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Backroom politics crash the party

Simon Benson

by Simon Benson

22 Feb 06:00am

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Filed under: Alex Hawke, David Clarke, Election 2010, Liberal Party, Nsw, Politics

37 comments

WHEN Abraham Lincoln famously said that a house divided against itself cannot stand, he didn’t have the Liberal Party in mind. But had he been born 250 years later, he may well have.

You've probably never heard of David Clarke.

Although, in the case of the Libs it’s more of a church than a house. Tony Abbott and Barry O’Farrell may be breathing a sigh of relief after the party’s NSW upper house preselection vote on Friday which saw David Clarke, the so called head of the party’s “religious right” fend off a challenge from the less religious right.

But what will concern them is that Clarke won by only 14 votes, which means in real terms that 7 more people voted for him than David Elliot, the former Australian Hotels Association executive being backed by Clarke’s former staffer Alex Hawke.

The fragile peace that exists in the NSW Liberal Party between the moderates and the hard right groups is just that: fragile, as the vote on Friday demonstrated. It hangs together for no other reason than Clarke decided to end the holy war between the factions after they lost the last State election in 2007.

For O’Farrell, Clarke’s win means the stability he has enjoyed for the past year may continue through to March 2011 when, barring a divine intervention on behalf of NSW Labor, they should win Government.

Weirdly, Clarke’s mortal enemy, the moderate former NSW MP Michael Photios, became one of Clarke’s backers. Perhaps this was maturity. He would have known the consequences if Clarke had been rolled.

But the problem isn’t going to go away for Abbott.

Hawke is a Federal Liberal MP - one of his backbenchers – and the loss on Friday will do nothing to deter his efforts to undermine Clarke and get him out of Parliament.

The source of this acrimony is a mystery to most people. If the Liberal Party was a mother, you’d have to think it is some kind of Oedipus complex.

Hawke was once regarded as one of Clarke’s Knights, working out of his Macquarie Street office, pursuing numbers for his own political future with Clarke’s help. He was every bit as socially conservative as well.

It seems that Hawke, however, has discovered that the future for ambitions young Federal Liberal MPs is through the moderate cause.

And the best way to do that?  Dump on your former conservative master.

Of course, this doesn’t explain why Abbott risks being beset with the same factional warfare that plagued the NSW Liberal party room in Opposition.

The religious right is a bit of a misnomer. Sure, they all subscribe to socially conservative views on policy. Stem cells, abortion, injecting rooms, the usual.

But so do half the Catholics in the Labor Party. What about the PM himself?

He is probably the most pious PM the country has ever had, happy to have his photograph taken outside church of a Sunday, as has NSW Labor Premier Kristina Keneally.

The real issue is not religion but factionalism in the Liberal Party, particularly in the federal party room.

In the case of Clarke, he used religion as a branch stacking exercise. Recruiting Balkan Christians wasn’t to get more members of Opus Dei into Parliament, it was about getting numbers in the branches in north western Sydney, to build his political power base.

The problem Abbott faces is the same that faced Peter Debnam after the dumping of John Brogden. The moderates revolted against what they saw as the Right’s takeover of the State’s executive and the leadership.

Highlighting the deep divisions within Abbott’s caucus was the fact that a dozen of his backbenchers wrote letters of support for Clarke, pitting them against Hawke and his forces.

Leading the charge was Abbott himself. But the majority of the others, including Eric Abetz and Nick Minchin aren’t even from NSW.

It should not be forgotten that these were the same forces that overthrew Turnbull. The preselection stoush on Friday night was as much a test of the battle for dominance between the Right and the moderates in Canberra following the vacuum left with John Howard’s departure.

The question is whether the Federal Liberals are destined to follow in the footsteps of the NSW State Libs. It was factionalism that ensured they stayed in Opposition, not policy.

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37 comments

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    • Darren says:

      07:30am | 22/02/10

      it has been interesting observing the differing comments on the statements and actions of ‘golden boy’ Mike Baird - either he has misled Elliott or the Herald - I understand that he has moved quite close to Clarke who approves of his ‘moral’ stance on homosexual law reform.

