How many jobs will Barnaby cost Australia?
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“Looks like Barnaby got away with it,” Nick Minchin said to colleagues last night, referring to the shadow Finance Minister’s extraordinary effort at the National Press Club yesterday at lunchtime. Minchin’s right. Judging by the press this morning, with only a couple of exceptions, he got off lightly. Imagine if a Labor or Liberal senior Shadow Minister has done what Joyce did yesterday — make more than half a dozen basic errors of straight fact, get confused with the simplest numbers and set hares running in the portfolios of his senior colleagues. Hell, imagine if they done just one of those things. There’d be calls for their resignation, there’d be pressure on their leader to sack them, there’d be a whole days’ worth of media coverage speculating on whether the poor sod was toast and how it was an issue of credibility for the leader and the party. Peter Garrett learnt this before the election. In fact, he didn’t even have to say anything to be pilloried. He made a remark that even Richard Wilkins knew was a joke and the media ran with it for days. But Barnaby Joyce appears to have a leave pass, particularly by the Coalition cheerleaders in the right-wing media. He can say virtually anything and it gets waved through, usually with an explanation that he’s a great communicator. But senior Liberals are privately appalled at Joyce’s performance and deeply dismayed at the damage he is doing to their credibility at a time when Tony Abbott has managed to stop the rot and start pulling back the party base. And they are absolutely scathing of Abbott for putting him in the job. What’s worse is that Joyce represents a major missed opportunity for Abbott. The previous Finance Shadow, Helen Coonan, moved on after the leadership change, gifting Abbott with a senior economic portfolio. Coonan had been mostly invisible, but she’d run a shadow ERC process that had done a lot of work sifting through Coalition spending proposals. But rather than give Finance to a figure of credibility, or use it to blood a quality younger performer in the big league, Abbott gave it to the single least economically credible figure in federal politics. It means that in Abbott, Joe Hockey and Barnaby Joyce, the Coalition has the weakest economic line-up in modern political history. When Hockey is your most substantial figure, you’re in deep trouble. Abbott is notoriously economically illiterate and has no experience in an economic portfolio, and Joyce is an outright economic irrationalist. Worse, Joyce has a habit of plunging into other Shadow Minister’s portfolios — which as Finance Shadow he technically has the right to do — causing havoc and then leaving the relevant spokesperson to clean up the mess. Yesterday it was Julie Bishop’s turn, having to explain that the Coalition was not planning to slash foreign aid. Just like his attitude to economic responsibility — he opposed hard reform decisions but was happy to take the benefits of good economic management when they could be spent in rural Queensland — he appears to want all the good parts of being Finance spokesman without accepting any of the responsibility or discipline. The double-standard in the media, that Barnaby’s antics are all just a bit of fun and don’t merit proper scrutiny — is one thing. But here’s where it gets real. If you’re a foreign investor — especially a Chinese investor — and considering investing in Australia, would Barnaby Joyce make you more or less likely to invest in Australia? In an election year, when the polls start to narrow, and the chance of Joyce become a senior economic minister appear to be very real, how would that influence your investment decision? Foreign investors, and the foreign diplomats and governments that assist them, don’t understand the nuances of federal politics. They don’t know that Joyce is widely agreed to be a buffoon. All they know is that he is the Shadow Finance Minister and there’s an election later this year, and there’s a real possibility his side could win. So, how many jobs will Barnaby Joyce cost Australia this year? And how long will senior Liberals tolerate this joker before telling Abbott he’s got to go? |
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83 Comments
Interesting that Helen Coonan retweeted your tweet to Possum about finding it bizarre that anoyone would think Joyce was fit for a senior ministerial position…
Yeah, The Libs used to be the party of business, economic rationalism and fiscal responsibility. Barnaby is doing a lot of damage to this reputation. While he might pick up the farmers and the far right with his antics, you can’t win government without the centre right and he is driving them straight into the arms of Labor.
Abbott, Hockey and Joyce must be in training to be astronauts; they have achieved a permananet state of weightlessness.
Maybe Barnaby’s antics yesterday may have got more coverage if they had not been overtaken by other events ie the awful explosion in Darwin and (particularly in football mad Melbourne) the appearance in court of a high profile football player on drugs charges.
