Costello ends his long tease
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Peter Costello has ended his long tease of the Federal Liberal Party by announcing he will not contest the next election, effectively drawing his 20-year political career to an end. The announcement, made on Costello’s new website, fulfills the commitment he made the day after the November 2007 election that he would not seek the leadership of the Liberal Party and would eventually move to the private sector. Since then, his intentions have been the subject of constant speculation from both elements within the Press Gallery and diehard supporters who wanted Costello to replace first Brendan Nelson, and then Malcolm Turnbull as leader. Costello, despite ghost-writing and launching his memoirs last year, had declined to shed any further light on his career plans. Costello is currently a part-time member of the International Advisory Board of the World Bank. Costello’s announcement will remove the leadership pressure Malcolm Turnbull has been under since it became apparent his elevation to the leadership last year had not yielded any significant rise in the Coalition’s poor standing in the opinion polls and, barring a last-minute Colin Barnett-style drafting, ensures a Rudd-Turnbull election contest next year. Australia will have fully moved on from the Howard years. |
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10 Comments
The Bridesmaid finally let go of the bouquet
All that teasing and disturbance solely in order to revenge himself on the Liberal Party. He makes Howard’s exit look graceful and stylish in comparison. While the style and manner are different (but equally unattractive) his closest counterpart in Australian politics is Mark Latham - both of them tiresome, divisive and unachieving egoists.
Was it the lack of a severe recession and the government’s subsequent bounce in the polls that finally tipped Costello out? The chancer probably didn’t like his chances after that.
Since he’s been leader, Turnbull has never been able to assert his own dominance within his party. This has been because there’s been another potential leader that Turnbull could have been discarded in favour of. This lack of assertion has translated into a very consultative decision-making style and “internally inoffensive” suite of policies. In particular, the CPRS is being neither supported nor opposed, but simply delayed. By delaying, Turnbull could avoid an obvious rift within his own party. Any such rift had the potential to lead to a leadership challenge from Costello.
With Nelson and Costello out of the way, though, there’re no obvious alternatives to Turnbull within the party. Bishop, Hockey, Pyne, Robb, Abbott. Turnbull has nobody to challenge him. Consequently, he can now afford to make divisive decisions sooner rather than later.
I suspect that the libs will still oppose the CPRS this fortnight. However, Costello’s retirement makes liberal opposition in three months time when a catastrophic double dissolution is on the cards a lot less likely. There’s simply nothing for Turnbull to gain from allowing the Government to call an election over that policy (especially given that the Liberals have openly stated they’ll eventually support an ETS). My prediction is that the govt will announce a backdown over some very trivial element of the scheme and the opposition will use that as an excuse to let it pass.
It would be interesting to see if Costello pulls a Colin Barnett and quickly gets thrown the leadership and wins. I doubt it however, the Rudd government is not quiet incompetent enough for it to work successfully.
*smirks*
And who do you suppose made a comment to Bernard Keane on the day that it was announced that the Australian economy was not in as parlous a state as had been thought? Moi. I think I wrote to Bernard..along the lines of “I’d love to be a fly on the wall when Peter Costello gets this news!” This is doubly sweet for me as I happen to live in the electorate of Higgins. Perhaps we might get someone who actually does something for his own electorate. Ah, impossible dream.
Perhaps now Malcolm Turnbull might actually be able to formulate a political philosophy. Another impossible dream?
Too fantastic to be able to live without the thought of that repulsive smirk. Is this the last link to the evil little toad John Winston (bury your head in shame-well he hasn’t got any) Howard.
Huge sighs all round as the MP for Higgins goes wherever he wants to. No great shakes as an author, political journo or even John Howard’s deputy but after two decades he’s best known for his performances as Federal Parliaments longest-serving apprentice in a starring role. Along with all the other Howard limpets his future’s sterile too and his reputation’s covered in mud but when you dream up Workchoices and incarcerate refugees that’s the price you pay. No doubt the Canberra Press Club boys will keep a seat warmed if he bothers to turn up as will Pastor Danny and the Catching Fire tossers. But more certain is the thousands of voices who’ll give thanks for his passing from the exercise yards and cubicles of detention centres across the nation. The Howard era has passed atlast.
Bye bye Sweetie, leave your key by the ‘phone on your way out.
What makes Bernard think we have “fully moved on from the Howard years” just yet? Abbott, Bishop, Hockey, Pyne and co. might be too weak to really challenge Turnbull, but they and others were on board the bus, cheering Howard on through Workchoices, refugee policy, the tax slush fund… the list goes on. I won’t truly think it’s over til that lot is all cleared out.
Good decision Mr Costello. Howard is gone a long time now and though he bent you out of shape psychologically, there is no need for you anymore to moderate or mitigate JH’s quasi fascism and suck up to the old boys of the business world on say climate, the Indigenous, or the Republic. And AWB and the Iraq war folly are yours and you are stuck with being on the wrong side of history regarding WMD, no matter how much the caravan moves on.
Truly Howard was a world class case of short man syndrome ever grasping for power - and he still does but only from the political grave - so you are better off leaving it the Force of Nature. Speaking of which, far better to not give the Nats a wedge over the critical next 2 weeks on the climate bill. To paraphrase Keating sometimes you just have to do the right thing by the country.
Also what does lawyer Lisa Hamilton have to say about your illustrous and yet unfullfilled career? I still suspect as now general counsel for Woodside over there in NW WA, and then first class honours graduate at ANU in common law employer rights in IR (read union busting) late 80ies, then lawyer with Freehills, was the real brains behind your Dollar Sweets legal success back in the day.
I do wonder. And another suggested insight. The most humourous of us - and Costello is very witty - often lack the substance and grit and courage of their convictions to break through. I’ve noticed this personality trait a few times in colleagues. Those with the best gift of the gab are great company, easy to forgive, and give the impression of stunning intelligence, but more often than not fail to deliver on the bread and milk of human sustenance and certainty. Not sure why, perhaps something to do with the motives for the original retreat into comedy to avoid a harsher truth?