Federal Government
HE’S STAYING: Malcolm sticks around to stick it to Tony
Devoted VEXNEWS fan Christian Kerr at the Australian has embraced and extended one of our first reports of the year, speculating on our speculation about Malcolm Turnbull staying on in Federal Parliament.
The nation’s finest broadsheet via its Gallery scribe known for his chumship with Liberal frontbencher Christopher Pyne claims that Turnbull has been telling his lieutenants in his reputedly dicey inner-urban Sydney electorate of Wentworth that he’ll be ready to stand and fight against any Ruddslide at the next federal poll.
Last week, VEXNEWS reported that Turnbull was maintaining a “Leader’s office in exile” paying for a number of staff out of his own pocket in addition to those funded by the taxpayer. After a Churchillian bout of Wilderness Years, he hopes to be back to lead a grateful nation.
Turnbull boosters say that his narrow defeat for the leadership mean that his political stocks were not quite as damaged as his clumsy handling of the ETS issue suggested. Some even hope his position of the issue may someday be vindicated.
We think there’s a greater chance of Christian Kerr going boar-shooting but anything’s possible.
LATHAM’S LORE
In today’s Fin Review, the former Labor leader Mark Latham claimed that Abbott was going to lose the election really badly. Perhaps as badly as he did (though this is blamed on his assertion that ‘large parts of the electorate have low IQs’)
His observations about all that were predictable enough but it was interesting to see Latham continue to pole-axe those unwise Labor caucus members who backed him in all those years ago. Last year it was the Deputy PM Julia Gillard who’d allegedly sold her soul to the Americans. (Latham loves the Chinese regime, whose lavish banquets and foot massages pleased him greatly when he was Labor leader)
Today, more pleasingly, he rips into Australia’s Trade Minister Simon Crean. And claims that Abbott is the Liberal version of Crean. While a flawed analogy in most respects, gratuitously we repeat his remarks in full:
After the Keating government’s defeat in 1996, Crean built a public profile as Kim Beazley’s attack dog. People saw him as a snarly, unlikeable talking head, a man who never said anything without raising his voice and narrowing his jowls.
Crean was never able to change his image, producing incredibly unpopular polling figures as leader.
To give one example: in early 2003 in my old constituency of Werriwa, Labor’s internal polling showed 74% of voters preferred Howard as PM and only 13% wanted Crean. This was a traditional Labor seat which the party had held for nearly 70 years.
We suspect Crean isn’t on his Festivus card list any longer.
Discussion
18 comments for “HE’S STAYING: Malcolm sticks around to stick it to Tony”
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Mr. Turnbull is listed as the candidate for Wentworth on the NSW Liberals web site. This pretty much confirms that He is staying.
The question will be who the Labor party preselects this time around. This, could be an interesting contest!!!
If Daddy becomes PM he says he’ll buy me an island in the Bahamas. Yay!
Chum rhymes with bum
whadda wank! Get ur hand off it ppl!
Turnbull never represented the section of the Australian vote that is needed to win back Government.
Love or Hate Howard he had that appeal to win the core middle/lower blue collar working class base that is crucial to winning Government in this country.
Abbott is trying to pitch to that crowd but like Turnbull its coming off phoney.
Any traction on the environment he gets will be lost in the argument over the economy. Unfortunately the political cycle won’t turn until 3-6years down the track. We’re looking at a 2-3 term labor Govt.
If Turnbull came back itd only be temporary, because not only would the broader Australian electorate not vote for him, the conservative caucus of the Coalition party room would knife him again using some lame-ass excuse to do so.
I’m sure the Howard staffers are happy to be back with the Opposition Leaders office but it will only be temporary.
I want Tony to fail as leader – i can take over his seat without too much of a fight and then get 2 parliamentary pensions – just like my daddy!
Malcolm if your daughter ever needs a lift home, I am more than happy to oblige and willingly offer my ‘full service’ when requested.
Some facts:
1. Turnbull has established a better office/ personnel structure than Abbott;
2. Turnbull is marshalling numbers on the ETS to cross the floor in Feb;
3. Turnbull is actively pursuing money for a third Party at the next election;
4. Abbott will fall as Leader after the next poll – not before – and by that time, Turnbull will not want his leadership position in that particular Party.
Fun times ahead!
5. Climate change is a hoax. Climategate emails, IPCC botched estimate on glacial melting, Europe’s coldest winter in decades.
6. The ETS is also a socialist scam. If anyone needed any evidence that Mad Mal belongs in the ALP look no further than the 120% “compensation” (read bribe)being offered to lower income earners.
Fun times ahead!
RDR – You are a jerk. Grow up.
Reality Check – I am not sure about most of your theories. However, I do believe the country could benefit from a worthwhile, viable third party. At the moment, Australians generally need to vote for the least worst of two options.
As dysfunctional as it can often get, one of the things I like about the Israeli political system (noting it’s a country where voting can literally be a life or death decision) is that two or three pissed off individuals can form a new party and six months later have half the country voting for them.
Would that we had any form of “Third Way”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuFl6×356a0
Malcolm’s mate Alex Hawke appearing with his mates in a new video.
Does Turnbull know whether he is Malcolm or Marlene?
Does he know:
1. Whether he wants to be an MP.
2. Whether he wants to be member for Wentworth or Vaucluse
3. Whether he wants to be PM or NSW Premier.
4. Whether he wants to be a member of the Liberal party or leader of a new party.
If a guy can’t make up his mind – if he can’t make decisive decisions for himself, then he is clearly not fit to be making decisions on behalf of others.
Well of course the interest in an ETS comes from him he has a vested interest as most some labor pollies have been buying excess EU carbon credits cheaply that will be bought by Australia at a highr price. Hes agood business man but definatley not liberal and doesnt have Australia’s interest at heart only his own pockets
don’t be nasty to my man Mal
When Alan passes away, it is sadly likely to be before me, I want his ashes sprinkled on my Cocoa Pops – so he can go through my arse just one more time.
A fair days trading with my fellow dogger Alan in the Wahroonga Gentlemen’s Public Latrine. We’ve both been busy ‘reeming and rimming’ all day.
The first time I ever met David Clarke was in a Wahroonga bar. I’ll never forget his opening words: ‘Mind if I push in your stool?’
Is this loser still around? Why can’t libs just kick the bum out of the party? He should never have been allowed to join, so perhaps it is because kicking him out would draw attention to bad decisions in the past.
Wentworth is a safe Labor seat with Mal slotting into the role nicely.
Mal who stands for nothing just like KRudd. Before you start bellowing look at KRudds record: whaling, China human rights, Tibet, Health, Water, IR (no one worse off yeah right) Open Government, FOI, Heiner Affair, Illegal immigrants. FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL.
Oh that’s right he also wants to Tax the beJesus out of us with some ill conceived ideal that is based on a giant con job at the highest levels namely the IPCC and others.
Go away Mal you are yesterday’s and nobody’s hero.