Comments on: Crichton-Browne: Buswell’s departure a tragedy. Sniff. http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:48:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dave Liberts http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16483 Dave Liberts Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16483 One of the best evenings of my life was spent chewing the fat with the late Don Dunstan, former SA Labor Premier from the 1970's, at his Norwood restaurant. This was during the late 90's, when Labor was in opposition at both SA state and federal level. Don bemoaned the SA ALP of the time as being the plaything of factional bosses intent purely on dividing up the spoils of defeat. The SA branch has done well to rethink itself into a much more successful organisation. Meanwhile, Don's description would appear to perfectly fit the WA Libs. When leadership votes are cast on the basis of promises of promotions or ongoing security of preselection and not cast on the basis of electability and political talent, parties are buggered. One of the best evenings of my life was spent chewing the fat with the late Don Dunstan, former SA Labor Premier from the 1970’s, at his Norwood restaurant. This was during the late 90’s, when Labor was in opposition at both SA state and federal level. Don bemoaned the SA ALP of the time as being the plaything of factional bosses intent purely on dividing up the spoils of defeat. The SA branch has done well to rethink itself into a much more successful organisation. Meanwhile, Don’s description would appear to perfectly fit the WA Libs. When leadership votes are cast on the basis of promises of promotions or ongoing security of preselection and not cast on the basis of electability and political talent, parties are buggered.

]]> By: Susie http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16484 Susie Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16484 Please! High intellect - his behaviour was beyond stupid and immensely offensive. And to write it off as 'school boy misbehaviour' is ridiculous. Please! High intellect - his behaviour was beyond stupid and immensely offensive. And to write it off as ‘school boy misbehaviour’ is ridiculous.

]]> By: Peter Walters http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16485 Peter Walters Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16485 High intellect?! What must the stupid ones get up to? High intellect?! What must the stupid ones get up to?

]]> By: Chris Johnson http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16486 Chris Johnson Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16486 How's Noel Crichton-Brown's form? A social leper emerges to bemoan the loss of another political moron! The only tragic element to Buswell's decision to step down as Party leader is that he didn't go far enough. The bra-snapping, seat-sniffing MP should have removed himself from the Parliament to reflect with his buddy Crichton-Browne, their joint denegration of public office as serving MPs. NC-B's shameful past (leaving aside his affiliation with Brian Burke) is linked to domestic violence and Party expulsion for threatening a female journalist with "I'll screw your tits off' . Atleast in his ripe old age Noel recognises he and Troy have a shared sickness - adult males with a proclivity for "school-boy behaviour". Surely the WA Liberals can pass around the hat and get them both good medical help? How’s Noel Crichton-Brown’s form? A social leper emerges to bemoan the loss of another political moron! The only tragic element to Buswell’s decision to step down as Party leader is that he didn’t go far enough. The bra-snapping, seat-sniffing MP should have removed himself from the Parliament to reflect with his buddy Crichton-Browne, their joint denegration of public office as serving MPs. NC-B’s shameful past (leaving aside his affiliation with Brian Burke) is linked to domestic violence and Party expulsion for threatening a female journalist with “I’ll screw your tits off’ . Atleast in his ripe old age Noel recognises he and Troy have a shared sickness - adult males with a proclivity for “school-boy behaviour”. Surely the WA Liberals can pass around the hat and get them both good medical help?

]]> By: Tony Papafilis http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16487 Tony Papafilis Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16487 Welcome back, Colin. At least the Labor Party won't enjoy a free ride through the election. And bagging Colin over the canal is so worn out that it has no further currency. Labor Party faces a real battle for government now. Colin can offer a government free of coruption and cover-ups and a Liberal government capable of maging the public sector for public benefit rather than benefit of select mates' vested interests. Welcome back, Colin. At least the Labor Party won’t enjoy a free ride through the election. And bagging Colin over the canal is so worn out that it has no further currency. Labor Party faces a real battle for government now. Colin can offer a government free of coruption and cover-ups and a Liberal government capable of maging the public sector for public benefit rather than benefit of select mates’ vested interests.

