Comments on: ‘Anyone but Isobel’: Downer’s comeback might have legs

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:11:13 +0000

PPS PADDY: I shouldn’t even make a joke of/with the last paragraph. Please forgive me.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:09:34 +0000

PADDY: WTF indeed. The man is nothing more than a failed John Howard lickspittle, (sic) and a walking-I think-joke.

The only thing I can think of is it shows how desperately short of talent the Liberals are. Have they no intellectual abilities to choose from? It’s what comes from allowing a failed crim to lead the party. Is Downer another Catholic? Probably not.

Perhaps 2013 is the year they chuck in the towel and elect Chrissy Wissy Pyne to lead them?????

By: fredex

fredex — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 09:41:23 +0000

Crikey
You are trashing your brand when you publish stuff [being diplomatic] like this article.

By: Rais

Rais — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 15:54:29 +0000

Alexander has a pretty good claim to be the worst foreign minister we’ve ever had, though the present incumbent is working on it. From bad ex foreign minister to state party leader in one state while we have from ex party leader to not very wonderful foreign minister in another state? Who said Oz politics couldn’t be funny?

By: green-orange

green-orange — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 04:59:40 +0000

Downer was foreign minister at the time that bribes were being paid to Saddam Hussein. He’s a disgrace that should never be allowed anywhere near parliament.

This is all about a factional dispute ; Martin Smith (changed his name by deed poll) wants to move the party further to the right (as is SA Labor isn’t right wing enough already).

By: David CrikeyB

David CrikeyB — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:48:36 +0000

Have to tell my favourite Downer story.
A number of years ago when he was still in Fed government, I was waiting at the gate for my flight to Adelaide to be called. Up strides Lord Downer with 2 or 3 minders. After a 3-4 minute wait, they call for boarding (for Business Class and Gold members etc). The minders go to board, then notice Lord Downer is no longer with them, one turns to the other and says “Where the f.. has he gone to now ?”. They run round in a tiz until they find him browsing in the newsagent, oblivious to boarding call. Reminded me so much of travelling with small children

By: AR

AR — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 20:47:07 +0000

Surely Lord Bunter the Downer could be SA Lib’s LotO without silly little restraints like, you know, winning a seat? Cantdo Newtman showed BananaBenders how to do it, so SA has a template.

By: tonyfunnywalker

tonyfunnywalker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 06:53:40 +0000

Same story in the OZ different bi-line.

I seem to recall Downer as a disaster as Shadow Federal Liberal Leader, upset the Aboriginals somewhat.

As Foreign Minister he learned to love the world stage - so SA would probably be beneath him. (and he would take a salary cut) and I am sure ge would perfer to work with Gina - they have the same approach to economics and politics.

Isuspect this all a beat up to again punish Redmond- How dare she go to the Tennis - at least on this occasion I hope it is.

Kevin Naughton was chief at the Advertiser - an Akerman clone.

Another reason not to read InDaily as the journalists are News castoffs.

Crikey, you have been had as the ABC were had over the AWU beatup.

Downer is not a favourite son in SA as is suggested by my fellow bloggers and an opinion poll would kill this beatup dead.

Bringing back Downer would rival bringing back John Olsen -who is still trashing SA assets - well the Adelaide Oval at least to add to the fire sale of ETSA.

By: CML

CML — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:52:47 +0000

As a South Australian, I am horrified by this news. But then to say that Lord Downer will be “better” than Don Dunstan as premier? Out-blo+dy-rageous!!!

By: drmick

drmick — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:52:12 +0000

Zut; I can see his tail wagging now.

By: Albert Ross

Albert Ross — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:49:27 +0000

“the experience and gravitas Downer would bring to the position” - heh

By: klewso

klewso — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:23:36 +0000

“Statesman”? More like the “Plymouth Prowler”?

By: zut alors

zut alors — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:11:22 +0000

Drmick, I reckon Firsty is rubbing his paws together in anticipation. Or chasing his tail with excitement.

By: Mike Smith

Mike Smith — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:09:14 +0000

It’s just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right.

Kind of apt, really.

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:04:39 +0000

So very true drmick.
But my innocuous claim to fame is built without the necessity for an asterisk.

By: K.D. Afford

K.D. Afford — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 05:04:08 +0000

Alexander Downer has proven himself a statesman ( something Bob Such alluded to as lacking in state politics) in Federal politics. Were he to rise to the occasion and become state leader, which should not be difficult, we could become the first state in Australia to have nuclear power. He once mooted it and such a power plant at Whyalla, as he said as I remember , and that, ”…if cheap cut price nuclear power was offered half of Sydney would be there tomorrow!”
It is time the Liberals, State and Federal got out of the swill they are in and cleared the mud out of their eyes and looked for a new Leaders.
Certainly Tony Abbott and his crew offer nothing.
Locally the Labor Party sold us out to developers, but perhaps under Alexander we could become the new Rome.

By: drmick

drmick — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 04:50:38 +0000

The things that batter and red high heels with fishnet stockings could be the new black; sorry, ebony. He was really a misunderstood hipster and not just a d*ickhe@d after all?

By: Mike Flanagan

Mike Flanagan — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 04:39:45 +0000

I thank Mother Superior of the Order of Moderators for posting my above post. But to take from 2.00pm yesterday to after 8.00am today is stretching the friendship.
I can understand that many of my posts must stretch the envelope and require careful consideration by Mother Superior in the quiet of her cloisters but her record of over 48 hours contemplation and holy book referral does need to be looked at.
Without wishing to provoke a challenge, I am hysterically proud of not having one post totally rejected over the past eighteen months but the timing it takes to review could be abbreviated.

By: klewso

klewso — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 04:10:05 +0000

Have they got wheat and “Learn to Swim” classes (for “migrants”) in SA?

By: zut alors

zut alors — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:28:48 +0000

Paddy beat me to it, cartoonists would be thrilled at this prospect. With Queensland having so many clowns at state level, Downer would help redress the national imbalance.

Fingers crossed.

By: Bam Stroker

Bam Stroker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:28:44 +0000

*its

By: Bam Stroker

Bam Stroker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:28:02 +0000

“Abbott’s people and Christopher Pyne’s group are concerned that in a state where Labor is in its fourth term, the local Libs seem to have trouble making a mark on the Labor brand,” a Liberal source said.

^ Third. Labor is in it’s third term.

By: TheFamousEccles

TheFamousEccles — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:23:09 +0000

Funny headline, IMO.

By: paddy

paddy — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 03:08:33 +0000

I suspect cartoonists across this wide brown land are praying for (and drooling over) the prospect of Lord Downer’s return.
Everybody else will be scratching their heads, wondering WTF?

By: tonyfunnywalker

tonyfunnywalker — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 02:57:00 +0000

The Liberals in SA are a mess and have been for some time. The Pyne faction is largely responsible for destabilising the Party. Parachuting Downer into the leadership will more than likely cause defections to the cross benches thus causing even greater instability than current. Downer is not a dead set winner either as he nearly lost Mayo in a close run with a local independant a couple of elections ago.
There was no mention of Marshall - he is the heir apparent. I agree with cairns 50; to lead with a Kevin Naughton piece is not up to crikey standards for balanced analysis. I do not read thenIndaily either as it has little influence.