The Coalition tent: who’s pissing where?
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Yesterday’s reshuffle by Tony Abbott was perfect in every way, except one — he could have sent Barnaby Joyce to the backbench and failed to. Better on the inside of the tent pissing out? Ask those inside the “broad tent” of the Liberal Party, as John Brogden used to call it, who’ve been micturated upon by Joyce since he became Finance spokesman and had to clean up the mess afterwards. And, to really strain the metaphor, there’ll be more spraying of liquid now that Joyce has been given the water portfolio. Joyce holds opposite views on water to Liberal MPs, um, downstream of him from St George. Diametrically opposite. Joyce and Bill Heffernan, who knows more than anyone in politics about water issues, have clashed repeatedly over issues like Cubbie Station, which Joyce has supported so aggressively he accused Heffernan and Senator Nick Xenophon of helping force it into administration last year. And that’s before we get to South Australia, where young Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham has been running hard on the inadequacy of the Government’s response to the Murray-Darling crisis and the need for more water to reach his state. Birmingham was rewarded for his advocacy — and for being about the smartest backbencher in the party — by Tony Abbott with a Parliamentary Secretaryship on the MDB, under Ian Macfarlane, who has kept a low profile generally since the leadership spill. Birmingham now will work with Joyce, but given Joyce and Macfarlane are both Queenslanders, there not be that great a difference. In any event, Tony Abbott early on took a strong line on water, proposing a referendum on a federal takeover of the MDB if insufficient progress hadn’t been made on management and interstate cooperation by 2013. This immediately put him offside with irrigators and even with some advocates of greater MDB action, who warned the referendum would never pass. But that is the policy Joyce will have to sell as Water spokesman. Abbott has made the bed, and Joyce will have to find enough blankets and pillows to be comfortable lying in it. You can see why the trouble from Joyce might not yet be over just because he now gets to talk about infrastructure and regional issues rather than the likelihood of the US or Australia defaulting. On the other hand, Andrew Robb is back in the political frontline. Finally, the Abbott economic team has some substance, and not soon enough given the Budget is only weeks away. Robb has taken longer than expected to recover from his illness but given his economics background and campaigning experience he is ideally placed as both Finance spokesman and the Opposition’s policy coordinator. He lacks Joyce’s profile and he’s not the greatest media performer, but he has the advantage 1. of understanding economics and finance and 2. of sounding credible when he says something. His match-up with Lindsay Tanner will be engrossing. And then there’s Malcolm. Abbott made the right call. After all, he had seen what Turnbull did to Brendan Nelson from the position of shadow Treasurer. Even when Turnbull did nothing, his mere presence was a source of destabilisation and speculation. Given there’s only a matter of months until the election, it would have been an incredible risk, despite Turnbull’s attractions as a Finance spokesman, the strength of his Parliamentary performance and the unifying appearance of the appointment. Nonetheless, Turnbull, having made himself available to serve under the man who took the leadership from him by one vote, has been rebuffed and embarrassed publicly. For those reading the tea leaves on whether he’ll stay in politics or not, the rebuff might grounds to consider Turnbull will chuck it in. But it can just as easily be read as evidence he was willing to stay in politics beyond the next election. In which case, having tried to be a team player and been knocked back, Turnbull might feel he need display no loyalty to Abbott before or after the election. Turnbull would never have been held back by a small matter of loyalty, but now he might feel he can go after Abbott with a clear conscience. |
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32 Comments
Turnbull going after Abbott? Pass the popcorn.
squeal, where do I get tickets
Assuming Labor win the election, the post-election in fighting in the Liberals could get very bloody, especially if MT hangs around. Bear in mind what was pointed out when the CRPS issue came to a head; most of the marginal Liberal seats are held by wets, whereas the safe seats tend to be held by the drys (I think Possum had a nice graph showing this).
So, if the Coalition can hold there ground at the election, the moderates will keep the numbers they have, but Abbot and the drys in the control, will have shored up their position. Conversely, if they LNP goes backwards (which on current polls they would) then the moderates will have lost more numbers, but the conservatives in control will have been damaged by the electoral failings. Either way, it points to instability.
Clearly, the worse Abbott does the better Turnbull feels. The mess of the last week has probably restored Turnbull’s hope that he can return to the leadership after a bad election loss. That is why he is now showing clear signs of wanting to stick around.
I wonder when the interstaters are going to notice that Minchin resigned just as Isobel Redman conceded defeat and that Minchin is a major player in SA elections.
One defeat too many for old Nick I suspect and Oliver was the excuse.
