Australian Politics: Libs Go Crazy

OK. So the Liberal Party appears to be imploding in a way not seen since the Labor Party split over Communism in the 1950s.

The latest is that the Malcontents want to try to defer today's Senate vote on the ETS, work the numbers over the weekend and have Abbott challenge Turnbull on Monday.

Things are moving at such a pace that nothing would suprise me at the moment. All I know is this makes the infighting during the Howard/Peacock years look like an absolute love-in.

good point re the grouper inspired split in the 50's ALP...very similar politics by kevin andrews and tony abbot...

perhaps this is the time for Bronny Bishop to step forward and unite the Libs around something...whatever it/she is

Does it matter?

Hass wrote:OK. So the Liberal Party appears to be imploding in a way not seen since the Labor Party split over Communism in the 1950s.

The latest is that the Malcontents want to try to defer today's Senate vote on the ETS, work the numbers over the weekend and have Abbott challenge Turnbull on Monday.

Things are moving at such a pace that nothing would suprise me at the moment. All I know is this makes the infighting during the Howard/Peacock years look like an absolute love-in.

aye. It's fun to watch. Democracy in the raw.

PeterCS wrote:Does it matter?

Only to those that matter.

I haven't really read up much on this, but some people are saying that this ETS bill is not really different to the one Howard was putting forth at the 2007 election. Why was Abbot and co. not threatening Howard back then?

That's weird. Posts not posting.

Apparently she with the freaky eyes has tapped Mr T on the shoulder and asked him the fark orf.

Will Joe Hockey make a good Opposition leader? Can't help but think it might fark up the oen decent pollie in the Libs ranks.

Apparently Joe Hockey is also going to throw his hat into the ring. Surely if he is elected leader that would be like the Libs putting up the white flag.

Also, from Howard to Nelson to Turnbull to Abbott/ Hockey, the Libs are getting very Sydney centric. No wonder everyone hates them other than Radio 2GB.

That's a snap, JGK.

Apparently Joe Hockey is also going to throw his hat into the ring. Surely if he is elected leader that would be like the Libs putting up the white flag.

I've lost track of developments this morning but surely Hockey smart enough to understand that he's to the left of Turnbull on social issues and therefore he's not the animal that the Liberal base is screaming for.

What they need is a Jeremy Thorpe type father figure.

Haven't got a clue about the ETS or climate change, but this is the reason people go to speedways, demolition derbys or monster truck shows.

Well FMD, looks like Smokin' Joe Hockey is going to get the gig.

rofl.....tho I was hoping bronny would get in ...feel sorry for hockey the libs will get slaughtered

Political suicide by Joe.

Likeable guy

But simply too young and inexperienced.

Doesn't have enough contacts internationally and is not a viable alternative.

Why?

I love the smell of Liberal blood in the water...

[quote="Mick Sawyer"]

Apparently Joe Hockey is also going to throw his hat into the ring. Surely if he is elected leader that would be like the Libs putting up the white flag.

I've lost track of developments this morning but surely Hockey smart enough to understand that he's to the left of Atilla the Hun on social issues and therefore he's not the animal that the Alan Jones crowd is screaming for

Fixed.

Hockey doesn't look like an option at this stage.

Joe says he'll only put his hat in the ring if Malcolm steps aside. But Turnbull says his opponents will have to blast him out.

That means it's shaping up as a ding-dong battle between Abbott and Turnbull.

The renegades look like they will be able to stop a Senate vote taking place on Monday, meaning if Turnbull gets rolled on Tuesday we could be headed for a double dissolution.

This is fascinating stuff...

Hard to see how they'll support any form of ETS...they'd be abandoning their base and the back bench are shitting themselves as it is.

The thing is the anti-ETS crowd made their own bed when they gave Turnbull permission to negotiate ammendments.

Had they opposed it then, (and I'm talking Abbott etc. here) it would have given Turnbull some hope of coming up with an alternative policy. Perhaps it could have been a revenue neutral carbon tax with minor compensation for industry (giving them a policy to reduce carbon emissions that couldn't be classified as a tax grab - you'd think many of the climate change skeptics could have lived with that).

But no, they let Turnbull walk all the way to the edge before staging a revolt when they didn't get their way.

Quite simply it has been a disgraceful act of political treachery and bastardry by the anti-Turnbull forces. The party is now at war with itself and it is all their fault.

skully wrote:Apparently she with the freaky eyes has tapped Mr T on the shoulder and asked him the fark orf.

Will Joe Hockey make a good Opposition leader? Can't help but think it might fark up the oen decent pollie in the Libs ranks.

It would be interesting having a leader of the Liberal party who is to the left of the leader of the Labor party.

Turnbull is an unelectable tosser, and there is no hope for the Liberal party while he remains in Parliament. It doesn't matter who replaces him at this point.

skully . . . now is your moment . . . .