Trouble is, his take on foreign aid and the like will appeal to a certain sort of voter.
This is ‘Sir Joh for PM’ redux.
Abbott is already distancing himself from Joyce. The Age is running a story that he refused to back him today.
Joyce’s ‘apology’ today for yesterday’s stupid mistakes was a complete non-apology. Apparently, all his mistakes are because Labor is now dealing with so much money (“trillions”) it is impossible for ordinary people to get their heads around it.
Extraordinarily pathetic and ridiculous.
abbott, hockey and joyce are undercover agents for the Labor party. How can anyone take them serious????? Will this election be when the Greens take over as the Opposition party ????
what’s that I hear from the back bench, muffled laughter (erf, erf, erf……quiet malcolm)
The circus has started !
Bring on the clowns !
Not only does Joyce sound like a man completely out of his depth and on some type of drug or whatever he is now looking like a refugee from a homeless shelter. As a shadow Minister, and member of an alternative Govt front bench, his appearance is a disgrace. What sort of impression will this man make to an overseas audience. He is a fruitcake.
“…If you’re a foreign investor — especially a Chinese investor — and considering investing in Australia, would Barnaby Joyce make you more or less likely to invest in Australia?…”
Really, Bernard. Being that Barnaby is not in office that kames for a rather disingenuous and irrelevant supposition.
Treasurer Swan, however, is even less Keane on Chinese investment in Australia than Barnaby.
And he has the form to show for it.
“…Coalition cheerleaders in the right-wing media…”
Blues under the bed, no doubt? LOL
[Edit]
why so little news coverage of the performance? I think we are all so shocked and dumbfounded by the performance of both Abbott and Joyce yesterday! It would be hard to comment intellectually on such ineptness.
Bernard
Agree with your thoughts on Barnaby the baboon………….but how can you keep a straight face and say “the coalition are a real chance of winning the election this year”. That is a truly luaghable proposition and you know it.
JAH
………it’s like Barnaby Joyce is the bastard love child of Tony Abbott and Pauline Hanson!
“The Libs used to be the party of business, economic rationalism and fiscal responsibility.”? When was that?
Before the Auditor-General documented serious flaws in the Federal Government’s Regional Partnerships Programme, saying the programme does not meet an acceptable standard of public administration?
Before the introduction of the 30% private healthcare rebate, which most economists and the Australian Treasury consider extremely bad policy?
Before the Howard Government frittered away the receipts from the mining boom on pork barrelling the electorate whilst ignoring our decaying infrastucture?
Let’s face it the Libs have always been the party of the Pork along with their “friends” in the Country Party.
Robert is right above. The liberal party have ceased to be in any sense a free market party, its simply now a party of corrupt porkbarrelling and jobs for mates in government.
John Howard basically realized he could just shower cash on retirees and middle class welfare and buy votes that way without doing anything difficult.
They have no long term policies, no long term reforms, no committment to a free market or even a lower tax base and absolutely no ability to take on special interests that profited so much under their rule - multimillionaire closed shop pharmacists and medical specialists being a case in point.
Labor aren’t much better, of course.
It has got to a stage where I attempt to bury myself into the cat’s basket in an effort to brace my cringing. If I was sitting in a restaurant and saw Barnaby Joyce, the pink hissy Chrissy, Tony Abbott, Ironbar et al coming in the door I would be sliding under the table.
DAVID: Good point, personally I would go to Chile, Terra del Fuego or Hunza. Tasmania?
The fact that the only person who continually supports what is laughingly called the Liberal Party is the Red Hot Mamma. Someone in the Coalition is either being snookered by a clever Labor Party member, or the same person hates the present bunch of apes and is trying to do it by laughter.
I’m confused, this is “Jethro Joyce”, isn’t it?
The same Jethro that was at the club reaffirming his consistency over the years, and regaling the “club” with his account of how Clive Palmer “wanders across in his jet (to Canberra or “home”? Or both?) , and pix me up (in his jet, or his “cruiser”?) and grills(?) me”.
I wonder how much notice he gets?
I wonder if he brings chinese, when he’s a’callin?
I wonder if they bitch about this undue influence the unions have on Labor, how they’re at their beck and call?
Anyone ever see a photo of Pauline and Jethro together?
