As usual, the Liberal Party is in disarray after losing an election, writes Norman Abjorensen.
Alexander Downer
MacCormack: The life and death of Peter Costello
Maybe Peter Costello has a cunning plan. More likely, he hasn’t got the stomach for opposition. He didn’t have the guts to be Prime Minister. He certainly won’t have the guts to be Opposition Leader, writes David MacCormack.
Mayne: In defence of Peter Costello
Peter Costello has done the right thing by himself and his family in pulling the plug on politics and deserves to have a highly successful career in the commercial world, writes Stephen Mayne.
Abjorensen: What will the Liberals do now?
Malcolm Turnbull has put his hand up and Peter Costello has withdrawn from the leadership race - two tiny positives for a party facing the bleakest crisis in its 62 years, writes Norman Abjorensen.
Pasquarelli: Howard held hostage by Bennelong’s ethnic make up
It is now very clear that more and more electorates are having their fate determined by ethnic minorities, writes John Pasquarelli.
Errington: Are we ready for Kevin Rudd as the face of the Australian government?
It’s odd that in an era of personality-driven politics that we elect leaders with so little … personality. Charisma has given way to authority and competence in the leadership stakes, writes Wayne Errington.
Campaign lite
C-cks’ c-ck-up…Turnbull and Dorothy…Rudd to the rescure…Stifler’s mum?…Mind your language…Coming soon to Bennelong
The campaign issues that aren’t
As the Coalition and Labor charge into the election battle on the trusty steeds of Housing Affordability, Education and Working Families, Crikey runs a runs an eye over the form of the top five issues the parties have not made loud announcements about.
Abjorensen: The real fun begins 25 November
If, as the polls tell us, November 24 is a foregone conclusion, can we then look forward to the morning after? Norman Abjorensen forecasts the Coalition blame game.
Alexander Downer and the not so great debate
It’s impossible to stop the Coalition’s attack spaniel, Alexander Downer, from chasing after cars. Yesterday he went yapping at the heels of the South Australian state transport minister, Pat Conlon.
Campaign so far: Crikey/Media Monitors index
You see the results in the Crikey/Media Monitors Daily Campaign Index in the first edition each day – the PM comes in top, followed by Kevin Rudd with Cossie in third place. But what other pollies have featured in the election campaign so far?
Crikey Says: Crikey Says
So Mark Latham thinks this is the Seinfeld campaign, a show about nothing? Maybe, maybe not.
Errington: One last scare campaign?
The Reserve Bank has as good as destroyed the Coalition’s chosen election slogan “Go For Growth”. But this is a mere inconvenience for a campaign veteran such as John Howard, writes Wayne Errington.
Downer couldn’t be more wong
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is unimpressed – again – at Kevin Rudd’s ability to speak Mandarin, not to mention his penchant for flaunting the fact. And yet. And yet…
Kilgour: Dumb, dumber, downright stupid and Downer
One thing’s for sure. The winner of this election will spend the first year junking a big bunch of spending promises if they are responsible, writes Adam Kilgour.
Daily campaign top 10
Same old same old over the weekend, with Malcolm’s Turnbull’s Kyoto revelation only punching him one spot higher.
Poll punting – gambling the education fund
It’s not only pollies who are reportedly punting on the election results. Crikey understands that some of the big guns of the trade union movement are making financial investments in the election outcome, writes Christian Kerr.
Campaign Top 10
It was a strong day for the PM yesterday across all media types, the Crikey/Media Monitors Daily Campaign Index shows, writes Christian Kerr.
Ex-Garuda pilot: “No culture of safety”
The hypocrisy of the Alexander Downer and “me too” Kevin Rudd over the Garuda pilots who flew the doomed flight GA 200 like maniacs before killing 21 people including five Australians last March has provoked a sharp response from an Australian pilot who flew for them in the 90s, writes Ben Sandilands.
A Liberal leader from the ashes … Brendan Nelson
There’s counting of votes going on at a very senior level in the Liberal Party but it’s got nothing to do with November 24. It’s for a ballot after then: numbers work for a leadership contest. Crikey understands it’s absolutely serious, writes Christian Kerr.
Crikey Policy Comparison Pt 2: Housing affordability
The housing affordability crisis has been front and centre of this campaign, and when it comes to the two major parties, it’s come down to the battling for the votes of first time home owners. Each party is promising to help save for that much needed deposit, the question is how?
Election? He might as well reign until December
Will the PM push the button for a poll this weekend? I’ve spoken to a range of senior Liberals from ministers down over the past 24 hours. Their response, put colloquially, has been “Search me, guv”, writes Christian Kerr.
A follower not a leader be
When he talks about the war in Iraq, John Howard sounds like a true Burkean conservative. Prime Ministers of course should listen to the views of the people they represent but in the end they should have the courage to do what they think is right, writes Richard Farmer.
The Tuesday Top 20
No surprises on the Crikey-Media Monitors Top 20 for the week of October 2-8. Malcolm Turnbull, saving the best for last, has his highest ever chart rating, writes Christian Kerr.
Rudd’s goes neo-con on Iran
When it comes to American military adventures, John Howard is the Macbeth of Australian politics, but what about Kevin Rudd?
