with only low petrol prices and interest rates(mortgages) to look forward to.....interest rates falling though will only put more self funded retiree's on the pension and add to the welfare strain. Not sure we will ever see either major political party stay in power very long in the short to medium term...
@DJC
Agree, we're in for a period of instability and uncertainty for sure and I think we are witnessing the rise of small parties, some single issue outfits, which will just add to that. It will be very very difficult for any coordinated and integrated plans and policies for the national strategic future and well being to emerge whilst the focus is fixed on the short term election cycle and the negative approach.
Abbott will be the next casualty very soon. He is not suited to the role of a constructive leader, but is more at home as principal attack dog. Unfortunately for all of us, so is Shorten and so the cycle will repeat.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
He rode the mining boom and threw cash around to stay in power - instead of future building. Tragedy. Not the messiah some might think.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
re: Tax revenue...Bottom of the harbor tax schemes robbed the country of tax revenue back then.....did Kerry Packer etc pay any tax?
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
re: Tax revenue...Bottom of the harbor tax schemes robbed the country of tax revenue back then.....did Kerry Packer etc pay any tax?
And the larger companies are still not paying their fair share of tax EB. If any government could sort out the tax system - and enforce it - our revenue issues would be resolved.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
re: Tax revenue...Bottom of the harbor tax schemes robbed the country of tax revenue back then.....did Kerry Packer etc pay any tax?
And the larger companies are still not paying their fair share of tax EB. If any government could sort out the tax system - and enforce it - our revenue issues would be resolved.
The easy solution is to raise the GST to 12%, include bread, milk and other main essentials and let the average punter like you and me pay those taxes >:(....both major parties wont confirm or deny any interest in raising the GST, Abbott rejected it for this government but didnt deny it would happen if given a second term
Major economists also favor raising the GST......so you know its coming......and from memory there isnt one other country in the world with the GST that hasnt raised the initial value...
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
re: Tax revenue...Bottom of the harbor tax schemes robbed the country of tax revenue back then.....did Kerry Packer etc pay any tax?
And the larger companies are still not paying their fair share of tax EB. If any government could sort out the tax system - and enforce it - our revenue issues would be resolved.
The easy solution is to raise the GST to 12%, include bread, milk and other main essentials and let the average punter like you and me pay those taxes >:(....both major parties wont confirm or deny any interest in raising the GST, Abbott rejected it for this government but didnt deny it would happen if given a second term
Major economists also favor raising the GST......so you know its coming......and from memory there isnt one other country in the world with the GST that hasnt raised the initial value...
I don't mind a rise in GST..as long income tax lowers proportionally. User pays. Mind you. Big business are taking the piss and a liberal government will not bring them to the table.
Raising rates of GST and applying it to the more essential items of life always hits the poorest people hardest, since they are on low incomes and spend most of their incomes on essentials. Compensating reductions in income tax does little for them.
Changes to the tax base need to be comprehensive and fair across the board, with strong mechanisms in place to enforce payment. Don't hold yer breath.
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
One of the issues we faced were the bizarre forecasts of really aggressive growth in the face of already high commodity prices and a flat world economy. Where was that going to come from and why was anyone surprised it didn't?
We needed tighter control over spending after the gfc instead of a pace which was faster than was apparently unsustainable.
(http://michaelsmithnews.typepad.com/.a/6a0177444b0c2e970d017ee87a4c3c970d-800wi)
I used to cringe at Rudd's tortured efforts to incorporate vernacular expressions into his speech in a misguided attempt to appear more blokey and less of a nerd.
Vernacular expressions roll of Abbott's tongue like sh1t off a shovel but in such a way that it trivialises important issues. While announcing national security measures Abbott said "But that doesn't mean we should let bad people play us for mugs, and all too often they have." WTF does that mean?
I reckon Abbott has difficulty comprehending complex issues and even more difficulty articulating them. Surely his advisors and speech writers can give him a form of words that make sense and doesn't reduce fundamentalist terrorism to goodies vs baddies.
we are simply following a pre determined script.
