Let the post NSW election recriminations begin!
While Debnam has stated that he wants to contest the 2011 NSW Election, it seems that his deputy Barry O’Farrell has the same idea.
This is going to be a one hell of a factional battle. There is a feeling withing the Liberals that John Brogden could have won the election except for the far Right’s power plays. A sentiment echoed by John Hewson’s op-ed in today’s SMH.
O’Farrell will be setting himself against the dominant right-wing of the party. It promises to be an ugly fight for the soul of the NSW Liberals.
They have one?
Yes, and it thinks it’s going to heaven.
O’Faz should have been the leader long ago. The vote will be perilously close and the winner will be inconclusive but Debnam really is not a viable option.
I guess I’m going to have to be the one to disagree. I actually think O’Farrell’s leadership challenge is shaping up as a feit accompli. I find it very interesting that, despite their much-vaunted power, absolutely nothing has been heard from the lunatic right in recent days, combined with the news that the moderates seem to be seriously regrouping. There have been a number of stories today suggesting Debnam could struggle to get 1/3 of the caucus to vote for him, even with the support of David Clarke and friends.
I would have expected a bloodbath if Debnam was challenged a few months ago. However, think the weight of the election defeat, and especially how badly the lunatic right-driven policies played out in the electorate have switched the momentum back to the moderates, and managed to get the Clarkites to pull their collective heads in. I can see traces of the early 1980s here, when Greiner managed to pull the party together and eradicate an earlier wave of similar madness.
The Clarkites are pro-PELL- driven. Under previous Vat flags the R.C.s were to a man all backing the Labor right.
The Clarkites are Pell driven. Under previous Vat Sydney Red Hats R.Cs to a man backed Labor Right.That old Santamaria divide & confuse stuff has migrated north.
Agree with Rebecca here. Despite his cockiness on election night, I think most of the thinking Libs will jump at the chance to swap Debnam for O’Farrell.
I think Antonio is correct, if they had O’Farrell the election would have been a lot closer. Interesting to see how Baird and Goward fare, both future leadership contenders, as is the member Willougby – all moderates.
Rebecca,
The moderates are not regrouping effectively at all. I have no idea where you are getting that from. Once again, it seems that the media and the commentariat have no freakin idea of what actually goes on in the Liberal party.
The first sign of factional regrouping is splits and defections – there have been none. The most powerful and cost-effective factional foot soldiers are the Young Liberals which are completely owned by the Clarke “Catholic/Evangelical” Right (as opposed to the Dry/Protestant Right) with the exception of some valiant branches. Similarly, every campus Liberal club is controlled by the Clarke-ites with the exception of Uni of Woolloongong Liberal Club.
Every organisational unit of the NSW Liberal party is controlled by the Clarke forces as reiterated by John Hewson today. The key unit to watch is the Women’s council which in the past had always been a supporter of the Moderates. At this stage the Clarke Right control Women’s Council by a workable majority. Another one to watch for is the splintering of the Dry/Protestant Right from the Clarke forces. When you hear Bill Heffo speak out against Clarke then you will know that the game is up.
In addition, state executive elections have been held over for a year to let factional infighting calm down. As you can imagine, this has had the entirely opposite effect.
The advantage that the moderates have in the NSW parliament is that they tend to hold the seats in the safest areas. However, the Right has smashed a number of Upper House Spots which gives them a marginal parliamentary buffer. The key for O’Faz will be to carve off enough floaters to get over the line. My information is that the vote will be VERY close.
Please though, try to contribute informed comment about the organisation status of the Liberal Party which is not reliant on the media or the often uninformed commentariat.
Well said, Antonio. I’ve no idea why O’Farrell even wants to have a go at being target number one for the next four years, especially having been so close to so much dirtbaggery over the last eight. Does he somehow think he’ll be immune from shit-buckets and corridor gossip should he win?
I know I for one am not at all looking forward to the idea of Matthew Mason-Cox MLC as the Liberals’ token youngster in the Loser’s Lounge. Oh bring back, bring back, oh bring back John Ryan to meeee!
Oh, by the way—”moose knuckle”. Term I was introduced to by text message from a very well-informed colleague this evening. Damn.
There was a lovely quote reported on the front page of the SMH this morning:
Just beautiful.