Maybe he gets away with it because of his similarity to Bjelke-Petersen, and we all know what a “bucolic japester” he was - to much of the same conservative media, anyway!
Abbott must be doing something right if he has all the chattering eunuchs here in apoplexy.
The rising level of fear is palpable.
And hilarious.
Blame the Labor state governments for the infrastructure issues. I’ll agree with the Regional Partnership Programme being dodgy, but pork barrelling is hardly the confined to the Liberals. (Ros Kelly and the whiteboard anyone?). I think that is more of a politician thing than a right wing bias.
As for the 30% private healthcare rebate, well the Liberal Government wanted to expand the Private Health Insurance industry in Australia in 1999 and this was a good incentive to do so. There is an argument to suggest that the industry now has reached maturity and now the rebate is just adding to health inflation. I think if the Libs were in power, they would be means testing it as well (and selling Medibank private)
The only fear is that these jokers might get within a bullsroar of actually running the economy. Be afraid, very afraid.
[Edit - Please refrain from etc…]
I agree with much of the above. The Greens should be the opposition and will be in the future. Scott, I think the libs made money out of selling licences to private health inurers in the first place and taxpayers have been subsidising them ever since. I’m glad I’m not the only one who is left utterly bewildered by Barnaby, the master of the mangled metaphor. No wonder we’re terrified mama but I see nothing funny about it. The fact that you do says a lot.
@David
[Edit]
@rossco
“…The only fear is that these jokers might get within a bullsroar of actually running the economy. Be afraid, very afraid…”
They would have to go along way to match the “spending like drunken sailors” budgetary directives followed by Lu Kewen and Swannie.
Bring on another stimulus.
Best to ignore MPM no matter how tempting it is to respond to his provocations. Responding to a troll only feeds his peculiar psychological needs.
At last….an entertaining election on the way with some prize buffoons leading the charge
Laugh? I nearly shat…
Barnyard with his hand on the Joystick, in full flight, is a bloody stumbling booby of the first order.
It was so enjoyable following BK’s and Possum’s tweets through the day too.
Pure gold.
MPM: Please lay off the sweeping assertions. There are many women commenting.
Making the likely-hood of ‘a bunch of eunuchs’ remote. [Edit]
Hokey Joh-Joyce is one of a breed of maverick MPs regularly appearing at a parliament near you for a price that rivals the reasoning behind democracy. While Parties tend to sift the chaff from the wheat fairly quickly these bushy, blokey, offensive ‘characters’ totally unfit for the rigor or panache of public life still slip through. Queensland’s full of havoc-wreaking head-lining fools who lurch daily from inquiries into sports rorts, car races and indigenous riots to ‘really stupid’ mistakes like attempting to blackmail a Premier. Yes, sure we need a few Ellie-May’s and Billy-Joe’s to represent ordinary Australians but when Party leaders like Abbott and Rudd promote them beyond levels of competence it’s time for someone to act responsibly. It used to be the media.
Joyce shoots from the hip too much for my liking, definitely a liability for TA & Co.
I listened to him at the stimulus enquiry with Ken Henry and he certainly understands the lingo and economics. I don’t doubt that he is a smart man but he is still a liability. I am sure the ALP are just patiently waiting until he drops the atom bomb.
Peter Garrett? as far as I knew, Rudd still has a gag order on him!
I guess repealing the gun control legislation is the next step for the One Nation (LNP) opposition…and of course, subsidised B&S Balls, where men from rural Queensland are Men, and sheep are nervous!
Thank the gods, stars and all seven planets, nobody fed MPM. Now if we can just starve its clones, the various Js, of oxygen.
I can’t stand Barnaby, but even I was embarrassed by his performance at the National Press Club? Fancy MPM still supporting the Coalition? Are you stupid, dumb or just got the hide of Jessie? Didn’t you cringe too? If not, doesn’t say much for your intellect does it? As somebody above said, if Barnaby’s performance had been that of a Labor govt person, the media would’ve been having a field day. Just shows them up for who they are - totally committed to the Coalition regardless!
@ Liz45, I don’t support the coalition but there always has and seems to be a heap of support for them. After all, they have been the dominant party for the past 50 years.
I cringed when I heard Barnaby referring to $1.4B in 000’s - why on gods earth would he complicate something that much? keep it simple stupid. I think he is a smart man but smart people, a la Malcolm the Turn Bull, don’t always make good federal pollies.