]]> By: John Bryan http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16488 John Bryan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16488 Well written article Noel. Why am I surprised? Well written article Noel. Why am I surprised?

]]> By: skink http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16489 skink Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16489 see if you can guess which of the above former leaders was in the pocket of Crichton-Browne<br /><br />and please don't forget that Crichton-Browne was himself expelled from the Party as the result of "adolescent and stupid misbehaviour" of his own see if you can guess which of the above former leaders was in the pocket of Crichton-Browne

and please don’t forget that Crichton-Browne was himself expelled from the Party as the result of “adolescent and stupid misbehaviour” of his own

]]> By: Peter http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16490 Peter Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16490 Politics is indeed a strange business in WA. Noel Crichton-Browne writing a character reference for Troy Buswell? It reminds me of the days of Bjelke Petersen here in Qld where Kafkaesque absurdity reigned supreme. I guess that's life in a frontier state. The Liberal Party is just a laughing stock all over the Country. Politics is indeed a strange business in WA. Noel Crichton-Browne writing a character reference for Troy Buswell? It reminds me of the days of Bjelke Petersen here in Qld where Kafkaesque absurdity reigned supreme. I guess that’s life in a frontier state. The Liberal Party is just a laughing stock all over the Country.

]]> By: Digby http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16491 Digby Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16491 somebody must have pulled the seat from him somebody must have pulled the seat from him

]]> By: Bart http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16492 Bart Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16492 I'm agreeing with the definitions of intelligence. Smart people in public positions of power know they are always under scrutiny. I’m agreeing with the definitions of intelligence. Smart people in public positions of power know they are always under scrutiny.

]]> By: Dave Liberts http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16493 Dave Liberts Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16493 It's a rare thing that I agree with Tony P but he's right about the canal. It was a dumb plan as far as infrastructure investment goes, but it was political gold and it definitely won votes. The WA Libs were the only state Lib party to fight off a landslide loss at the hands of a first-term ALP state government anywhere in the country. They did this because while the canal was insane, it was all about state-building and looking for solutions to mounting problems. Other state Lib parties have only managed to look pretty irrelevant against first-term ALP governments - a bit of bitching about how they'd be better, a bit of ramping up law and order, but nothing as ambitious as that canal was. It’s a rare thing that I agree with Tony P but he’s right about the canal. It was a dumb plan as far as infrastructure investment goes, but it was political gold and it definitely won votes. The WA Libs were the only state Lib party to fight off a landslide loss at the hands of a first-term ALP state government anywhere in the country. They did this because while the canal was insane, it was all about state-building and looking for solutions to mounting problems. Other state Lib parties have only managed to look pretty irrelevant against first-term ALP governments - a bit of bitching about how they’d be better, a bit of ramping up law and order, but nothing as ambitious as that canal was.

]]> By: Mia http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16494 Mia Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16494 School boy misbehaviour? Is Noel Crichton-Browne serious when he writes that dribble? We need better leaders and role models in this country than those who snap bras of a colleague at work and sniff their chairs. School boy misbehaviour? Is Noel Crichton-Browne serious when he writes that dribble? We need better leaders and role models in this country than those who snap bras of a colleague at work and sniff their chairs.

]]> By: John Bryan http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16495 John Bryan Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16495 Well written article Noel. Why am I surprised? Well written article Noel. Why am I surprised?

]]> By: BBK http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16496 BBK Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16496 Troy was on the nose, Noel. No good getting snappy about it. Troy was on the nose, Noel. No good getting snappy about it.

]]> By: David Sanderson http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16497 David Sanderson Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16497 The talent shortage in the Liberal Party must be more severe than I suspected if Troy Buswell counts among their intellectual elite. The talent shortage in the Liberal Party must be more severe than I suspected if Troy Buswell counts among their intellectual elite.

