Looks like a challenge might be on. The Chaser’s Dominic Knight has suggested a hashtag: #deathspill
Will Robb do better than Gerald the Gnome?
Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas
Larvatus Prodeo is an Australian group blog which discusses politics, sociology, culture, life, religion and science from a left of centre perspective. more»
» SUBSCRIBE to LP updates.
Black dog savages cockroach!
I’m not surprised Robb is challenging Bishop. She is the weakest link in the chain. I’ve only seen her stand behind the countless Coalition leaders nodding her head.
Probably next in line will be Eric Abetz challenging the meaning of life.
Well, that didn’t last long. The tweets are a-saying that he won’t be standing for deputy after all. Possibly for shadow Treasurer.
By all means make Robb deputy Liberal leader. He tells such egregious lies that even the OO won’t be able to cover up for him. Abbott and Malcolm better watch out, though. Methinks the man has several knives as well as a baton in his knapsack.
Doesn’t Robb suffer from some sort of mental illness?
Sam @ 5: how is that relevant?
Regardless of the challenge going ahead or not is it usual to run a caucus spill for the deputy leader’s position?
“She is the weakest link in the chain.”
I’d have ‘em all flushed.
Gummo 6, maybe Robb thought he was challenging, but he was actually hallucinating.
@akn: theoretically, all parties put the question of parliamentary party leadership to their members after an election, win or lose, and both leader and deputy positions are put to the test. If the leaders are in a strong position post-election, there’s normally no challenges. There’s not a hint of a whisper of anybody about to challenge Abbott, for example.
@Sam – that’s a very cheap shot.
Thats inappropriate Sam.
that’s a very cheap shot.
Thats inappropriate Sam.
What about Katz @1and his black dog crac ?! Sheesh.
So much for rhetorical questions. Still reckon Robb’s health – physical and mental – is off-topic. Not that this topic has much life in it, now that the challenge has been dropped.
Still reckon Robb’s health – physical and mental – is off-topic.
While you are playing by the Marquess of Queensbury’s rules, Gummo, the other side will happily knee you in the nuts.
For what it’s worth, Robb spent about three months last year on leave due to depression. I did wonder if he might have been behind Abbott’s mental health proposal. Interestingly, Robb wrote an article in 2005 ‘A philosophy of liberalism’ about the importance of personal responsibility. I wonder if his illness made him reflect on how difficult it can be for many people to help themselves, particularly those suffering from mental health problems. While it was good he spoke about his depression, I’m not at all a fan of the man and don’t think he would be a popular deputy leader.
Here was I thinking you were talking about Bronny Bishop, now that would be fun.
Robb vs Bishop – should I recycle, yet again, that quote from Rob Schaap about his cat’s diahorrhea vs its vomit? Seems I get the urge to requote constantly – unfortunately!
That one whooshed by me, to be frank. You’re right that it’s no better once I realise what the black dog bit is about.
I must confess I laughed at Katz’ quip, although I agree it was a tad mean-spirited.
Yes, can we please leave depression out of the list of things we can beat people with, no matter how vile they may be?
And Sam, I don’t care if they will knee us in the nuts. If a society can’t be just without going under, then maybe it doesn’t deserve to survive. Besides, nothing is gained by playing that card.
Sam@15, true, but that only leads you to accepting their paradigm. Machine-gunning asylum seekers, anyone?
ABC online says that Julie Bishop has quite a bit of support – hence Robb changing his mind (for now)….but Bishop’s support from whom, and why??? I find that intriguing, as I can’t say she has impressed me very much. Not to make a comparison, but I guess Jenny Macklin worked with a few leaders in her time as Deputy as well. So maybe Bishop is a good back room operator? Or to put it a bit more bluntly, what is she actually good at???
Western Australia.
Raising money to fund Liberal Party election campaigns. Where from, I hear you ask. See above.
Machine-gunning asylum seekers, anyone?
Tell me you’re not serious, AE
Andrew Robb was the best the Libs could find for an economic spokesperson during the election, and he was hopeless. To think he thought he would be a serious contender for the 2IC of his party really shows where this guy is at.
Then again, Julie Bishop reminds me of one of those stand in brides at a Las Vegas bridal chapel, and about as effective.
Yeees, DInr, but really couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke, just the same.
I suspect they invented this challenge. It lets them emphasise how successful the current leadership was, and how they won’t be desiring any changes. Robb might have briefly canvassed the deputy position, but he quickly saw sense (look how united we are as a party) etc. See Pyne on Lateline tonight.
Robb’s no idiot. The campaign continues.
The art was in the whoosh.
It wasn’t a dog whistle. It was a black dog whistle.
According to the SMH Robb was put back in his box by the powerbrokers of the Liberal party. Strangely no one is referring to them as faceless.
I think any commentary in respect to mental health is completely off and about the same level of commentary in the foodchain as Stephanie Rice’s inappropriate tweets. The one thing that the coalition really stood out on in the election was a clearly superior mental health policy which Julia should run with as soon as possible herself.
Julie Bishop is a Liberal Party moderate like Pyne whereas Robb is somewhat more economically dry his real target is Hockey another Liberal party moderate. When Turnbull gets his front bench position expect that he will free range across the economic spectrum and be extremely effective. He is also a moderate. Therefore the moderates will have the upper hand at the top of the leadership pile. The Liberals will have to move further to the centre to gain any traction over the next few months when both parties will clearly suffer serious internal stability problems.
After the ministeries and shadow ministerioes are announced today there will be some seriously unhappy campers on both sides. There will therefore be a lot of off the record quotes hitting journalists these next few weeks. This will evolve into a battleground between Fairfax and News Limited
“Or to put it a bit more bluntly, what is she actually good at???” Out staring toads gnomes.
I’m surprised it’s only Bishop who was challenged (or not).
I know Tony’s the hero of the Liberal Party at the moment, but where are the rumblings against him?
His ineptitude on NBN and his intransigence on climate change cost him the votes of Windsor and Oakeshott – and therefore cost his party government.
What’s it going to take before the friends of Malcolm start to point the finger rather than slap his back?
Gummo@6 it might be relevant in the sense that Anthony Eden’s illness and its treatment with amphetamines might have been relevant to our understanding of his decision to invade Suez.
bmh @34:
First, let’s try to compare apples with apples, oranges with oranges. Which means we shouldn’t be comparing Robb’s experience with depression with Anthony Eden’s experience with a botched gall bladder removal and Robb’s experience of depression. The effect of Napoleon’s haemorhoids on the outcome of Waterloo has as much relevance here as your Anthony Eden example.
Second, given that botched gall bladder removals can have suvh a major effect on the polity, and itching haemorhoids such a profound effect on military history, what’s so special about Robb’s (alleged) mental illness. Sod all, that’s what. There are plenty of reasons to criticise (even mock) Robb’s politics and his (short-lived) decision to challenge Julie Bishop without going down the “Robb has/had a mental illness therefore he’s completely whacko” route. Maybe he’s just completely whacko independent of any mental illness.