Barnaby and others who keep whining and whining about more water for the SA leg of the Murray don’t get it.
They know that SA uses more of the water per capita than anyone else yet only 6.5% of it is within our legally constituted borders so under the constitutional arrangements regarding rivers and water that is all we get.
Bleating that we are “entitled” to water from flood plains thousands of miles away is as stupid as the US claiming they are entitled to melt waters from the Canadian tundra just because they are on the same frigging continent.
The flood waters are heading our way because of the natural flow of the lakes and rivers they are in, not because we are legally entitled to a drop of them.
I didn’t notice SA rushing off to help NSW and south Queensland with water during their 11 year drought, did anyone else.
As usual Bernard, you’re tearing at poor old Barnaby like a starving dog off a leash!
If Keating can go “bananas” why can’t Joyce? Besides, Keating’s comments were calculated to devalue the dollar and maybe so were Barnaby’s.
The truth as I interpret it, is that in a world where credit is money and money is fiat; why can’t Joyce stir the possum? As I can best ascertain, the reason for the Obama Health Care package has nothing to do with health cover for those without insurance. From this program, the US Govt. can now issue a massive bond or series of bonds (as they did with social security before that went bust), of up to US$5 trillion on the expectation of 30 million additional persons now legally obligated to have health insurance and against which it can borrow to refloat the US economy. They were going to do this with the carbon credits derivatives stuff last year at Copenhagen but some of the braver countries scuttled it. Well at least Iran can breathe a sigh of relief till the US blows whatever this is worth. Maybe we have got a year up our sleeves!
Now for Tony, at the time of the leadership change last year, three in ten Liberal voters were saying they “distrusted” Turnbull, nearly as many as Labor voters and I don’t think Turnbull has said or done anything to make them change their view in the ensuing three months.
It seems to me you do not want to get too far ahead of the voters on any issue and Rudd I believe, is in danger of being on the next page on every major issue. And, we are still to enjoy what might just be the biggest scandal of the decade waiting in the wings – the “ Education -derived Construction Revolution”.
How wilfully blind and ignorant would you have to be to compare Joyce and Keating? Very bloody wilfully blind and ignorant.
What’s with all the opinion Nazis on this site!
Bloody Wilfully Blind and Ignorant/Richard Wilson…you got it in one SNESN11
As per-usual, the rightards just piss all over the Australian public. With their urethra eagerly held and directed by a timid, somewhat subservient Aussie media. Editors just love their golden showers. Their bosses need their golden showers. Crikey being the exception, of course.
A bit much, Phil, even for a friday.
Phil, that was a piss-weak contribution.
Bernard,
you work from Canberra right??…I mean you get to listen to what goes on….
How can you be so wrong so often. Honestly. The fact your a dirty, stinky, hippie, socialist aside..you actuallyhaved failed to grasp the ability to report news accuratly.
I dont care that your a bloody greenie who will turn all your lights off during the usless, entirely stupid earth hour, and then offset that negtively with one fart…i dont.
but you fail to repor what is around you, the news. I mean at your core you must have some journalism training…although you would never know it reading your work….but you get to live in Canberra, your right there my friend…how could you be so wrong…
The reason is your are a blogger, and like any blogger you hit the mark 1 in 50 times a year and even that is lucky.
Mostly you pedal YOUR opinion and add some occasional facts based on what you read on news.com.au
I’m not a happy online warrior, its just…i am a libertairan and I enjoy crikey…it reminds me of what i never want to become and it also has some good bloggers and discussions from time to time.
but i often have to read you posts on the way to the good stuff…and i get dumber everytime. seriously. If you quit right now nobody would miss your contribution, and crikey would lift its readership 45%. Just saying brah, you suck.
a) Definition of Right Hero = Hate Rudd
b) Definition of Left Hero = Hate Abbott
c) Definition of Moron = A or B
Let’s amp up the debate a bit please guys!
Rush, is it just your vanity that keeps you going? Because the illiterate tedious tripe you come up with would thoroughly depress any normal person.
Richard, if you are going to contribute at the level of comparing Joyce and Keating then you are in no position to lecture about the standard of debate.
Im sorry SNES11 its Bernarnd..i read his article…and well…stupidity is contagious…
or maybe its because online grammar police are their to correct and serve…
or maybe its cause i live a busy life and quickly post stuff in between having a life and working….so i dont check for errors.
but then again, what work would i leave for grammar police such as yourself.
next please.
I wish you had read the rest of the points I was making in that piece - far more relevant.
I’m laughing so hard at the justifications for illiteracy that I’ll probably make a mistake myself. Wait, no, all the browsers automatically highlight typos now, so it’s a simple right-click to fix them.
