Australia’s refugee problem has attracted global attention. This from the New York Times.
O’Farrell: passive aggressive doesn’t work in politics
|
Most people, including many Liberals, think that Barry O’Farrell’s NSW Opposition should be at least twenty points ahead in the polls. The NSW ALP has never been in a worse position. Tuesday’s mini-budget got a terrible public reaction. Rightly so. It is a mish-mash of abandoned promises, directionless initiatives, clumsy revenue measures, and all in the pursuit of a misconceived economic and budgetary strategy. Most NSW voters are either extremely angry, or beyond anger and just want the ALP to go away. The sole ALP defence is that O’Farrell wouldn’t be any better. O’Farrell is adding weight to this argument. The rationale behind O’Farrell’s strategy seems to be that all he has to do is keep his head down and the premiership will default to him in March 2011. This strategic passivity leaves him exposed to the vicissitudes of events. Victory may look inevitable but who knows what might happen. If the ALP can get a bit of a lift off the back of a better economy, or something else, then they could just get close enough to exploit the perceptions that O’Farrell is a weak leader with nothing to offer. There are also national political considerations. The Liberals could benefit big-time federally in 2010 (even, conceivably, win) off the back of a full collapse in the ALP vote in NSW. But that requires a NSW Opposition that is humiliating the Rees Government on a daily basis while also offering a credible alternative. Even if Rudd doesn’t end up getting defeated, a resounding conservative victory in NSW in 2011 would be a great boost for other state conservative oppositions. What’s more, the opportunity to get a decisive, demoralising victory over your opponents in politics only comes along every few decades and the conservatives would be mad not to go for a huge victory in 2011. This is particularly true in NSW which has been historically a Labor state. A smashing win for the conservatives in 2011 could be a real watershed. What the NSW Opposition needs now is the sort of aggressive approach adopted by the Australian cricket team in recent decades. That is, when you have the advantage you maximise the pressure on your opponents, you don’t sit back and wait. Who could replace O’Farrell? Michael Baird is probably the only option from within the Parliament, he is considered to have the intellectual grunt and drive to get the job done. John Brogden has moved on and why would he bother after what the Liberals did to him last time. There has always been chatter about recruiting Joe Hockey, but he never gives the impression of being an effective ‘apply the pressure’ kind of guy. And, there is Jeff Kennett; former Victorian premier, national figure with a proven reform record, media favourite and a real go for it kind of guy. But the Kennett option still seems fanciful. While the options are limited, the pressure will build on O’Farrell unless he can convince people that he can take full advantage of the ALP’s darkest days. |
|
|
6 Comments
in their haste to get rid of the state govt. in n.s.w. , the voters should remember nick greiner and jeff kennett, if o`farrell gets in, he`ll sell the railways, ferry`s, energy, and water to his business mates, in fact, every thing not nailed down, you can include roads and tollways as well, while using the blame game, you know, the a.l.p black hole, while critical of everything the govt. does, o`farrell is careful not to offer any policies or ideas, the reason the state of n.s.w. is broke is howard has shortchanged this state for years thru the g.s.t.to prop up their re election based surpluses, instead of listening to the fanatical ravings of the murdoch media, and the arse lickers that work for them they should open their eyes and work things out for themselves, ha, faint chance of that, the dumb bastards.
The Libs need to look like the Government in waiting - roll out some vision, some policies, some narrative and let it go from there. They should start talking about how they’re going to prioritise the various messes which need fixing up in NSW. They don’t need to play political games such as they did with electricity - NSW punters are perfectly aware of how abysmal their goverment is. Those same punters got the results right in 1999, 2003 and 2007 because they were equally aware that no matter how bad Labor got, the Libs were worse at the time of each of those elections. That’s what Fatty O’Barrel needs to change.
While I know it will never happen.
As a Victorian who grew up in Melbourne and watched Kennett trash the place,
I confess there’s a dark and evil place inside me……………
………..Jeff Kennett being let loose on Sydney………..Priceless!
I’ve been saying it for years but will anyone listen ?. He may be a nice man but what in the hell does Barry O’Farrell stand for ?. No , I don’t know either. Just like Malcolm Turnbull , O’Farrell hasn’t yet put forward an actual policy except that “we aren’t them so vote for us”. Methinks there wil never be a NSW premier called O’Farrell.
That Mike Baird is being mentioned as the best the Libs have shows the total paucity of talent on the opposition benches - he has achieved nothing for his electorate - I also understand that the right are considering challenging him for preselection - they are still smarting from the action against Michael Darby and want a scalp
Nicely written … and wrong. Liked the bit about Barry ‘adding weight’. You are a card.
Wrong because when things are going bad any Opposition would be mad to meddle with the message. Or over egg the pudding. There is no doubt the two front pagers ‘tantrum’ by the big press - over one logical consequence of blocking a fire sale of public energy namely the ‘mini’ budget - will hurt the ALP.
I too wish the mini budget had more like split the native forest from plantations for $1B - as per the recommendation of the cross party Public Account Committee under Griener in 1990 or so. You see the woochippers use the subsidies of free land to grow the plantation sector on our native forest. Not obviously, it’s more creeping conquest, high rotation logging destroying conservation values. Better to cut the cord.
But Mr Cook here forgets that even Imre Salusinszki had to admit that Barry/ex leader Debnam played a blinder after taking all that flak declining a fire sale of public energy. A blinder because of the self inflicted implosion of the ALP Right under Iemma (proxy for the 4 amigos Carr, Keating, Brereton, …. and dare I say Richo).
Wrong too because there is 2 YEARS still to go. All this tub thumping about 20 points in the polls is as superficial as the bubbly and rubber chicken served at Tropfest. Here one day, cardboard cups and plates the next morning. Actually I’ve never been but you can imagine.