Australia’s refugee problem has attracted global attention. This from the New York Times.
Exit the Accidental Premier … enter Della?
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The tumbrils are beginning to roll down Macquarie Street to carry Nathan Rees to a premature execution as Premier of NSW. At the other end of the street, a chariot is being polished to transport Health Minister John Della Bosca to the top job. Rees became the accidental premier in September last year when Morris Iemma lost control of his Cabinet, caucus and the NSW branch of the Labor Party over his misconceived plan to privatise the State’s electricity industry. Then a 40-year-old greenhorn with 18 months’ experience in parliament, Rees was plucked from the left-wing faction as a stopgap leader and given the brief to stem the anti-Labor tsunami in NSW. After initially promising to have a “red hot go”, the MP for Toongabbie has not been able to convince his colleagues, the media or the public that he is leadership material at a time of a devastating economic downturn. Enter “Della”, the most senior and seasoned political operator in NSW. To comply with the constitution, he needs to vacate his place in the NSW upper house and move to the lower house, the Legislative Assembly, to become Labor’s fourth premier in four years. Della Bosca is also Minister for the Central Coast, his home and his political fiefdom for the past 25 years. His local Labor MP is the member for Gosford, Marie Andrews, a right-wing loyalist who served as private secretary to three branch secretaries of the Australian Railway Unions (ARU) before entering parliament in 1995. Last week Ms Andrews issued a peculiar press release saying that she had been “given approval by the Parliament to complete her study tour relating to research for the Committee on Children and Young People”. She gave no details of the countries she would visit or how long she would be away, merely saying: “I am pleased to be able to complete this fact-finding tour that involves visits to Commonwealth Parliaments as well as child and youth advocacy and protection organisations.” As there are no less than 53 Commonwealth states with parliaments, this could be an extensive overseas mission. Among Labor backbenchers there is a widespread belief that the hard-working Ms Andrews may be taking this exhaustive trip to make one final contribution to the social landscape of NSW before stepping down. In other words, a back-breaking Last Hurrah. After 14 years in parliament, she has secured the maximum parliamentary pension entitlement for a backbencher – about $80,000-a-year, index-linked for life. If she resigned, Della Bosca could shift seamlessly into the neighbourhood seat of Gosford and be ready to challenge Rees for the premiership. In a head-to-head clash in caucus, how many votes would each candidate receive? If Rees voted for himself, he would receive one vote and all the rest would go to Della Bosca, the party’s NSW general secretary from 1990 to 1999. Since last year’s speeding conviction and the Iguana’s Cafe affair at Gosford, Della Bosca has remade his image and retaken control of his life. He has lost a reported 15 kilos, he wears tailored suits, his hair is groomed and he has started to speak with greater confidence. Gone is the “old” Della, the rumpled, crumpled, waddling figure in tracky daks who appeared as if he had fallen out of a sleeping bag during a Senior Scouts camp. But what about Mrs Della Bosca, aka “Typhoon” Belinda Neal, federal MP for Robertson? Is she his biggest hurdle in reaching for the premiership? Apparently not. Della’s supporters say that she is a reformed person and the counselling recommended by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has worked wonders. Surely NSW cannot possibly end up with a Premier (Della Bosca) whose wife is in the federal parliament (Belinda Neal) and a Deputy Premier (Carmel Tebbutt) whose husband is in the federal Cabinet (Anthony Albanese)? In the State of Despair, anything is possible. |
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17 Comments
Except that Gosford sits on a margin of below 5%. A by-election held now would be highly likely to be won by the Libs.
If Della wants to move to the LA, to be safe, he’s got to be looking at a handful of seats on margins above 20%. Mainly in western Sydney, with a couple around Wollongong.
If geography is a problem, the Hunter-based seats generally had their own problems for the ALP last time (so the 2007 margins perhaps don’t truly reflect the unlikelihood of anyone but the ALP winning them), but they might be a better shot than Gosford.