"Leaders" like KRUDD, ABBOTT (and Costello...:D) are worth gold to the oligarchichal figures that ensure governments get power and stay in power, and in the process they all get rich together at the xpensive of Joe Average Citizen, making decisions that ensure that big money makers, continue being big money makers, and not making the right tough decisions that would help the everyday Australian.
Meanwhile, the every day Australian is too busy getting caught up in matters that really don't have any importance to anything (like taking exception to the Knighthood of Prince Phillip, seriously who actually gives a flying screw?) rather than the pissing of tax payers money up the wall, and real issues like rising unemployment etc.
The system is very much broken. Very much, and the problem I see is that we are too busy caught up on the issues that don't matter, to worry about the one's that do. The big issue is the media are very much involved, and they present us the stuff they want to. I recently cringed to hear that not many people had heard about the 10 year old Nigerian suicide bomber, who killed over a few hundred Nigerians. This suicide bomber actually had no idea what SHE was doing as she was given a bag, and told to walk over to a market, and the bomb was detonated remotely.
Yet, it barely made news. It followed the script. Nigerians died. Why should we care? Meanwhile 14 people at a French Newspapers office are killed, and its candlelight vigils, and terrorist attacks on democracy and dominates the papers for weeks. What are they really distracting us from?
How did John Howard have the country in a strong financial position, and then everything just went wrong. All of a sudden we are in such debt it isn't funny. The country can't dig itself out of its current hole, and things can only get worse. I get a feeling we haven't had a governing party that knows how to balance a budget for a long time now. Elwood mentioned the fuel prices and interest rates. If we had interest rates up a few percent and petrol prices up close to $1.50 per litre, there would be many families living in the streets.
In fact, Howard has to share the blame for the problems we now face. He poured money into 'welfare programs' for more well off folk and failed to take advantage of the mineral boom. Indeed, according to Treasury secretary Martin Parkinson every budget over the 12 years from June 1998 increased spending and decreased tax revenue. The structural deficit created by Howard and Costello has come back to bite us on the butt.
re: Tax revenue...Bottom of the harbor tax schemes robbed the country of tax revenue back then.....did Kerry Packer etc pay any tax?
And the larger companies are still not paying their fair share of tax EB. If any government could sort out the tax system - and enforce it - our revenue issues would be resolved.
The easy solution is to raise the GST to 12%, include bread, milk and other main essentials and let the average punter like you and me pay those taxes >:(....both major parties wont confirm or deny any interest in raising the GST, Abbott rejected it for this government but didnt deny it would happen if given a second term
Major economists also favor raising the GST......so you know its coming......and from memory there isnt one other country in the world with the GST that hasnt raised the initial value...
Would be a brave politician that went that way. You can't just spring that on the public - you absolutely have to take it to the polls.
Gillard basically bumped the GST in the form of a carbon "price" without taking it to the polls, killed her. Howard did take it to the polls and got in by a bee's dick and still struggled big time to get in for the election after.
Death at the announcement or in the following election.
Would be a brave politician that went that way. You can't just spring that on the public - you absolutely have to take it to the polls.
Gillard basically bumped the GST in the form of a carbon "price" without taking it to the polls, killed her. Howard did take it to the polls and got in by a bee's dick and still struggled big time to get in for the election after.
Death at the announcement or in the following election.
That claim that the carbon price was defacto GST increase is so bogus yet it keeps getting floated around. The carbon price did exactly what voters wanted, forced billionaires and corporations to pay some tax. It cost Joe average feck all, I think a joint study by two or three of the countries leading Uni's pegged it at about $6 a year per person for the consumer. It was a prime example of how shock jocks like Jones and Law have too much power, offering paid for opinions rather than reality. Trumpeted by Monckton, FFS really??
Is there some resemblance, family perhaps?