Why do you think stupidity is contagious?
My browser dosnt highlight. Cool story bro.
Turnbull. Labor will win the next election - that’s a given. Now, if Abbott takes a few seats off Labor, he will hold his position. If not, he will be replaced by Turnbull. Of course, this dependes on T staying in politics and winning Wentworth again.
Joyce. I’m a Q’lander and this bloke’s an embarassment. He is Joh BP reborn with his yokel style of misspeaking. The cockies think he’s great but no one in a capital city would listen to him. He has the capacity to split the Coalition on number of issues other than water. He could do a lot of damage as he wanders the country over coming months.
@ Richard
“If Keating can go “bananas” why can’t Joyce? Besides, Keating’s comments were calculated to devalue the dollar and maybe so were Barnaby’s.”
That rationale only works when in govt. Barnaby would do anything that might help the govt in any way. He is simply a twit!
@ Bakerboy
‘Joyce. I’m a Q’lander and this bloke’s an embarassment.’
You’re not kidding. I am constantly amazed by the adjectives the press and coalits heap on him. Actually the adjectives are okay — it is more the positive interpretation they try and spin the adjectives with — here’s just 3:
“genuine’ — definitely (a genuine twit)
“straight talking” — again definitely (lacking in vocabulary and doesn’t come across as having a great deal of intelligence)
“barnstorming” — not sure whether this is supposed to be a play on his name but definitely (races in and says/does anything without the forethought to understand the ramifications.
Correction,
Barnaby WOULDN’T do anything to help the govt.
to be attacking Barnacle, the ALP must be severely lacking in confidence!
Napoleon would prefer that senior opposition frontbenchers not be attacked if they are stupid and inadequate. Why attacking a senior frontbencher shows a lack of confidence is totally unclear - it is the normal business of politics.
barnaby speaks bush,
he’s a paddock clearing
chop eating
co2 denying
water whoreding
subsidy loving farnorthqlder
Barnyard’s lookin’ a bit smitten at the moment, almost as if he actually doesn’t realise he’s a jerk, a complete embarrassment to his party and a joy for the government. Some people will never know what they’ll never know, and he’s one of them.
Over in the land of ‘freeeeeeedom!’, the wingnuts have gone totally rabid, and just kicked David Frum out of the AEI (an ultra-rightwing ‘think tank’; god knows it’s probably a sceptic tank), for get this: telling Republicans they blew it! (What you call the bleedin’ obvious)
Frum, on the other hand is just smart enough to realise he’s too clever for that rabid rabble.
Well done again, BK.
TA has positioned this barking dog pretty well this time - he will appeal to bush conservatives and be ignored by the city-based electorates.
Regardless of who wins the next election, I expect him to be off the front bench but meanwhile the circus will continue.
Barnaby is not a native Queenslander, he was born and raised in the large town of Tamworth which is in NSW last time I looked and he was educated in Sydney.
@ SNE - its playing the man and not the ball, which is the issue. I would have thought that the ALP would be more concerned about trumpeting their policies? They are worth trumpeting right? But then again, this is not an unusual tactic from the ALP. This is after all, the same party that elected Mark Latham but now refers to him as some sort of animal and the same party that treats Off Whitlam as a god.
and for those mentioning Keating and Joyce in the same sentence, its wrong. Joyce finished highschool and university, Keating didn’t even get that far… perhaps if Keating finsished school he would not have missed that massive black hole he presided over as PM!
But thanks Barnyard Keane, another very polished, calculated and unbiased article.
@Napoleon D:
Today, the Leader of the Opposition, perhaps still bumsore and fatigued after the weekend’s exertion, agreed with the Labor health policy. Yes, he did! I heard him say so on Aunty ABC, so it is so true. I’ve never heard such a statement from a politician, regardless which side of the Speaker they sit during business hours.
He actually said that his side of the dabate re health policy not only lost, but was wrong.
Napoleon is concerned that someone is playing the man instead debating the policy. Of course, in the absence of a policy the man will be played. Politicians are nothing if they stand for nothing, ie have no policy. They are even less than nothing when they do what the cyclist just did.
The man appears to be somewhat unhinged. Does he know what day it is and what his job description is?
I am all in favour of energetic politicians, especially those with strong connections with the community and keen to set an example by being healthy. The man appears to have pushed too hard. Is his brain now mush? Has permanent damage been done? Will he do as his predecessor has done and vote for the other side?
Does he bat for the other side … in an Oxford Street sense?
Goodness knows!
Barnaby for Leader of the Opposition!