      Reply

    • Joe Hill says:

      09:49am | 22/02/10

      Mike Baird is just lining himself up for a tilt at the leadership, he will sway whichever way the numbers take him

    • iansand says:

      07:36am | 22/02/10

      The NSW Liberal’s religious nuttery is the only thing that could stop me voting for them next time round.  I probably will, though, as getting rid of the current set of venal incompetents will override that concern.

      By the way - it will be the first time I will vote for a major party in about 20 years.

      Reply

    • M Klitzke says:

      08:04am | 22/02/10

      Abraham Lincoln did not invent the saying “A house divided from against itself cannot stand”  - Jesus Christ said it first 2000 years ago. See Luke 11:17 in the Bible

      Reply

    • David says:

      03:37pm | 22/02/10

      The character of Jesus may be the first to have the phrase attributed to him (at least via the author of Luke) but whether it was said 2000 years ago?

    • Harquebus says:

      10:31am | 22/02/10

      If you are foolish enough to fall for that religious garbage then, you can not be trusted to make a sane or rational decision. Rudd, Conroy and Abbott are typical examples.

      Reply

    • Tom says:

      04:44pm | 22/02/10

      Agreed. And why exactly do they have to shove their own superstitious beliefs down the throats of the rest of us?

    • Steve says:

      10:32am | 22/02/10

      Lol!, good call Klitzke :p and I think the term the “religious right” in the context of Australian politics is used a bit much. Do we have a religious left?, can’t say I’ve ever heard them being complained about. Do these politicians really define their whole political ideology through their religious beliefs? Or are commentators increasingly too quick to do this for them?

      Reply

    • joe says:

      11:03am | 22/02/10

      I agree totally Steve. I think we should hear terms like the “far left greens” or “green faith believers” (think Gaia), or “envirosocialists”,  to describe people like Clive Hamilton and his followers, much more in the media than a term lifted from US politics like “religious right”.

    • Joe says:

      10:58am | 22/02/10

      Thanks for pointing out that this kind of stuff is about factions and not beliefs. I get sick of right wing conspiracy type stories saying the church is taking over a political party or such. As you point out about holding conservative beliefs “so do half the Catholics in the Labor Party. What about the PM himself?” (If only Rudd knew what he actually stood for - but that is another topic)

      Its more of an issue when these MPs especially in the Labor party fail to stand up on moral issues for factional reasons as just happened in QLD with the passing of a surrogacy bill which allows single men, women and gay couples access to surrogacy… Only 2 of the conservatives on the Labor side crossed the floor on this conscience vote.

      Reply

    • Daniel says:

      12:26pm | 22/02/10

      There is as much infighting in the Liberal Party as in the ALP. Thats why at the next NSW election all voters in NSW with any brains need to vote 1 Greens.

      Reply

    • E says:

      01:07pm | 22/02/10

      Greens = Land Rights for Gay Whales

      Theyre a political sideshow, I’ll vote independent.

    • Tom says:

      04:49pm | 22/02/10

      You do realise the Greens will almost certainly give their preferences to Labor, so basically you are voting for a continuation of what we already have. I don’t like the NSW Libs in the slightest, but they can’t be any worse than what we have.

    • Fed up and sick of them says:

      05:38pm | 22/02/10

      Oh boy what a dilema, I am a labor voter, but in New south Wales you have to be blind deaf and dumb not to realise their is a problem. I like The Greens, but I also know they will never run N.S.W sadly. I don’t like The Liberals , all this with Tony Abbottt has turned me dead off them. So my next and only option is vote independant , I have no idea who they give their preferences to. Or I could put in a donkey vote.
      In my local newspaper today it said all of N.S.W is going to pay $30 more for car registration to pay for all these improvements Sydney is getting and to pay these contractors compensation for the scheme Labor abandoned. I have seriously had enough of them. Why should my town and country New South Wales pay for Sydney and their bungles? Give us all a break. They already raised our electricity bill, we are paying enough.