(http://www.sourcewatch.org/images/thumb/2/27/Monckton.jpg/235px-Monckton.jpg)
(http://images.thevine.com.au/resources/images/000/288/288965_02_Christopher_Pyne_ugly_591w.jpg)
I haven't seen anyone say that the carbon tax was a de facto GST, I was quite happy with coming up with that one. :))
No company simply absorbed the carbon tax, nor were they supposed to. Or if they were, that was lala land thinking
I haven't seen anyone say that the carbon tax was a de facto GST, I was quite happy with coming up with that one. :))
You've invented a meme!
If anyone was in doubt why the Mad Monk is on the nose;
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/soaring-power-costs-leads-to-record-number-of-disconnections-in-victoria-20150218-13i4lt.html
So much for getting rid of that nasty carbon tax and all the savings we would receive. It seems Tony's corporate buddies have done the dirty and rogered the electorate while the Mad Monk and Treasurer Jokey were asleep at the wheel! Even worse the likes of Turnbull and Bishop just standby and let them, that is Jokey, Yabbott and the Energy Co's, do this to their own country just for some political advantage.
I gather the next step for the lot is out the H of R door and straight onto the board of the local energy authority! ;)
PS: I'd tried to get angry with Truss and Bannanaby about this but I just can't. But one is a walking advertisement for the need to legalise euthanasia and the other is just an fecking idiot!
The Age still can't bring itself to say carbon tax :))
If anyone was in doubt why the Mad Monk is on the nose;
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/soaring-power-costs-leads-to-record-number-of-disconnections-in-victoria-20150218-13i4lt.html
So much for getting rid of that nasty carbon tax and all the savings we would receive. It seems Tony's corporate buddies have done the dirty and rogered the electorate while the Mad Monk and Treasurer Jokey were asleep at the wheel! Even worse the likes of Turnbull and Bishop just standby and let them, that is Jokey, Yabbott and the Energy Co's, do this to their own country just for some political advantage.
I gather the next step for the lot is out the H of R door and straight onto the board of the local energy authority! ;)
PS: I'd tried to get angry with Truss and Bannanaby about this but I just can't. But one is a walking advertisement for the need to legalise euthanasia and the other is just an fecking idiot!
My powerbill went down when the carbon tax was axed.
Even got a letter saying it would be.
If anyone was in doubt why the Mad Monk is on the nose;
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/soaring-power-costs-leads-to-record-number-of-disconnections-in-victoria-20150218-13i4lt.html
So much for getting rid of that nasty carbon tax and all the savings we would receive. It seems Tony's corporate buddies have done the dirty and rogered the electorate while the Mad Monk and Treasurer Jokey were asleep at the wheel! Even worse the likes of Turnbull and Bishop just standby and let them, that is Jokey, Yabbott and the Energy Co's, do this to their own country just for some political advantage.
I gather the next step for the lot is out the H of R door and straight onto the board of the local energy authority! ;)
PS: I'd tried to get angry with Truss and Bannanaby about this but I just can't. But one is a walking advertisement for the need to legalise euthanasia and the other is just an fecking idiot!
My powerbill went down when the carbon tax was axed.
Even got a letter saying it would be.
So did mine... which was followed by another letter about 6 weeks later explaining the increases. We are now around 6% worse off. We were with Energy Australia.
I read somewhere that a large proportion of electricity price increases are driven by the cost of investment in distribution rather than generation. So the removal of the tax on actual burning of the coal only has a minor effect on net price.
I read somewhere that a large proportion of electricity price increases are driven by the cost of investment in distribution rather than generation. So the removal of the tax on actual burning of the coal only has a minor effect on net price.
Shhhhhsh Cookie, if you keep this up our PM will look like a goose at home and abroad! ;)
Next thing you know he will be threatening sovereign states and suggesting we decline humanitarian aid to thousands or millions of individuals just to save the lives of a couple of recidivist criminals! :o
PS; I could be confusing him with Alan Jones, John Laws or Andrew Bolt!