Della still needs to find a sitting member willing to fall over for him.
I haven’t read it yet Bernard but I’m having the heebies about Belinda Neal being NSW’s First Lady!!!
bad govt. is the bastard child of poor opposition
the NSW libs are that desperate they were talking
about Joe Hockey (go the Bron)
Well nice push, we shall see.
Certainly Marie Andrews profile is underwhelming, by all accounts NOT commensurate with her talents, but that’s the old boys club in the ALP quite possibly.
Certainly DB has a slick voice and talks a good game but then how much exercise and diet can really remake the values of the man, and all for the sake of a highly polluting $5B truck tunnel under the city from the M4 East to Port Botany (Tripodi’s folly).
Because to be sure that’s what all the ALP Right sour grapes and undermining of Rees and Tebbutt (and her politically buddy Roozendaal) is all about.
Exhibit no. 1 in the Della Bosca character profile - smoozing and high school japes in combo with ex MP, ex Treasurer Dr Evil aka Michael Costa. To put it another way, when he had the power and the ascendancy in the Upper House he abused his position. Power it like that, and more so in the wrong hands.
Take more than a diet to change that. I notice on the electronic media Tebbutt is shoring up her status with some big survey about 38M visits to NSW icon national parks. And ditto Tripodi with his multifactorial coal transport deal in the Hunter.
The trouble with the ALP Right, and this includes Rudd at federal level is that they are the Coal Party, expand, expand, expand behind the veil of rhetoric on climate. The electors might as well vote for Barry OFarrell’s mob than choose the facsimile?
Absolute garbage Alex. Firstly, Della won’t move to the lower house. Gosford is a joke because the margin is too low for a by-election and he won’t find anywhere else who will vacate for him.
Despite what people like Mitchell like to believe, Rees has the numbers in the NSW Labor caucus and by no small margin. Now is not the time to experiment with Sartor/Della and they know that.
Rees’ leadership is safe and he will lead the Government to the next election.
Come off it Alex, two words -Rockdale by-election. Barrie Unsworth transfers from upper house to become Premier and contest by-election in rock solid Labor seat of Rockdale in 1986. He staggers over the line by just 54 votes after a swing of 14.5%. The swing in Rockdale, and in Neville Wran’s old seat of Bass Hill on the same day, were two of the biggest swings recorded at NSW by-elections until October last year, when the swings in Ryde and Cabramatta reached 23%. Labor will be lucky to hold Gosford at the next election, let alone at a by-election.
I agrre with Rogan. A by-election in the seat of Gosford held between now and the NSW State Election would be won by the Liberal Party. What would be the point of a high profile ALP figure like Della leaving the safety of the Legislative Council for political anihlilation at a by-election. The current local member may well be finishing off some business because she knows she will lose her seat in 2011. Even if she chose not to renominate, and Della won pre-selection for Gosford for the 2011 election, he would probably lose, too. High profile candidates/members lose seats when the government is seen a stale (after 16 years in 2011). Look what happened to John Howard in Benelong.
Note that I’m not defending the current Labor mod here, but I don’t think that a change of Government will change anything in NSW.
The big problems there are in the balance sheet; revenue is based mostly on stamp duty, payroll tax, and a relatively small share of the GST income; and they’re expected to deliver hospitals that are money pits, and fix a public transport network and electricity network, that has been maintained for 20 years. With Henry’s tax revue about to recommend axing payroll and stamp duties, they’re got some problems.
The whole state is a poisoned-chalice, basket-case, and I wouldn’t want to try and balance those budget sheets.
Alex, are you sure its in the constitution that he has to quit to become premier or is it just convention?
It is truly amazing how far Labor has progressed with its mind control clinics.
Seems to be working marvels at both state and federal levels!
I’ll warrant it must contain a healthy dose of ECT as well as enforced continuous memorising and repetition of slogans and party positioning statements.
