Comments on: The Australian Democrats: the last of the honest bastards http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/ now with extra source Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:27:33 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Simon Jenkins http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18100 Simon Jenkins Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18100 I am sure that the current Greens are perfectly capable of reading they are certainly educated enough.<br />Its all very well if you read the legislation but it is what you do with the knowledge.<br />The greens do have experiance with holding the balance of power in the Staes and certainly at Local Council level.<br />Also Bob at least has in the past been part of the balance of power.<br />As I said earlier the Dems problem was that they only concerned themselves with the senate a view that is/was doomed to failure ultimately, and after Powel left them I think they lost focus yes even then. I am sure that the current Greens are perfectly capable of reading they are certainly educated enough.
Its all very well if you read the legislation but it is what you do with the knowledge.
The greens do have experiance with holding the balance of power in the Staes and certainly at Local Council level.
Also Bob at least has in the past been part of the balance of power.
As I said earlier the Dems problem was that they only concerned themselves with the senate a view that is/was doomed to failure ultimately, and after Powel left them I think they lost focus yes even then.

]]> By: Simon Jenkins http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18101 Simon Jenkins Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18101 In the end it was their temdancy to do deals that was their undoing as with workchoices and GST.Also their unwillingness to get their hands dirty with Grass roots politics with their refusal to campaign against GM food, refusing to join the Greens, some farmers and other minor parties as well as some ALP councillors and Unionists.<br />I know I was a convenor of those protests and I heard Despoja's refusal to even attend a rally!<br />The Democrats were always a home for confused middle class vasilators who did not realy want to commit themselves to any firm policy positions. So much for honesty! In the end it was their temdancy to do deals that was their undoing as with workchoices and GST.Also their unwillingness to get their hands dirty with Grass roots politics with their refusal to campaign against GM food, refusing to join the Greens, some farmers and other minor parties as well as some ALP councillors and Unionists.
I know I was a convenor of those protests and I heard Despoja’s refusal to even attend a rally!
The Democrats were always a home for confused middle class vasilators who did not realy want to commit themselves to any firm policy positions. So much for honesty!

]]> By: Connor Moran http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18102 Connor Moran Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18102 I used to vote Democrat. With the Greens performing a balance-of-power role, I prefer my deals done to have a green bent (or a anti-pokies bent now too), so I've been voting Green. Andrew Murray is the only loss here. I used to vote Democrat. With the Greens performing a balance-of-power role, I prefer my deals done to have a green bent (or a anti-pokies bent now too), so I’ve been voting Green. Andrew Murray is the only loss here.

]]> By: Nahum http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18103 Nahum Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18103 MIke, I can understand your point of view. Personally, I think one of the problems with the Dems was that they were too busy doing the work, that they failed to do the politics as well. <br /><br />Bob Brown has spent more time talking to the media than any Leader of the Australian Democrats. And the Democrats have read more legislation than any other party on the cross benches. Which is exactly why they will be difficult to replace.<br /><br />Sure, the Greens are a good party, but this is their first real test. Now they share the balance of power with Stephen Fielding from Family First and Nick Xenephon of No Pokies. What legislation will they read? What amendments will they propose and pass? Will they use their positions to pursue accountability or will they ride the gravy train/publicity machine?<br /><br />Personally, I'd rather have an Andrew Murray or any of his former Democrat colleagues reviewing legislation than any of the members that now sit on the cross benches, but then again, my vote is only as good as the next person's and the Democrats' number was up. MIke, I can understand your point of view. Personally, I think one of the problems with the Dems was that they were too busy doing the work, that they failed to do the politics as well.

Bob Brown has spent more time talking to the media than any Leader of the Australian Democrats. And the Democrats have read more legislation than any other party on the cross benches. Which is exactly why they will be difficult to replace.

Sure, the Greens are a good party, but this is their first real test. Now they share the balance of power with Stephen Fielding from Family First and Nick Xenephon of No Pokies. What legislation will they read? What amendments will they propose and pass? Will they use their positions to pursue accountability or will they ride the gravy train/publicity machine?

Personally, I’d rather have an Andrew Murray or any of his former Democrat colleagues reviewing legislation than any of the members that now sit on the cross benches, but then again, my vote is only as good as the next person’s and the Democrats’ number was up.

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18104 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18104 I think it was the very public infighting that went on in the later stages that decided it for me. I think it was the very public infighting that went on in the later stages that decided it for me.

]]> By: Nahum http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18105 Nahum Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18105 Simon, you are right. The Greens are capable of reading the legislation, as are Xenephon and Fielding. The fact is that they haven't done so in the past. Each of the former Democrats had moved more amendments and sat on more Committees than He Who Speaks to the Media, Bob Brown. And the challenge for the Greens, Xenephon and Fielding starts now. <br /><br />The Greens always talk themselves up, but their rise has hardly been meteoric. Currently they have five Senators, having failed to retain Kerry Nettle from NSW. The only Senator the Greens have re-elected is Bob Brown, and the party remains quite Tasmania centric (2), with representation from WA (2) and SA (1). The next challenge will be retaining their two Senators in 2010. And the work required to retain those seats depends on the work they will do over the next three years. Obviously Nettle's work hadn't cemented a Green vote in the most populous state prior to the last election. And I hope they get off their a**es. Accountability in the Senate depends on it. Simon, you are right. The Greens are capable of reading the legislation, as are Xenephon and Fielding. The fact is that they haven’t done so in the past. Each of the former Democrats had moved more amendments and sat on more Committees than He Who Speaks to the Media, Bob Brown. And the challenge for the Greens, Xenephon and Fielding starts now.

The Greens always talk themselves up, but their rise has hardly been meteoric. Currently they have five Senators, having failed to retain Kerry Nettle from NSW. The only Senator the Greens have re-elected is Bob Brown, and the party remains quite Tasmania centric (2), with representation from WA (2) and SA (1). The next challenge will be retaining their two Senators in 2010. And the work required to retain those seats depends on the work they will do over the next three years. Obviously Nettle’s work hadn’t cemented a Green vote in the most populous state prior to the last election. And I hope they get off their a**es. Accountability in the Senate depends on it.

]]> By: mike smith http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/27/the-australian-democrats-the-last-of-the-honest-bastards/#comment-18106 mike smith Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-18106 I did vote for them a couple of times, but I can only say about their demise now the following: "Good f*****g riddance!" I did vote for them a couple of times, but I can only say about their demise now the following: “Good f*****g riddance!”

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