Comments on: Maybe this will be the book that gives Costello a spine

By: Dr Harvey M Tarvydas

Dr Harvey M Tarvydas — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

John James raises 2 valid achievements in his list but it is never right to commercially justify unfair dismissal or unfair anything else. The Aus – US free trade thing is a one sided joke that it is really a free feeding of Piggy US for 18 years (the many industrial interests I have are all affected adversely by it) and it’s the suckhole’s fault (JH) no decadent Australian would have betrayed us that way.

By: John James

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

Costello was an outstanding Treasurer and a stark contrast to the incumbent who can barely count. It is going to be interesting watching this first Labour budget. I hope for Australia’s sake that Swan has got his head around his portfolio over the past few weeks.
It’s good to reflect on the record of the present government when in opposition and realise that every major economic reform introduced by Howard and Costello was opposed by Swan: Reserve bank independence, broadening the indirect tax base, budget surpluses and bilateral free trade agreements.
Labour has taken Australia backwards with its determination to centralsie our Industrial relations system and its reintroduction of Unfair dismissal legislation at a time when productivity increases are essential.
Meanwhile the Trade Union movement slides in its membership. So we see restored to a central role an organisation which most Australians eschew.

By: Lucy

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

I for one can’t wait to read all about Costello’s secretly bleeding, secretly breaking heart circa the Howard years. Really what is it about Johnny that scared the bejeezus out of them all so much? It’s like the Libs from Costello down were suffering from Stockholm syndrome or somesuch. And where is Tony P to complain about Bernard’s latent Communism?

By: JamesK

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

I dunno JJ. I thought that if only he could rule Labor that we’d be alright, however, he’s makin’ me nervous. Are you sure he’s not latent….?

By: JamesK

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

“Exposed form” - means what?

By: colin skene

colin skene — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Yes, it is amazing John James isn’t it, how, given all those fabulous qualities of the Howrad govt that you offer here for our consideration, they were given a mother of a hiding at the poll that mattered most. Costello needs to take his share of responsibility for that defeat and in allowing the deceitful meglomaniac that was John Howard to rule the party with unfettered disdain for the community they were meant to govern. Get used to being a supporter of the Opposition, sunshine.

By: Chokyi Nyingpo

Chokyi Nyingpo — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

“But maybe he himself doesn’t understand it [commit, sit back, wait].”

… is to me the most salient point of this sorry affair.

I really doubt if at all he understands the why’s or wherefor’s, or even if his Liberal colleagues have been privy to any of them. If he does then surely we will at last have a bit of insight into the man. However, i doubt it.

How long was he in Parliament? How long he was in government? What do we [and he] know of the man if these questions still remain unanswered. During all this time he’s squandered enormous opportunities for both country and self.

i doubt we’ll ever see or hear any true motivations in this book or any other nor from any of his colleagues; if they don’t know him, how can we?

What an enigma and after all this time.

By: John James # 3

John James # 3 — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I love this rewriting of history by the Left. Costello never moved against Howard because he didn’t have majority support in his own party, never mind the Nats, because Howard had cleaned up 4 labour leaders in 4 elections. One was so bad he never got to an election. Now, he’s the Minister for Trade ( God save us!)
In desperation , Labour picked a Howard clone who said, ” Hi I’m Kevin, I’m here to help, I’m an economic conservative, and anything he( JH) says, well, me too!”
I know you Lefties dream of a Republic with a Lesbian for President, a sanctuary for whales, writing by candlelight, shutting down the Coal industry and killing unborn children ‘cause its your ‘choice’ but I dont think its going to happen anytime soon, despite Bernards ‘latent’ efforts, while Kev’s in the chair. He’s not that sort of guy, latent or otherwise.

By: Bernard Keane

Bernard Keane — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I don’t believe he thinks there’s anything latent about it.

By: Dr Harvey M Tarvydas

Dr Harvey M Tarvydas — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It sounds like you’re trying to describe someone who is mentally ill. In a former comment I mentioned people I know who know Costello and describe his intellect as high quality but I fear whatever it was its decline is symptomatic of severe chronic traumatic stress syndrome caused by work place abuse (bullying) by his former boss. He’s not the only one that was affected. The decades worth of psychologically significant incessant chants (rants) inflicted on us all by the former government, ‘best PM’, ‘best Treasurer ever’, ‘Peter Costello is a very – the most – intelligent person points to or signals this malady & he may actually be quite dumb now which would explain your comprehension difficulties and frustrations at trying to understand him.
Kindergarten psychology says a person as Costello will remain undiagnosed for many reasons especially by the blinding bright light reflected from the bullsh-t of being touted as he WAS.

By: Rhetorical Rambler

Rhetorical Rambler — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

At least he had the nous to retain his seat, unlike the greatest greatest PM of all time according to some.

By: Connor Moran

Connor Moran — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

JJ#3, I dislike your generalizations of Kruddy. Is Kevin Rudd John Howard in disguise? The clear answer is NO and the electorate thought so too. Kyoto? Workchoices? Sorry? Middle-class welfare? Iraq? The Kruddy answers are opposite to the Howard answers so far. As the Americans are finding after 8 long years of a half-wit President, there’s nearly nothing they won’t do to get rid of him. As was the case for Australia’s worst ever Prime Minister; John Howard. BTW, Lucy has the best comment so far.

By: JamesK

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

Just had to commed Lucy on her comment…particularly the the Stockholm syndrome..hehe

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I’d like to know how he sees the Nationals/agrarian socialists/land abusers especially in terms of dogmatic support for Howard’s leadership against his own. The Nats and similar rural Libs could always rely on Howard to dress up so many grants and regional boon doggles as pragmatic price of power. But not on Costello. And especially given they pretty much lost the election for pandering to the Nats (and their major donors to Nats in the mining industry) on the realistic fear of dangerous climate change and Australia being marginalised from most all other western economies. How does he feel about increasing ecological pressures on a world approaching 9 billion people, affect on Lib and Labor Party? Does he feel the generational rejection of dinosaur attitudes to sustainability on either major party?

By: Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

How on earth could Costello resurrect a political career when he didn’t have one in the first place? He’s like all the Liberals that Howard coralled in his very own Party/government Workchoices model. All rights to the boss and none to the workers. As a worker, Costello clung onto the Howard wheel of fortune and his spin got stuck on ‘Treasurer’. No matter how he’d like to remember those years of use and abuse, he was done over and re-writing the history book in a fanciful memoir, is only another attempt by PC to exit with his dignity intact.

By: John James # 2

John James # 2 — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Col, mate, I’m happy to be in the back seat of the car! We’re all Australians. All I ask is that you give me and the rest of Australia some advanced warning before you and your Labour mates take it over the cliff!

By: Venise Alstergren

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

I thought that was the whole point about Peter Costello. He doesn’t have any guts, credibility or honesty.

By: Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

By: Gary Carroll

Gary Carroll — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Exposed form would suggest we will get a whinning, whimpy story from Costello. His version of how he was so badly mistreated and how we are the poorer for his political passing.