Comments on: Mayne: In defence of Peter Costello

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I think ALP are being hypocritical re: Costello’s “retirement”. Let’s look at all the ALP premiers who stuffed up their states and resigned with only a week’s notice.

By: afferbeck

afferbeck — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Hmmm, spend time with the family and pursue a commercial career! If he really wanted it, take the massive pension and really have a family life. He could even volunteer his time to NGOs or academia. But I’m sure Liberal self-interest is bound to win again

By: Grant Butler

Grant Butler — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Costello may have done better than Howard last Sarturday but he would not have won or gone close. He was unelectable as PM. Too arrogant, he had almost all the qualities that the public rejected Keating for. But less intelligence.

By: Grant

Grant — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Whatever ends Costello was serving clearly Labor is the big loser here. A lamer duck there never would have been. Rudd’s second term was a gimme, perhaps even a third. Now he will be examined, both by events and by an overdue centralist Liberal shift.

By: Puzzled Queenslander

Puzzled Queenslander — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

What about his constituents, who were told they were voting for the next leader of the Liberals? “Stuff them”? That sums up the Liberal’s attitude.

By: Tony Papafilis

Tony Papafilis — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

You could not be more wrong about Costello. He hid from Iraq, he hid from refugee issues, he was barely sighted on terrorism & like Labor Treasurers since late 90s, he simply collected taxes from a booming economy and dished it around. Manchurian Lib.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

PETER, PETER PUMPKIN EATER
HAD THE VOTE BUT NOT THE METRE.
A SHOW PONY THROUGH, THROUGH AND THROUGH
HE LACKED THE GUTS TO TOPPLE YOU KNOW WHO.
POOR PETER, PETER PUMPKIN EATER.

By: Ted Riesz

Ted Riesz — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

As a shareholder in BHP I would say that Costello would NOT be welcomed as a Board member. Apart from being a right wing ideologue I suggest his real skills are in advocating a position put together by others. Better to go back to the Law.

By: Jillian Blackall

Jillian Blackall — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

“What about his constituents, who were told they were voting for the next leader of the Liberals?” That was on the basis of the Coalition being re-elected with Howard still PM - it wasn’t a scenario for Opposition.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Interesting perspective, but Costello would have been an abysmal prime minister.

By: John Ryan

John Ryan — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Some people have an oddly inflated idea of what being a politician is like. There are aspects of the life which are sheer hell and sacrifice. Giving up family and recreation to be treated like crap by half the population. I wish Peter Costello well.

By: Paul Arnott

Paul Arnott — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Stephen Mayne has hit the nail on the head. Peter Costello has done the right thing by the party and his family. Besides if the Liberal Party wasn’t prepared to have him lead it in government why should it expect him to pick up the pieces in opposition?

By: Glenn Brandham

Glenn Brandham — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Don’t dare defend Costello. He and Howard talk all that fine rhetoric about “staying the course” in Iraq, spouting rubbish about “not pulling out” and “defending freedom”. Yet, when the going gets tough, the Libs leaders get going…right out of sight.