    • H of SA says:

      12:33pm | 22/02/10

      Its a good point about Catholics in the Labor party. For every left member of the Labor party there is probaly 1.4 Irish Catholic ’ fair days pay for a fair days work” people.

      Reply

    • M Klitzke says:

      12:37pm | 22/02/10

      I am not sure about “religious” people - whether they belong to Bhuddism, Hinduism, New Ageism, Pantheism, Atheisism, Agnotiscism, Islam, Animism, Humanism. Socialism, Libralism, or any other of the many “isms”...........I do find it tiresome however some who are patently ignorant about such things lump Christianiy in with these man-made “religions”
      - for me being a Christian is a relationship, not a “religion.” For me “religion” is man made and not worth a fig. For me I have a relationship with the Living God, His Holy Spirit and His Son Jesus Christ - He is there, He does care, I don’t think He is into politics - Jesus had some pretty strong things to say about the religious/political leaders of when He walked this earth.  I personally do not follow any man-made political party.  Look at the planet - where has man-made “wisdom” got mankind ???? Couple of other things from the Bible - “the fool says in his heart - ‘there is no God’ and “knowledge of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  Before some of you who love to berate those with a Christian belief let me ask you - when your life is under threat - who do YOU go to??? I know Who I go to. “I know my Redeemer Liveth.  Enjoy your day. :0)

      Reply

    • J says:

      01:28pm | 22/02/10

      So, only your personal relationship with God is real.  Good for you.  And this makes no diference to your institutional relations or political affiliations?  I se you make use of Handel’s Primitive Christian text for the Messiah.

    • David says:

      03:45pm | 22/02/10

      Oh wow… uh do you actually realise how trivial your post is? Nevermind all those other “religions” they’re false however Christianity is true! Your evidence for Christianity claims? The claims themselves? Surely you can concede there are people in other faiths who feel as you feel and express similar accounts for their contact and connection with their God of choice? You have no way of placing your own religion over any other withou simultaneously pulling your own down. When times are tough, I turn to my friends, family, peers but mostly myself - I take the strength I have within myself to over come challenges and adversity. I need no God to be a good, productive member of society. Furthermore, my concern over the highly religious nature of our politicians (on my sides of the fence) is centred around the kind of egocentrism you just exhibited, with your over confidence of a purely subjective experience of reality (at best) and some connection to a fount of objective moral causes - this is the kind of overconfident ideology that produces terrorists.

    • S says:

      01:16pm | 22/02/10

      The over through of Turnbill was bound to happen.  It so just happened as Turnbull was to be next on the list for leader of the opposition.  Turnbill come in on the reviser of the E.O but his party were grossly undivided, hence he did not have his parties backing.  A bit like the state labours Parties squabbling over their seats. 
      If you stand back and look at this ridiculous behavior, which could only be viewed upon as a political scrum in a political footy match.  It appears that our system is consistently as disarray and has been for some time.

      Some many year ago whilst I was studying Humanities -(Politics) pre/post WW11, I had kind of made a personnel view point, “Australia was up for grabs”. 
      Howard had the ideology that Australia needed a leader that had a strong viewpoint.  A man that comes across that could sell Australia as having it all together.  This was far from the truth.  Look it most certainly installed that faith back into the people of Australia but just doing that is not enough.  Mind you, he kept his seat for a while but on the flip side there wasn’t another set group that could have cut through the Howard Governments network at that time.  All were quite comfy in their seats and we will all leave things along.  In other words ‘don’t cut off the hand that feeds you’.
      Lets turn the back time of the Keating Gov. with his “A RECESSION THAT WE HAD TO HAVE”.  What a lot of horse manure his statement really was.  But still you could say he also did the Howard thing, but rather Keating with his lovable silver tongue, the charisma, the humour and a talent for divinely conferred power.

