Liberal Party completely spazzes out

[Serafine666]

Take heart, gents... at least now you can enjoy quality Abbott and Costello jokes.

[Lusankya]

No. Costello's left politics.

What we have at the moment is one of our major political parties being lead by an Abbott and a Bishop.

[mr friendly guy]

Ha ha ha ha.

Electing the mad monk was hell funny. To tell the truth I expected either Turnbull or Hockey, not Abbott.

You know what, good riddance to bad rubbish. Like Australians with brains I want an opposition that actually does its job. A liberal conservative with racist, chauvinistic wankers & climate change deniers which includes Abbot don't meet the criteria. Unless they are working for the interest of bogan trash.

I would rather have Rudd than Abbott, or Turnbull for that matter. Don't know about Hockey though as he has somehow stayed under my radar so I can't comment too much on him. Besides the stimulus package and the lets increase the first home buyers grant Rudd hasn't done that much to piss me off. Although I disagree with his stance on gay marriage, its no different from Howard's. I am so sick and tired to the xenophobic "oh noes asylum seekers" shit which Howard milked and Turnbull wasn't above doing either, and failed to stop blatant scaremongering among his rank and file (Wilson Tuckey springs to mind). At least Rudd doesn't play the race card like the Liberals. What is this, a prerequisite to be racist to join the Liberal party? I guess they moved beyond Robert Menzies "yellow menace" days to "muslim menace" now. Although someone forgot to tell to tell Abbott.

Thus its better the Liberals self destruct, just like how Labor did with Latham and Beazley. Maybe after that they can get a decent leader and be a good opposition. Or a third party might rise to the helm (unlikely unless the Liberals split along their more right wing and moderate lines or the liberal dysfunction lasts for such a long time that a third party rises up anyway).

Meanwhile we can get Rudd to retire undefeated after a second term and we can ship him off to a cruisey job promoting Australian interests in China or something, then have the more social liberal ALP members take over. This will be after Rudd puts forward a referendum on the Republic issue... no doubt which will split the Liberals even further.

Oh, I just found out today Joe Hockey's full name is Joseph Benedict Chiefley Hockey. The irony of a Liberal front bencher being named after a Labor prime minister. Politics is just full of ironies.

[tim31]

Are you serious?? LOL!

I was expecting Hockey, but as pundits have underlined, he shot his wad too early. It would not surprise me to see them all have another go at it before the next election. It's almost like they're running a tribute revival of labor's disarray in the decade preceding the Rudd takeover.

[mr friendly guy]

Take heart, gents... at least now you can enjoy quality Abbott and Costello jokes.

Its a bit hard to have a comedy duo when only one of them is a joke.

[Serafine666]

Its a bit hard to have a comedy duo when only one of them is a joke.

Yeah, I suppose Costello isn't as much of a joke as he once was. I thought it was a treat to find out that they gave him a post at the Australian Government Future Fund, though... I gather from a buddy of mine in Australia that him being part of putting the GST tax in place wasn't particularly popular.

[tim31]

The GST wasn't popular largely because it was a Big Change. Years have passed and everyone got over it. It's not a new tax; it's a new tax system.

[Stark]

It was a giant lol to watch everyone talk about how they had a 'mandate' to do it after they said they wouldn't, though. Every time Howard did a Big Lie it was fantastic; it doesn't mean he was always wrong.

The current situation really seems to be some kind of uber-Howard reaction though; Liberals looking back at the 'Howard years' as awesome and figuring being MORE racist, conservative, bigoted etc wuold clearly be even more successful, because they don't realise Howard worked because he was a cunt but canny and faced no decent opposition.

[weemadando]

Hockey seems to be playing a long game. Between his speeches about moving away from religion in political decision making and his ability to make people not say WorkChoices when discussing him during this spill...

I still think that he's being groomed for the job and Abbott is the sacrificial lamb who was probably elected by a segment of the party who want Hockey in the long run and know that having radicalisation fail will be the best move for them in the long run.

