Australian Labor Party at it AGAIN!

[Leonis]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/t...777789831.html

Man, how many times will they do this before they realise it's a bad move?

A year out from elections, and they're having another leadership stoush. Regardless of who wins now, they've quite possibly sealed their fate for another term. No wonder Liberal's been in for 10 years or so. Johnny must be considering staying on...

But they (Media) are saying it gives the opportunity to call up Peter Garrett to the front bench, that whoever wins should give him a shadow portfolio. That's gotta be good.

[ 12-03-2006, 01:12 AM: Message edited by: Leonis ]

[Yorick]

Labor's factions suck the life out of it.

Hey I like this quote:

It was Albanese who got into Beazley's ear on Thursday that he must take the initiative on the ballot. More significantly, he had to make it a contest for all frontbench positions, not just Beazley's leadership and that of his deputy, Melbourne's Jenny Macklin, and Labor's Senate leadership team, Chris Evans and Stephen Conroy.

Now they all have to jostle for themselves, not just a vote for the leadership. There are 40 jobs up for grabs, or thereabouts, and that will have everyone scrabbling around this weekend.

Self-interest is a wondrous incentive.

Perhaps there might even be a genuine ballot for the front bench, rather than one organised by the factions then rubber-stamped by caucus. If so, it would be the first in a quarter of a century.

[Timber Loftis]

Labour parties are all doomed to fail. Their platforms suck, and the "labour" base of the party is something that is quickly fleeing all first world nations. First world nations have businessmen, professionals, and immigrants/poor. There is no such thing as a labour class anymore. We ran them all off and shipped their jobs to India.

[Yorick]

All well and good Timber, but the Australian Labor Party has been in government more than any other Australian political party.

Labor stopped being a "Labour" Party decades ago.

Also, Blair's Labour Party in Britain are still in power, and are hardly a force of the socialist left these days.

The Liberal Party in Australia is kicking butt, and I'd put money on them winning the next election - unless Peter Garrett get's named Labor Leader!

[Aelia Jusa]

I think most Australians would see Garrett as leader exactly as it - a stunt - and it wouldn't go down well. I don't agree totally that the Libs are kicking butt at the moment - Labour's polls are pretty good at the moment.

I think I am pleased about this. I really don't feel like Kim could have won against Howard, he is seen as a three times loser and all that, and his performance in preferred prime minister polls is poor compared to Howard. And Rudd is no Latham. Julia Gillard is also a real positive as she is well regarded I think and certainly better than Jenny Macklin, who, despite I'm sure being very competent, was a big nothing as deputy. On the other hand, Rudd is a bit smarmy and I'm not sure how well he will go over with the swing voters who are the important ones. Pleased to see a Brissie boy get the guernsey though!

[ 12-04-2006, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: Aelia Jusa ]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: Labour's polls are pretty good at the moment.

Whouse poulls are pretty gooud at the moument? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ 12-04-2006, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Yorick ]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: I think most Australians would see Garrett as leader exactly as it - a stunt - and it wouldn't go down well.

He's the most talented and credible guy on Labor's team. He's the only reason I would vote Labor to be honest.

[wellard]

Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: I think most Australians would see Garrett as leader exactly as it - a stunt - and it wouldn't go down well. Julia Gillard is also a real positive as she is well regarded I think and certainly better than Jenny Macklin, who, despite I'm sure being very competent, was a big nothing as deputy.

What was crazy was having Peter Garret wallowing in the backbench's. News is breaking that he will be given a front line job hopefully in the environment role. He would be a massive talent in that position with a credibility that is rare in most politicians.

I too thought that Bomber Beazley was past his sell by date, shame really because he was a nice guy. Julia Gillard was always my preferred choice a strong, capable and very intelligent woman without any hint of being a Thatcher. Gillard has always impressed in the way she chewed up and spat out Tony Abbot, I think she single handedly destroyed his chances of ever being PM. Rudd comes across ok (for a Queenslander [img]graemlins/heee.gif[/img] ) but his strong religious convictions do fill me with caution.

[Aelia Jusa]

Originally posted by Yorick: quote: Originally posted by Aelia Jusa: Labour's polls are pretty good at the moment.

Whouse poulls are pretty gooud at the moument? [img]tongue.gif[/img] [/QUOTE]Shaddup [img]tongue.gif[/img] . I think my typing fingers are so used to typing 'our' for endings like that that I can't help it .

I agree that Garrett would be good to have on the front bench. He is passionate and certainly would bring a depth of knowledge to the environment portfolio. But I don't agree that he is the only talented Labor MP - there may be some deadwood but I think people like Gillard, and Wayne Swan, Stephen Smith, and so on are very capable and are able to translate that to the public. I think it's one thing to say 'he's talented' but to say he's the most talented or the only talent is an exaggeration. As well, it might be true that he would be a good leader but in terms of what the voters would think, considering the reaction when he was preselected in the first place, it wouldn't be a net positive as most people would probably see it as a stunt and banking on his image or popularity rather than his experience (which is something that the Libs exploited at the last election - the perceived lack of experience of Latham).

[Yorick]

What Garrett has -

Law degree
Abundant creativity
Charisma
Sucessful business background
Popular non-political appeal
Wide recognition
Lateral thinking
Environmental awareness
Integrity
Good public speaking/media relations


Garrett for P.M.