      I could go on and on about past Governments and still be typing it out over a few days.  The point I am making is that are system of Government really needs an overhaul.  You may say a more-so solid core form of Government.  More stable at the core so as the Australian people could depend upon.  I am not suggesting to go as the Sharia Law way that is too destructive for the likes of us and is not the Ozzie way.  Rather the Executive arm of government to become more steadfast in the working of government and not been treated as if it is a Government that acts like an agent and is in the business of selling franchise.  Selling it to any country or group to buy a franchise if they come up with the Do-Ray-Me $$$$.  The deal is done along with a hopefully happy chappie new customer.  Added to this also, it is a ludicrous idea to import/buy people from offshore countries to fund our universities, filling position that could be filled by our own people.  Further to this is the added input of more and more people from offshore countries to either fill our labour market with skilled labour and non skilled labour positions.  This is an absolutely idiotic scheme and far too long in the tooth – use by date has expired.  This pratice still continues and not for the sake of the Australian people by rather, for the sake of the $$$$$$$ and only for the sake of the $$$$$.  Who and what gets the $$$$$’s.  The Harvey Norman type of folk.  The same type of folk that would rather wipe that hands off the Australian people and set the business to another country where that labour is cheap.  The same type folk that deny Australian people whom are needy for that same work all because the others are much cheaper?  I am talking about the Australian people.  Australian children, our young future Australians?  It is one thing to have good alliance with niebouring countries and our allies so to speak, but, not to the point of liquidating our own for the sake of our country, our Australia.  It is like selling bits and pieces of your home with a little bit here and little bit more there, until finally you have practially sold your whole soul.  Not good!!
      The European recovery Program that Australian had is role to play the big global Picture and did so very well indeed.  Allowing people to immigrate to Australia was great back then and it has served its purpose very well.  Hey, World War 11 if over rover – it is over!
      Let us all by part of the future.  The Australian dream.  Let us look after our own people first then build on that.  WE have more than enough of diversity for us to handle thank-you very much.  Also, it is an absolute insult to be asked to show tolerance with people that come from a society that literally hate our beliefs.  The many and very people that crudely shone there noses at our women and us as if we were a country of idiots.  Uneducated, lazy, women have too much to say are the comment you hear.  Shocking isn’t it.

      Reply

    • bella starkey says:

      02:34pm | 22/02/10

      Yeah the only thing I find shocking is your grasp of the english language.

    • Glenn T. says:

      01:19pm | 22/02/10

      What I find most galling about David Clarke is that, at the expense of you and me, taxpayers, is that he is provided with plush office accommodation, staff, expenses of all manner in addition to a handsome salary, with no real work to speak of.
      He is free to pursue his uber-conservative agenda, all quite unrelated to the best interests of the people he represents. Should the Libs win the election it would be a good idea to make this man a Minister of something-or-other to soak up the spare time he has on his hands at the present time. Being a ‘below the line’ voter I will place him at the bottom along with the Shooters party candidates.

      Reply

    • M Klitzke says:

      02:16pm | 22/02/10

      Poor J as I said it is usually the ignorant who rave against Christians and their beliefs. For your information J, so you will not continue on in your ignorance, the words of Handel’s “Messiah” are lifted from the Bible Isiaih, Job etc. As the Bible says “knowledge of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” 
      If J took the time he/she wastes of ill-informed comment to read the Bible he/she may find that many sayings attributed to humans have their roots in the Bible.  Read it and grow wise J. Don’t make foolish unfounded comment.

      Reply

    • H of SA says:

      03:15pm | 22/02/10

      Is it just me or does a lack of courtesy seem to be a requirement for being an atheist?

      Reply

    • Rude Atheist says:

      03:51pm | 22/02/10

      Is a dangerous mixture of ignorance and arrogance a requirement to be a theist?

      I would say it isn’t but then again I’m not the kind of person to make broad sweeping character assessments for a heterogenous group of people who simply share a belief (or lack thereof).