]]> By: Mal of Perth http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16498 Mal of Perth Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16498 Barnet has one big problem..He said he was leaving goverment and the preselected candidate has said she won't step aside..And niether should she ..She was approached by the Lib's to run , gave up a high paid job and has been door knocking around Cotesloe for last 4 months ..<br />If she decieded to stay , Barnet will have a hell of a job to be leader without a seat...lol Barnet has one big problem..He said he was leaving goverment and the preselected candidate has said she won’t step aside..And niether should she ..She was approached by the Lib’s to run , gave up a high paid job and has been door knocking around Cotesloe for last 4 months ..
If she decieded to stay , Barnet will have a hell of a job to be leader without a seat…lol

]]> By: Brendan Nelson http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16499 Brendan Nelson Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16499 Rest Assured, I shall be writing to each individual, mainly to find out how you get an approval rating of up to 14%. Rest Assured, I shall be writing to each individual, mainly to find out how you get an approval rating of up to 14%.

]]> By: Claret http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16500 Claret Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16500 What a shame that we poor sandgropers have missed out on having a leader of such high intellect. If he was so bloody clever why did he vote for Omodei? The fact is that Buswell, apart from his well publicised sleazyness, was also a very disloyal and stupid shadow deputy leader when he undermined Birney. The fact is that State Governments of all parties are full of laughable no-hopers who couldn't run a chook raffle. The taxpayer should be spared the cost and aggravation by abolishing the lot of them.<br />By the way, after water shortages and two expensive and environmentally costly desalination plants, spending some of WA's riches on bringing water down from the flooded Kimberley doesn't sound that ridiculous to me. What a shame that we poor sandgropers have missed out on having a leader of such high intellect. If he was so bloody clever why did he vote for Omodei? The fact is that Buswell, apart from his well publicised sleazyness, was also a very disloyal and stupid shadow deputy leader when he undermined Birney. The fact is that State Governments of all parties are full of laughable no-hopers who couldn’t run a chook raffle. The taxpayer should be spared the cost and aggravation by abolishing the lot of them.
By the way, after water shortages and two expensive and environmentally costly desalination plants, spending some of WA’s riches on bringing water down from the flooded Kimberley doesn’t sound that ridiculous to me.

]]> By: Brizer http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16501 Brizer Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16501 Strewth, if things couldn't get worse for Buswell he's now got Crichton-Browne, tit-screwer extraordinaire, spruiking for him. What next, a supportive Op-Ed from Brian Burke?<br />The Libs in WA have pretty much given anyone with a drop of talent, no matter how small, a go at the top job and they've come full circle to Barnett, who has the head for policy and maths but the charisma of a corpse (and the warmth to match). If the Libs think this Z-Grade team is good enough to form a coherent 21st century government then God help the Sandgropers. Strewth, if things couldn’t get worse for Buswell he’s now got Crichton-Browne, tit-screwer extraordinaire, spruiking for him. What next, a supportive Op-Ed from Brian Burke?
The Libs in WA have pretty much given anyone with a drop of talent, no matter how small, a go at the top job and they’ve come full circle to Barnett, who has the head for policy and maths but the charisma of a corpse (and the warmth to match). If the Libs think this Z-Grade team is good enough to form a coherent 21st century government then God help the Sandgropers.

]]> By: Phil http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16502 Phil Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16502 It's a shame, all of the headlines that the papers now can't use for the election. "Buswell smells victory in marginal seat" etc. It’s a shame, all of the headlines that the papers now can’t use for the election. “Buswell smells victory in marginal seat” etc.

]]> By: Helen Clark http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/08/05/crichton-browne-buswells-departure-a-tragedy-sniff/#comment-16503 Helen Clark Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-16503 I hope Crikey isn't paying that political pariah for his arrogant rantings. I don't want a schoolboy running the state and if I did I'd look for a smarter one with better social graces and less reptilian friends. NCB's endorsement is lethal at the polls, so keep it up. West Australians don't forget NCB's standard of behaviour so get off your soapbox you tosser. I hope Crikey isn’t paying that political pariah for his arrogant rantings. I don’t want a schoolboy running the state and if I did I’d look for a smarter one with better social graces and less reptilian friends. NCB’s endorsement is lethal at the polls, so keep it up. West Australians don’t forget NCB’s standard of behaviour so get off your soapbox you tosser.

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