I really don’t understand how people can complain about the supposed coalition bias in the media at the moment! as a greens voter, I was sick’n’tired of Labor, Labor, Labor for the past 2 years! I’d like the greens to get more coverage, atleast we are the only honest party!!
Before Barnaby was elected as a Queensland Senator I was accosted by him while working as a journalist for a rural newspaper in 2004. He was on the campaign trail with another national who was hoping to unseat Bob Kater. His fellow campaigner was alternately bemused and horrified as Banarby crawled all over me like an affectionate puppy in his attempt to explain a tax policy borrowed from the 1950’s and why it was relevant for today.
I believe his trip to North Queensland left him channelling Bob Kater but without the commitment to be a true maverick and represent the interests of rural Australia at the expense of his own self interest.
It was a somewhat surreal experience that left me with a feeling of terror that he may get elected which would be disastrous for rural Australia as he is a parody of successful farmers and would set the causes of rural Australia back generations. I am being vindicated with his every utterance much to my dismay.
Editor: Man eating Mama slams people with impunity. I suggest her syntax needs to be improved and that her scribblings reveal more about her than they do about the person she is reviling: I COP the thrashing from the thought police.
Hello darkness my old friend, justice has reached the end of its working life. Tell my mother I died game.
@LIZ45
Fancy MPM still supporting the Coalition? Loyalty is commendable even when its missplaced.
Are you stupid, dumb or just got the hide of Jessie? Judging by her posts she scores very well in all three.
Didn’t you cringe too? Perhaps the abilty to cringe would require lower scores in question 2.
If not, doesn’t say much for your intellect does it? Speaks volumes actually.
[Edit] Not far from going on permanent moderation at this point
Give Bananaman a break, he’s Catholic. “Thou shall never make sense and be made accountable.”
Best to ignore MPM no matter how tempting it is to respond to her provocations. Responding to a troll only feeds her peculiar psychological needs.
[Edit]
A little pile of bile and spite is not a world view - it’s just a little pile of bile and spite and serves as an indication of the sad state of its owner.
It’s one of the biggest problems we have in our society. It’s the right’s mystifying ability to instill a feeling of superiority in people without any intelligence to back it up. Sadly, it’s over represented in all our governments and in both major parties. It’s why private schools exist, why fundamentalist religions are growing despite the fact they’re so destructive and defy all
“rational reasoning”, (the PC term that’s replacing “common sense” which is to situational). If at any point in our evolution, we could couple real intelligence and wisdom to the highest paid positions in society you’d find most of our problems wouldn’t exist. The current opposition leadership cabal just proves my point. They’re a joke, but how did they get there and why aren’t we all laughing?
As chief spokesman for the Australian Bankers Federation says “stupidity isn’t a sackable offence”. On that premise fly-by-the-seat-of-his-speedos will face major reshuffle issues unless he gets Joyce to kick off his new Green Army or head the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee. Either way Abbott reinforces his desperate weathervane persona.
@bangin16
“…it’s just a little pile of bile and spite and serves as an indication of the sad state of its owner…”
You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself…most struggle to understand your “little pile(s)” anyway.
Stick to the topic.
Jeez ole fat mamma jowels, do you troll 24 hrs? I leave work and you are still going, I check later at home, you are still prattling on, I get to work this morning and bugger me, there you are. Do you ever get your blubber cheeks off the chair, wash yourself, do any housework? or just squat 24 hrs over the comp flaying at the keyboard, slurping whatever foul potion you consume to keep your trolling sustained.
Folks, there’s really no telling what MPM’s gender may be. It’s rhetoric sounds pretty boorish and masculine to me, and charging bangin16 with “obvious gender confusion” could easily be just another of MPM’s many red herrings. Could go either way really, but we can be certain that it delights watching people get distracted with such speculation.
The key thing to remember is that MPM is an openly proud shit-stirrer - which would appear to be the only sincere offering it’s ever made on these forums.
When Kim Beasley said Karl Rove instead of Rove McManus he got roasted alive in the press, as though it was some kind of proof of his unfitness to be PM.
Joyce’s long-term position as a shadow minister is untenable. He has set himself up electorally as a Bob Katter-style maverick who thinks outside party confines, and in the end he will have to either throw that pose out of the window, or return to the backbench.
