Btw, Sacha, there’s no great mystery about Bligh’s preselection. She was anointed by Warner. That’s about all that needs to be said.

I asked about Anna Bligh’s preselection in case anyone here had any additional information about it - all I know about it is that I was at an ALP branch meeting in West End when it became known that Anne Warner had decided to retire, and someone said that it had been decided that Anna Bligh would be the candidate. Whether “it had been decided” meant that a deal had been done or that it was merely someone’s good idea, I don’t know.

I remember reading about the preselection for Sth Brisbane after Kurilpa (held by Anne Warner) and Sth Brisbane (held by Jim Fouras) were basically amalgamated in the redistribution before the ‘86 state election (Brisbane Central went across the river to take a portion of Sth Brisbane). Jim Fouras popped up as the member for Ashgrove in the ‘89 election (Ashgrove had been variously held by the Liberals and the ALP in the previous few elections).

cheerio

Where’d your gravvy go, Nabs?

Out for a crap in the neighbour’s flowerbed.

OK he’s back now but doing that disgusting balls and arse licking thing now. “On the phone” as I like to call it.

Very similar patterns are emerging among financially secure high achievers of similar vintage across a range of professions at the wealthiest end of first world countries.

Sometimes a career in politics is just a career.

(Except we should specify that he be alive at the election - we’re betting on him being deposed or resigning, not dying which is a remote possibility).

FWIW, I think Costello would be a disaster for two reasons:

(1) He’s very undisciplined and has been quite a scrappy campaigner prone to scoring own goals. The shorter the incumbency, the worse that he’s likely to be.

(2) Whether or not he makes any policy or rhetorical changes, it can all be painted as insincere desparation at this stage of the game. And looks like panic.

And I thought you were one of the smarties too! I don’t think Costello would prosper as PM for any length of time, and I’m not saying he’d win if elected now, but I think it’s the only thing that gives the Libs a chance. Honeymoon effects and all that. I think Howard is a dead duck.

Mark,

Happy to bet you $10 that Howard won’t lead the Libs to the next election. (though given the state of the opinionosphere, I’m really offering the bet to make my - contrarian - point. I guess given everyone else’s point of view, I should be holding out for 2:1 odds or better, but there you go.) An easy $10 for you.

Howard cannot win. Costello might be able to pull things back.

Nicholas Gruen! And I thought you were one of the smarties. Howard might not be able to win - might not - but Costello couldn’t win in a thousand years. Unctuous arrogant disdainful snob that he is, he’s completely transparent to voters. And hence completely unelectable.

Trackback: http://tphcm.blogspot.com/2007/09/beatties-gone.html

Thanks, Mark.