Dolly Downer actually makes sense for once:
To think the 2010 election would be won by a quick leadership change was “whistling Dixie”, Mr Downer said. To win would require policies and discipline. “They’re going to have to do the hard work, really consolidate their position, and not engage in this sort of indulgence about criticising the leader behind his back.”
Meanwhile, perhaps overdosing on the sound of his own voice after he reportedly spent the weekend leaking against his listening leader, Christopher Pyne - for no apparent reason - makes a stunningly anti-democratic suggestion:
Mr Pyne said he believed the electoral system should be changed so that if a member of the House of Representatives retired, his party could choose a replacement to see out the term.
What are the rest of the mob doing while Nowhere Man wanders the highways and byways of Queensland?
A number of key Liberal figures did not attend yesterday’s shadow cabinet meeting: Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, Greg Hunt, Nick Minchin, Andrew Robb and Malcolm Turnbull had other commitments.
Gosh. Tag-team politics. Perhaps instead of our fusty old constitution, Mr Pyne would like Australia to be governed under the rules of the World Wrestling Federation.
Pyne is an idiot.
“Perhaps instead of our fusty old constitution, Mr Pyne would like Australia to be governed under the rules of the World Wrestling Federation”
I like it. Bring out the folding chairs.
Such rules would unduly favour the manly Mr Abbott.
I wouldn’t be turning my back on J. Bish either.
It’s just as well Latho’s retired. Put the man in a Mexican mask and he’d be the stuff of nightmares.
Read a whole heap of this atuff on Google News this morning. I couldn’t believe my eyes and it made my day.
Casual appointments to be filled by parties? Pyne must have some factional buddies he wants to get to fill Downer’s seat.
I do like Pyne’s suggestion (pdf) that the Liberals adopt a Proportional Representation system for choosing internal party positions in order to avoid the dominance of one “faction” over another in the running of the party. The Australian Democrats allowed the rank and file to choose the parliamentary leaders and Greens Senate preselections are done by postal ballot to the entire state membership. A party must allow its members to have a say if it’s to avoid becoming the empty shell that the ALP has become by allowing the factional system to dominate the party (sorry, have been reading The Latham Diaries).
To quote the late, great Jack Little: “My only comment is … NO COMMENT!!”
“Christopher Pyne - for no apparent reason - makes a stunningly anti-democratic suggestion: Mr Pyne said he believed the electoral system should be changed so that if a member of the House of Representatives retired, his party could choose a replacement to see out the term.”
Now Kimmmy, looky here… that would bring the lower house into line with the far more, obviously, democratic upper house. “The Cone” is obviously up to more of the lat’ral thinkin’ for which he are famous.
Perhaps Pyne should combine his love of PR for Liberal positions with his suggestion for filling casual vacancies by advocating a PR system for the House of Reps which sees casual vacancies filled by a countback on the ballots with the retiring candidate’s second preferences distributed.
Mr Pyne said he believed the electoral system should be changed so that if a member of the House of Representatives retired, his party could choose a replacement to see out the term.
What a bloody spoil sport: one of the best entertainments we’re going to have over the next coupla years is the sequence of House of Reps by-elections. Starting with Gippsland.
If I may quote the banner headline from Monday, 7 April in the “Latrobe Valley Express”:
“Conservative status of Gippsland in doubt [this in red lettering]
It’s now or never for Labor.”
{The venerable Heffernan has already attempted to persuade East Gippsland State MP - and Independent - Craig Ingram, to run for the conservatives. But he failed in the attempt.}
Yer, you’ve got that blood sport factor, Ambigulous @ 11.
Just think, though, how much public money could be saved if the dead wood were to leave, in unison, after an election.
joe2 writes:
Bugger that! Just think how much public money we’d save if the dead wood didn’t bloody run in the first place!.
That’s it - I’ve just used my exclamation mark quota for LP for the entire of the year…
Hey alister, can you imagine how sad you or i would feel if a Green senator fell off their perch, the day after an election and a special election was called to decide what we all had already ticked off on?
The old quick leadership change. Worked once (Hawke, 1983), failed numerous times since. Another tactic where being flaky gets the look of decisiveness. Give it up boys.
Same to you Pyne - another instance where a government minister can’t quite get used to not being in government any more. Another indication that it may be worth putting some beer money on an ALP victory in Gippsland.
Joe2, Senate vacancies are an entirely different kettle of fish to House of Reps vacancies. For one, countbacks are fair given that parties run more than one candidate under a ticket voting scheme.
Have I missed something? Has Dolly retired? What’s with the
– “They’re going to have to do the hard work, really consolidate their position, ?
Julie “snake eyes” Bishop says:
here .
Lost them? Plus Carolines astute quote above from Dolly. I’d wager neither of Dolly or Sulk-o-Stello could get a job shining Ron Walkers shoes, they’re not going anywhere. Abbott having to sell his house because he over-extended - now that’s incredibly funny.
Well spotted, Caroline at 10.56pm
Dolly is enjoying Life in the RAW [Retired At Work]. He draws salary. He has perquisites. He opines. He accumulates super. Dolly Does Radio. He’s having a super time: he grumbles and snarls, washes fishnets. Plenty of time to smell the roses.
He didn’t want to be an Opposition Frontbencher, preferring to be an Opposition Lunchbender.
One day he’ll pick up his tennis racquet and stroll away. It’s a free country; no hurry, no sweat. Not a care in the world.
“A number of key Liberal figures did not attend yesterday’s shadow cabinet meeting: Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, Greg Hunt, Nick Minchin, Andrew Robb and Malcolm Turnbull had
other commitmentsa golf game/lunch date/job interview.”Be fair, jane. If you had to choose betweern Shadow Cabinet and a lunch date, what would YOU do? ummmmm……
If in practice the MPs actually represented their electorate rather than the party and the parties policies then I’d agree with you. But as it is, I think it would make little difference except save a bit of money.
However I would much prefer that MPs in the lower house actually act on behalf of the interests of the people in their electorate. How often do you see MP’s crossing the floor for example? Require that all parties allow their MPs to have a conscience vote on all issues?
Jane @ 20,
Think Robb has a field-marshal’s baton in his knapsack. He’s currently doing the Rudd thing, giving himself massive exposure as shadow Foreign Minister. What’s the bet he’ll soon be a weekly regular on Sunrise or the Today Show? Mind you, Robb is such a dill he’d probably agree to go up against Steven Smith, Gillard or one of those other magnificent Labor women, and thus end up proving he really is a dill.