Or John Kerin’s “GOP er? GDP” brought down a prime minister
GILLBY: Thank god someone has dropped onto the truth.
Barnaby Joyce was given the job as a reward for his anti-abortion, anti-euthanasia stance/s. Kevin Andrews, another fundamentalist Catholic, will be the next one to be given a plum job. Shadow minister for war graves?
DAVID: It doesn’t work on weekends-the mad mum. And keeps the hours of 0800 to 1700. Perhaps 1730.
I suspect it is a left-wing writer or civil servant with a bit of influence. And an evil sense of humour. I’ve no real evidence to support this but notice it’s comments are published, un-edited where many others are canned.
All supposition I’m afraid.
as a new subscriber to Crikey, I am disappointed that the moderator accepts the childish behaviour of a select number of bloggers. It devalues the integrity of the site.
if people dont like what MPM has to say, fine, move on… why people feel the need to attack fellow bloggers because their belief may differ from theirs, is quite pathetic.
After reading a number of stories now, I am also starting to think that Crikey is just full of stereotypical left wing nuts.
ty_webb, you are saying we just let the fraud mpm continue to abuse and make personal attacks and ignore it. Tried that, it just keeps on keeping on like a trained parrot. Regretfully the moderator is obviously a fan there is very selective moderating on the these blogs.
Might need a few complaints to the EDITOR about the moderating.
Ty, as a new subscriber, you may not fully appreciate just how destructive of civilised discourse a troll such as MPM is. The unending abuse and childish provocations emanating from her hamper the attempts of others to discuss matters with any seriousness or wit.
maybe so gentlemen, but by merely responding to a post makes the respondee feel compelled to also respond to your post which then descends into pure trash talk. if you don’t agree with a post, don’t feed it. i’ll leave you with a thought… a flute without holes is not a flute, but a donut without a hole is a danish! have a great w/e.
It seems that Wayne Swan’s stuff-up on Nov 5, 2008 has been forgotten?
His answer to the simple question “What is the outlook for inflation?”
Nothing , except an open mouth for a full 60 seconds goldfish-like gasping for air.
Then an adviser whispers something …. and Wayne Swan said that the Government expects inflation of 3.5 per cent .
Then … nothing … embarrassed silence ….. It took another two minutes before he gave the forecast for inflation in the subsequent financial year of 3 per cent.
@TY_WEBB
(((After reading a number of stories now, I am also starting to think that Crikey is just full of stereotypical left wing nuts.))))
Bingo!!!….after reading all the comments I was thinking the same thing myself. I am sure it’s not the case, but any new subscriber would be forgiven for thinking so.
Being apolitical I am qualified to speak, but it seems any counter view to that of some of these Leftie Loonatics is scoffed off as the contribution of a Troll….we are all Trolls if we don’t toe the Looney Left party line…..just great is n’t it!
That’s one thing, but comments like these below, hits a new tenor of perversity and debauchery.
[Edit] Please focus on the issue and not other commenters
Apolitical? Surely shome mishtake.
I hope you ‘re catchin a taxi and not driving.
[Edit] No thanks - please discuss the issues instead
@TY_WEBB: Please, in a years time, re-read your pro-mad mum comment, without cringing.
Re my comment on Barnaby Joyce and Tony Abbott is a fact which neither politician attempts to hide. The comment on Kevin Andrews was supposition.
Very interesting comments TY_WEBB. You claim to be apolitical. Yet you rush to support MPM and rush to denigrate me; that’s apolitical?
If you must insult me you could try spelling the name correctly. I have no idea what is meant by ‘What comes up out of the mouth comes forth from the heart’. [Edit]
DAVID: Yo!
@ Venise, I think you have confused me with Gary Johnson, did you just get back from the pub? Novice on crikey? yes. Pro-mad mum? not sure how you came to that conclusion unless you have me confused with someone else.
I feel sorry for the rightards at present. I didn’t think it possible but the current Coalition leadership almost makes Howard look human, “hey, I said almost OK”. It’s difficult on Crikey for the conserves. The last thing they like reading is balanced reporting on anything. It must be hard living life scared and embarrassed by the truth. You’ve also gotta love their ability to breathe with their head is constantly in the sand, O, that’s right their breathe through their arse. This also explains why they’re anti-gay as well, takes their breath away.