Especially if they want to go against the Rudd Labor gov't on social issues down the track.

[The Big I]

Looks like the libs have reached the bottom of the barrel faster than labor has

[bobalot]

I have been away working for a few days and I got back yesterday and found out that Tony "the Mad Monk" Abbott is opposition leader...seriously, what the fuck?

I would rather vote for a pile of shit than a religious nut job like Tony Abbott.

[mr friendly guy]

I love on the ABC boards how some people are saying Tony Abbott isn't trying to bring his religion into politics. Have they forgotten the furore over abortion and RU486? People do have short memories.

I get the feeling on this board people might be willing to consider Turnbull for PM or maybe Hockey but not the mad monk? What other choices are there in the Libs. Screw Bishop who is another mean spirited WA MP refusing to endorse apologising to the stolen generation, not that she is planning to challenge for leadership anyway.

After some thought, it made me realise there was only one liberal I really liked and would vote for him. Too bad he has retired and now spends his time as president of the Hawthorn football club.

[Lusankya]

I love on the ABC boards how some people are saying Tony Abbott isn't trying to bring his religion into politics. Have they forgotten the furore over abortion and RU486? People do have short memories.

Shorter than that. It was only five months ago that Tony Abbott was trying to get rid of no-fault divorce, because divorce isn't Catholic.

[mr friendly guy]

But remember, we got to give Abbott a chance, after all he asked for all his sins to be forgiven and all that. Ok, fair enough, so maybe he might mature and become a bit more moderate and you know, he might not try and force his religious views on us again.

100 to 1 odds that within a year Abbott will NOT get back to his old tricks again.

[Stofsk]

I would have voted for Turnbull as the next PM of Australia. Now, I'd likely donkey vote.

[loomer]

As usual, I'll be throwing my votes away with the Democrats, Communists, and Shooters. I can't stand Labour these days, sure as hell won't be voting national or liberal (especially not with fucking Abbot in charge), Family First can suck my dick, and the Greens would need to go massively pro-nuclear for me to even consider them.

Seriously, who the hell could have possibly thought this wasn't political suicide for the entire party?

[Archaic`]

As usual, I'll be throwing my votes away with the Democrats, Communists, and Shooters. I can't stand Labour these days, sure as hell won't be voting national or liberal (especially not with fucking Abbot in charge), Family First can suck my dick, and the Greens would need to go massively pro-nuclear for me to even consider them.

Given the Democrats are now apparently de-registered as a party, I don't suppose I could convince you to vote 1 Pirate Party?

Seriously, who the hell could have possibly thought this wasn't political suicide for the entire party?

The right wing of the party who don't understand that their very vocal base of elderly religious people are effectively a minority in the electorate at large. While pandering to them might mean they win their next pre-selection ballot, it means squat all for winning an election.

[hongi]

Given the Democrats are now apparently de-registered as a party

Wha? When did this happen?

[loomer]

As usual, I'll be throwing my votes away with the Democrats, Communists, and Shooters. I can't stand Labour these days, sure as hell won't be voting national or liberal (especially not with fucking Abbot in charge), Family First can suck my dick, and the Greens would need to go massively pro-nuclear for me to even consider them.

Given the Democrats are now apparently de-registered as a party, I don't suppose I could convince you to vote 1 Pirate Party?

Not if you do it like that. I do, however, accept bribes! My going rate is free membership in the party for proper corruption allegations, or a bucket of gummy bears.

Did they actually disband, though, or just lose all their seats? I thought they were still going. If not, well, damn. There goes an institution.

[mr friendly guy]

News of the democrats alleged demise also surprised me since I haven't heard anything about it. Their website still seems to be updated regularly (look at the date)
http://www.democrats.org.au/ while according to wiki they just lost all their seats in both federal and state levels. So they are hurting at the moment. I wouldn't pay them too much mind though. For a party that prides itself on keeping the bastards honest, they became the bastards with the level of infighting.