With a bit of luck, then, it appears that we may be rid of at least one half of each of the poisonous two husband-and-wife pairings from NSW.
The ALP and NSW’s voters deserve better than these four. DB is, quite possibly, the only one of them worth a bottle of cold spit.
During the last Federal Elections I told Belinda Neal personally at her Blackwall Road Woy Woy Office and John DB later that same afternoon in the presence of Grant McBride. I would do everything possible to help get Belinda into the seat of Robertson. Thinking voters will understand this move by me was not because I believed Belinda was a better politician, I simply wanted her in because after several years I wanted Jim Lloyd gone! I believed Belinda was the best tool to rid us of Jim Lloyd. Keep in mind on the 8 of November 2007 on the front page of the now defunct Fairfax Central Coast Sun Weekly The Prime Minister promised “if returned his government would foot the bill for the road repair at Piles Creek.” My own advertising identified this bald front page grab for voter support as the most offensive act of pork barrelling I have ever witnessed. The Australian Prime Minister was prepared to reach over the bodies of five dead, to buy votes for Jim Lloyd. I challenged Jim Lloyd on exactly this sad issue, during a gathering at the Uniting Church in Donnison Street Gosford. The rest is history he lost the seat by less than 500 votes. I Edward James am not done yet John Della Bosca and Blinda Neal pay rates to a Corrupt Gosford City Council.
This is pure politics. If you doubt what i write i am sure you can call JDB and Jim lloyd for that matter. It aint over yet!
I find the sexist nonsense re Belinda O’Neal quite boring now. I’ve gone past being angry! How many MALE politicians have been advised to have counselling re their sexist, bullying, bad tempered or foul mouthed behaviour. Then there’s those males who’ve gone out of their way to spread lies and other grot against innocent humans, one Michael Kirby springs to mind. Bill Heffernen didn’t even get into strife let alone ordered into counselling; and his co-accused one JWH didn’t even apologize! I’m not into standing up for rudeness, but this sexist garbage is too much!
I’m not going to vote for either major political party - diddle dumb and diddle dumber! (or books fiddler or developer worshipers or ???
The good voters of NSW can choose to jump into the icy waters and be dead in 2 minutes or stay aboard the SS Titanic. Grab a deck chair guys and watch the fun…
There is not much effort being put into destroying the political careers of the rubbish already in government, why is it that voters feel they must wait till an election before they can go after rubbish politicians and bring them down?
Alex
Minister for the Central Coast John Della Bosca is a member of my local community. He and his Federal Member wife pay rates to the most complained about council in NSW. While the Liberals may not be perceived as a threat in the seat of Gosford. History is clear, a pre selection squabble between current Liberal Mayor of Gosford Chris Holstein and some time Liberal Councillor Debra Wales during the last State elections, resulted in Wales running against Holstein, the split of voters resulted in Marie Andrews holding on to the seat of Peats. If Wales had accepted the Liberal parties choice of candidate, New Liberal party Member Holstein who was for a long time independent, would have moved into State level politics. A lot has changed since then, Chris Holsteins credibility and personal values are under attack in a series of published pronouncements in the local Peninsula News. The ABC 7 30 Report on Monday the 6 July has revisited the real cost to ratepayers of Gosford City Councils imprudent tryst with collateralised debt obligations. Another political friend of Debra Wales one time Deputy Mayor of Gosford City Council and member of the Dream Team during the last local elections Mr Drake has been very instructive on the 7 30 Report. He tells viewers that “at no stage were we told there was any risk as such” This Councillor has a legal background, I expected him pursuant to section 232 of the Local Government Act to have done much more while acting on my behalf ? With all that has happened on the Central Coast The Minister for the Central Coast and Minister for Health John Della Bosca has his hands full of un answered questions .
Edward James POB 3024 Umina 2257 0243419140
Alex, is Della going to run the Eels or Sharks now?