Barnyard’s raving, which is what it is, fits the coalition strategy of fear mongering and pandering to the electorate’s ignorance. Just watch out those veins in your neck don’t burst Barney, you could seriously hurt yourself!
Abbott picked him to deflect meaningful debate, and although it comes with political risks, it sure gets attention. It reminds me of McCain picking Sarah Palin as his running mate; a total plank, but one whose political performances fascinated the media and the public couldn’t take their gaze off her.
OK, Bernard, you hate this but here goes: Joyce is the Sarah Palin of Australian politics (but ‘bearded lady’ was a lot funnier!)
There’s a good piece by Paul Krugman in today’s NY Times about the right-wing’s mantra of the evils of the US deficit, and he asks why this has taken hold in the political discourse:
“Consider, for example, what the latest budget proposal from the Obama administration says about interest payments on federal debt; according to the projections, a decade from now they’ll have risen to 3.5 percent of G.D.P. How scary is that? It’s about the same as interest costs under the first President Bush.
Why, then, all the hysteria? The answer is politics.”
…and listening to Abbott and Co. you’d have to see that they are doing the same here (despite our government debt levels being a fraction of those in the US).
So when Cheney said “deficits don’t matter” he was, of course, referring to Republican deficits!
For a party who, in the time of plenty, p!ssed it all up against the wall with bribing the electorate, it’s all a bit bloody rich.
@Ty
And I suppose you think that “stereotypical left wing nuts” is a complement ?
You can’t throw mud and everone else to be moderated for mummy’s boy.
Now run along to mummy, that’s a good boy.
TY_WEBB: I bow deeply and profoundly, it was in fact, Mr Johnson.
Sincerely
V.
@David
(((((mr johnson, I have seen you at Akermans crap blog, wtf are you doing mixing with sane individuals?…)))))
It must have been a big night at the pub….first Venise confuses me with @Ty_Webb and now you confusingly say you have seen me at Akerman’s blog….Wrong!!!..would n’t know it from a bar of soap.
You guys have a fraction too much confusion.
What is it with MPM’s necrophytes that they can’t get away from the J tag? Since its well deserved kicking recently it has disappeared bu theremora are still nibbling & niggling. I would bet Big Buck$$ that it is male - no woman would write like that. Right wingers of the distaff persuasion would be write far b more betterly.
@ Phil - I largely despise both major parties but to say that one of them is anti-gay is humorous, very humorous indeed. Whilst I am proudly heterosexual, it was quite sad watching how awkward Penny Wong (a proud lesbian) was on Q&A when someone asked her a question on gay rights. Both parties are so corrupted and so obsessed with getting another term that they would never do the right thing by the gay community.
@ philiseedogollomoo - thankyou for your kind comment. I may be a reprobate, but I am not a boy - although I once was.
[Edit] Please stick to the topic
[Edit]
Moderators. Why allow these discussion wrecking trolls to prevail? Many genuine folk would contribute if it wee not for their wankfest smotherblanket.
@Christopher, interesting analysis.
I would agree with you that Barnaby’s political celebrity and tone could be compared to Palin, but I suspect the main factor in elevating him to deputy was to get him ‘inside the tent pissing out’ so that he would stop destabilizing the Coalition.
While this tactical play has quelled the National uprising, it has not made Barnaby into a team player, and could be a strategic disaster in the long term. If Barnaby’s Press Club performance is any indicator, his tendency for making gaffes and policy on the run has been amplified.
Why is this the best leadership team our alternative government can put together?
It seems there is a monumental affirmative action program in the Anglosphere when it comes to the way conservative figures are handled by the media. From the journalists who interviewed or referenced the “Lord” Monckton as a voice of authority on science despite his lack of qualifications, compulsive lying and, conspiracy theories; to the many who have glossed over the utter ineptitude of figures like Hanson, Barnaby, Palin, and Bush in order to appear fair and non partisan.
This kid gloves treatment does conservatism no favours. It is hollowing out the intellectual core of the movement by rewarding loud and emotional populism over considered and rational views.