They were an institution, once strong, able to boast the first Aboriginal MP Aidan Ridgeway. Where is he now. Lost credibility for being one of "the gang of four" along with 3 other turncoats within their own rank and file. I don't believe he can even fall back on being representative of Aboriginal interests, after he backed John Howards refusal to apologise when it was politically expedient, which is now irrelevant thanks to Rudd's apology.

What about the others? Natasha Stott who... who is she again? It seemed her claim to fame was because she looked "hot", for a politician anyway, and I had a friend who irked because he wanted to vote for her purely because of her appearance.

Cheryl Kernot? Jumped ship to Labor and bitched about it when she couldn't hold her seat. Meg Lees? The traitorous senator Brian whats his name and the other Brian who campaigned for gay rights? These guys no longer feature in the news anymore. At least Costello gets a cushy government job when he retired.

Australian democrats. Don't miss them. The Green's have filled the power vacuum left by their near demise, more powerful than the democrats ever were, and I know where to send my protest votes should I ever choose to do so.

[Archaic`]

Just did some quick fact checking. Turns out I was wrong. Democrats have only been de-registered in ACT, thusfar. They have been threatened with being de-registered elsewhere though, which seems to be the issue over their final senator quitting in SA earlier this year. While they still had a representative in parliament, they couldn't be de-registered. With him gone now, it's down to member numbers, and they look to not have enough to maintain registration.

Back on the topic of Abbot....did I hear incorrectly, or did he just suggest Nuclear power as a possible long term solution for climate change? Nice to have someone finally bring it up, but why did it have to be him?

[bobalot]

TONY ABBOTT COMMITS LIBERAL PARTY TO ELECTORAL SUICIDE

Bring back work contracts
Tony Abbott outlines his political positions with Neil Mitchell of 3AW radio.

TONY ABBOTT has defiantly flagged the reintroduction of individual workplace agreements and given notice the Coalition will oppose the Rudd Government's next big reform - the federal takeover of public hospitals.

Mr Abbott also said Federal Parliament should have the same power to override state parliaments as it has to override the territories, and the states should be able to raise taxes to cover spending requirements.

In an exclusive interview with the Herald, Mr Abbott indicated he would not be cowed by Government attempts to link him with a return to Work Choices.
‘‘Our policy will be to have freer, more flexible and fair labour markets without going near that dreaded policy that must not speak its name.’’ ... Tony Abbott yesterday.

‘‘Our policy will be to have freer, more flexible and fair labour markets without going near that dreaded policy that must not speak its name.’’ ... Tony Abbott yesterday. Photo: Jacky Ghossein

The Rudd Government banned individual Australian Workplace Agreements when it abolished Work Choices but made interim arrangements that allowed existing agreements to continue for up to five years. Mr Abbott said these agreements should be made permanent.

''If it's good enough for the Labor Government on an interim basis, I don't see why they can't continue,'' he said.

''Whatever they are called, if it's good enough for the Labor Government to have an individual, non-union statutory contract, I don't see why it can't continue.''

Labor was wrong to ''re-regulate the labor market'' but he rejected he would re-embrace Work Choices.

''Our policy will be to have freer, more flexible and fair labour markets without going anywhere near that dreaded policy that must not speak its name.''

As Mr Abbott spoke to the Herald, the Senate defeated the emissions trading scheme, handing the Government a double dissolution election trigger.

Next week, Kevin Rudd will put to the premiers his draft proposals for greater federal control of the public hospital system, including a financial takeover. If the states do not accept his plan by March, he will seek an election mandate.

But Mr Abbott, who supported a federal takeover of hospitals when he was health minister, said the policy would be ''another fudge'' and it was highly unlikely the Opposition would support it.

''The Rudd Government will never do it,'' he said.

