As for being an effective Opposition, all they know is bad-mouthing anything-and-everything that Labor comes up with. Nothing else. The voters soon got sick of their perpetual whinging, their lack of co-operation with Labor when such was necessary and their lack of worthwhile alternatives.

Let’s see if Mr Springborg is radically better than his predecessors - especially now that the Liberals, as a party, are doomed.

You’re right, especially when The West was instrumental in getting the ban on talking to Burke lifted when Carpenter was elected leader. And it’s also interesting to note that since the Liberal FOI feed got squashed by McGinty releasing the whole lot publicly, THe Worst are now reduced to whinging about how the CCC is evil by running the Fong /Burke Inquiry in secret, while the others were public.

No doubt they wanted the Fong one to be public so they could have a field day plublishing the transcripts of the phone taps.

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23164039-2761,00.html

But, again, aren’t the Libs who think your way barking up the wrong tree? Surely the Nationals and Liberals both are far too obsessed with personalities and the search for an electoral messiah when a distinctive policy approach and really doing a good job in holding Labor to account would prove more electorally fruitful. It’s not as though the Bligh government is above criticism!

He was one of the first Qld Lib Federal parliamentarians to openly stand up against Santo’s dodginess and I think that he is one of the few Liberals who entered parliament to actually make a difference in people’s lives. Some may dislike his heavy-handedness and paternalistic, army commander style approach - and to an extent I agree they have a point. However, I think as a Liberal, it’s impoprtant to support politicians on the Right with charisma, enthusiasm and with what appear to be good intentions. As a person he is also quite a moderate fellow with considered views on different social issues.

I have to say that I was honestly quite surprised at the result in his seat. A number of my friends were involved in that campaign and really worked the seat hard. From what I understand, extensive exit-polling was done after the election which showed that while Brough had a very high personal approval rating, in the 2007 election voters in Longman opted to punish his party and John Howard (in particular) for Workchoices and toughening/increased bureaucratisation of Centrelink requirements.

It is bizarre to me that people like Brough cannot be invited into an existing seat while talentless hacks like Johnson and Slipper continue to slink on the parliamentary benches.

He got the highest swing against him of any sitting Liberal member to lose their seat, if I recall. Much higher than the statewide swing.

The Qld Nationals have struggled with actual policy for almost 10 years now. The biggest problem facing them is the still moribund party organisation which ensures that old white men maintain their grip on party policy and organisation. They need to let younger, more educated voices like Dom Katter, Cripps and Goodwin (Nat #4 senate candidate soon to succeed Boswell) start taking a more prominent role in policy generation and at the same time encourage more women (and diverse candidates in general!) to run.

Oh for heaven’s sake! Politics in Australia is a rough-and-tough game.

95% 0f the Nationals’ problems are the Liberals.

Why doesn’t Springborg just give up the idea of a merger. Tell the Liberals to disband their failed excuse for a party. Tell Brandis and his ilk to just shut up and apply for membership of the National Party right now - or spend the rest of their careers on the crossbenches doing crosswords. Then get on with the real business of running a Tory party.

Springborg’s pussyfooting around will only lead to his own political demise.

If he’s a leader, he has to show leadership and lead the way out of this unholy mess.