http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/23/brumbys-big-call-on-the-honorable-member-for-ivanhoe/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:16:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/23/brumbys-big-call-on-the-honorable-member-for-ivanhoe/#comment-32081 Margaret Bozik Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:34:16 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/07/23/brumbys-big-call-on-the-honorable-member-for-ivanhoe/#comment-32081 I wasn't around for the 1977 stoush for Melbourne Ports but I find it hard to believe anything could outdo the bitter 1998 pre-selection for the seat that saw Michael Danby triumph. The dirt-digging, the rumours, the spitefulness, the vindictiveness - if the Labor Party could have directed this level of passion into fighting the Liberals there is no way that Howard would have ruled for 11 years. I firmly believe if the Liberals had run a decent candidate against Danby that first election they would have stood a good chance of winning the seat - everyone was spent and exhausted after the Labor pre-selection, including the journalists. As it was, Fiona Snedden ran, and demonstrated enough disinterest in the electorate to ensure that even a significant minority of those who disliked Danby or had Liberal tendencies voted against her. It was too easy for Danby after he had got rid of the real competition from within his own party. I wasn’t around for the 1977 stoush for Melbourne Ports but I find it hard to believe anything could outdo the bitter 1998 pre-selection for the seat that saw Michael Danby triumph. The dirt-digging, the rumours, the spitefulness, the vindictiveness - if the Labor Party could have directed this level of passion into fighting the Liberals there is no way that Howard would have ruled for 11 years. I firmly believe if the Liberals had run a decent candidate against Danby that first election they would have stood a good chance of winning the seat - everyone was spent and exhausted after the Labor pre-selection, including the journalists. As it was, Fiona Snedden ran, and demonstrated enough disinterest in the electorate to ensure that even a significant minority of those who disliked Danby or had Liberal tendencies voted against her. It was too easy for Danby after he had got rid of the real competition from within his own party.

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