''There are too many state Labor governments, there are too many public sector unions that rely on the current arrangement, too many local politicians are dependent on those unions.

''I think it is hugely improbable he is going to come up with a policy we are going to support.''

Mr Abbott defended his combative style. ''Our job is not to make the Government's life easy, our job is to make the Government's life hard,'' he said.

He said the policy about-face that killed the emissions trading scheme was necessary to rally the party's base. ''What we were previously asked to do was to go against every instinct of politics and that was agree with your opponents on a really contentious piece of legislation where your heartland supporters were extremely anxious or angry. That's always a problem.''

He was disappointed the Liberal senators Sue Boyce and Judith Troeth defied his leadership and crossed the floor but was prepared to forgive.

''I'm a little disappointed that we didn't stick to the last man and the last woman, but nevertheless I understand how they felt and I respect their position.''

Mr Abbott promised that now he was leader, he would respect the party's processes and not unilaterally set policy.

He said the many policy ideas proposed in his book Battlelines, published this year, were OK to advance as a frontbencher but not as leader.

However, Mr Abbott maintained the system of federation was dysfunctional and he was keen to explore two ideas in his book. One was to give Federal Parliament the power to override the states like it can the territories and another was ''giving the states taxing powers commensurate with their spending responsibilities''.

This arsehole has no shame. He took over one state hospital that was due for closure (that simply wasn't viable) for cheap political gain before the last election. Labor moves to take over the whole system to get rid of crippling federal-state inefficiencies and this shithead is automatically opposed to it (And despite his waffling, that is the only major reason). He has problems with state governments because they didn't vote for his party.

The last line I highlighted is hilarious. States raise 16% of all taxes but does 40% of all spending. The Federal Government raises 82% of all taxes but spends 54%, with local government getting the last 2% of taxes while accounting for the last 6% of spending (which is why Councils are so eager to raise rates). The States rely on transfers from the federal government. Under the current system of transfers, NSW and Victoria get shafted by the smaller states.Source

There are two ways to reform this. Give the states more money in line with their spending responsibilities or take over some of their responsibilities (like the health care systems). The other major reform that is needed is to base GST revenue transfers (from the Feds to the States) on a mainly per capita basis rather than the retarded formula they have now.

Tony and his mates had a decade to do this, but did nothing. They were happy to starve the states of revenue because they could use their HUGE tax revenue to produce yearly budget surpluses rather than what was intended (to distribute it fairly to the states).

Seriously, fuck Tony Abbott.

[Stark]

Hey, are you saying having a budget surplus isn't a sign of 'profitable country' but actually a sign of over-balling or mismanagement? Next you'll say Howard played the system for easy media points!

The whole state-federal thing is dumb, but to be honest the state health systems are already giant messes. I don't know the details, but I hope the feds will sack people if they have to... but that wouldn't be Labor enough I imagine.

[mr friendly guy]

Back on the topic of Abbot....did I hear incorrectly, or did he just suggest Nuclear power as a possible long term solution for climate change? Nice to have someone finally bring it up, but why did it have to be him?

While I am a proponent of nuclear for various reasons, I thought Abbott was a climate change denier? Or is he just trying to appeal to several sides at once?

In any event, my understanding is nuclear is still expensive vs coal, thus until nuclear can be made cheaper, the other option is to make coal more expensive through a tax on pollution. Too bad Abbott scuttled that idea.

[Chris OFarrell]

You know, its almost hilarious reading the Daily Telegraph over the last few days. I mostly read it for entertainment value, but its just gone nutty now, with the Right Wing commentators through it jumping up and down for joy and proudly saying that Rudd is going to die hardcore to the glorious Abbot who shall lead the Liberal Party to victory over the evil taxing Labor Party. And that this really isn't the Christmas present Rudd wants at all...

Seriously, Rudd and his team are probably still popping the Champagne corks at the moment at how the Liberals are serving up the next election for them on a silver platter.