The last decade has shown us what happens when incompetent people are elevated above their means, and constantly given the benefit of the doubt. It gave Bush a free hand to bankrupt America by launching a trillion dollar war that was based on lies and had no exit strategy.
The western world needs the best and brightest leaders on all sides of the political spectrum if we want to stay competitive with fast rising eastern powers over the coming century.
It was half flippant Jeebus, but only just! Sure, Barnyard was a big problem whilst Turnbull was trying to drag the whole sorry circus into the big tent; Barney kept lurching down sideshow alley. Abbott’s in no danger of Barnyard trying to undo him as long as Abbott keeps doing his Clayton’s policy.
Abbott’s relying on that ‘kid glove treatment’ the media adopts for any populist that can draw a crowd (and Tanner really hit the nail on the head with his ‘bearded lady’ quip, didn’t he?) My guess is that Barnyard gets a free pass until his Katie Couric moment arrives. (That was when Couric asked Palin what newspapers she reads and it instantly became apparent that reading was not a source of information for the Republican’s vice presidential candidate! Oh, how the media turned!).
Barnyard’s moment will come too, when the crowd starts to get a bit bored with the freak show touting, and wants to smell a little blood. Meanwhile, the media are happy to keep pretending that the Coalition has anything interesting to say.
They don’t.
As for Palin, just check out her ‘performance’ at the Tea Bag Party gig yesterday! The right’s descent into this tawdry vacuousness is really something to behold, and Abbott seems to think he can pull it off here too.
@Christopher Dunne - not that I could really give a toot, don’t forget that there alot of people that are starting to ponder the tangible achievements of the current gov’t, both the media and the electorate. Your view on the Coalition “having nothing interesting to say” is probably correct in my eyes but hey, the ALP from about 2002 until 2005 was pretty ordinary too. Assuming Barny doesn’t drop an atom bomb leading up to the election, but I think he will, I don’t think it will be a smooth ride for the ALP.
TY_W, the ‘tangible achievements’ are clear in the performance of the Australian economy compared to the US or UK, just for starters. Read just about any economist in the country and compare that to the drivel coming out of Barnyard’s mouth.
Or the CEO of the biggest burner of Victorian brown coal talking about the need to convert to LNG, as he did on the ABC this morning.
The adults in big business have been well aware for a decade or more that a price on carbon was coming, even if they pretend to be shocked now that it’s almost here. Meanwhile the likes of Barnyard are fulminating about our deficit as if it’s the end of the world and going on as if decades of science can be dismissed by hayseed homilies.
It’s a matter of how we transition to a lower emitting economy, not this idiotic sideshow of freaks that Abbott has assembled. Even “Joh for PM” got its 15 minutes of fame too remember.
Venise:
Earnest question here: are you a lapsed Catholic? ‘Coz the second anyone mentions the ‘C’ word around here, you’re on a war footing.
LACQUEREDSTUDIO: No!
Catholic on mother’s side, anglican on father’s side. Atheists, all of us.
Why should I hate catholics? it’s illogical and contrary to everything I have ever believed in. ie reason, logic, Darwinism, evolution and so on.
I do, however, dislike the ease with which people who are catholic obtaining political power and dictating the behaviour of the rest of us. Also to do shonky deals such as the Howard/Harradine scam which saw Tony Abbott moved to become minister of health and in the position to deny RU486 to the women of this country.
Not being a catholic I am in favour of abortion, euthanasia-and a raft of other things.
You have read, Tony Abbott’s utterings about virginity, keeping housewives at the ironing board-and other 1940’s rants. He has the right to live in the past, it’s his past. He doesn’t have the right to urge the electorate to do likewise. Barnaby Joyce is rabidly anti-abortion, Kevin Andrews is anti-euthanasia, Although on the other side of politics, Kevin Rudd tries to tell us what our standards of viewing art should be. Steve Conroy is going to introduce censorship of the inter-net, Steve Fielding (religion?) tries to introduce his dubious agenda.
Religions pander to fear, but thus far it has been the catholics who have actually come the closest to turning us into if not a theocracy, then a fiefdom for the pope. Do you really think I should go along with the tide and not complain about it?
“Bumbling Joyce” will save one job, and that’s Rudd’s. Every time he opens his mouth the Labor vote increases. He’s like “Joh for PM” without the brain.
Mad monk with mad loaded dog !
Punters beware !