    • M Klitzke says:

      04:08pm | 22/02/10

      Poor David, another speaking out of his two dimensional reality. Sad.  Not everything can be seen and sadly you are not aware apparently how important the unseen things are to our daily lives - faith, (do you check that your chair can hold you every time you sit down - if you don’t you sit by faith - if you thing about it we all do many things by faith) love, pain cannot be seen ( but it sure exists) can you show me on your hand one of your thoughts David??  Even something as basic as electricity cannot be seen - electromagnetic fields cannot be “seen,” can evil be seen and measured??? We know it exists - only a fool would deny it. Good exists - we cannot measure it but we know it exists. You have a narrow view of the world which is sad.  How about death - can you show me that - of course not. You can show me someone taking their last breath but you cannot show me death, you cannot measure it you cannot weigh it - but it exists for you and for me. The difference between us though is I know where I am going when I die, I know it with a certainty you cannot understand from your limited viewpoint. Do you know where you are going?????? (before you rush in with -” into a coffin and either a grave or crematorium” that is only your fleshly remains, even scientists are starting to realise there is more to a human being than what we can see.  The spirit lives on - it is our choice where we live for eternity. God bless.

      Reply

    • David says:

      01:07am | 23/02/10

      Keep your pity. I do not claim everything can be seen but simply because the concept can exist in our mines does not make it “real” depending on how you define such a term. Frankly your rhetoric is unchallenging because for all these things you describe we can observe and measure their effects and if they are a part of nature they are studiable, definable and understandable. The fact that these mysteries have been answered by the assumption that God exists does nothing to explain the manner in which they exist or how they fit into the universe we are gradually coming to understand (but have an idea of how little we really know). My mind is open to whatever we have robust evidence for, yours on the otherhand seems simultaneously open to all kinds of poetic nonsense but also closed to the fact that you offer no evidence or support for your Christianity. Why aren’t you a Muslim? Or a Hindu? Or any other faith that matter? Everything you describe, the very confidence you feel in your “destination” (yet another claim unsupported by any evidence) is mirrored by those of other faiths. You can’t all be right, there are contradictory claims being made around the world about the “unseen” or the “unknowable” yet somehow people like you have 100% confidence they have guessed right. As to whether evil and good exist this really depends on the manner in which you define the axiom of your morality. I know mine are a product of our evolved social mind, culture and society. While I may agree that evil exists, I do so on a sliding scale from good and I do so without the supernatural. I’ve read the bible and found not a jot or tiddle to be attributable to a divine being, every letter and word is explainable by humans with a comparably underdeveloped sense of morality and justice. It is a shame that today it continues to limit the morality and humanity of others. May god be less.

    • Liberalfan says:

      04:58pm | 22/02/10

      I am voting for The Liberal Party, it is the party of Christians. Tony Abbott represents the Catholic Faith. He is against abortion and we may finally rid ourselves of that purge in this country. I feel he can lead us out of the wilderness. May God bless your lives and lead you in the path of righteousness

      Reply

    • Colin Spencer says:

      05:28pm | 22/02/10

      You are supposed to vote for members of parliament who are equivalent to the board of directors of a very, very large company.  Why any normal Australian would think, even for a single moment, that the religious convictions of any elected member of parliament were important is a complete mystery.  The only connection between religious convictions and that job, is the measure of that person’s ethical standards.  I urge all Australians to focus on their perception of their potential parliamentary representatives at each election, totally and absolutely, on ethical standards and the character of the person.  Forget the deluded greenies, union hate campaigns and so on.  Just focus on your own bloke and pick the one with the best possible character.  Just remember, that if it is a Shiela, it will probably be more competent, more thoughtful, and more community minded.  But not if she is chosen because she is some sort of a media celebrity or sports star.  That just won’t work. 

      There you go folks!  Vote for the individual, regardless of party affiliation!

      Reply

    • Anthony says:

      08:49pm | 22/02/10

      Colin Spencer: You tell people to focus “totally and absolutely on ethical standards and the character of the person” and then tell them to remember that if it is a woman, that is probably a good thing. The hypocrisy makes me shudder.

    • Andrew Goff says:

      06:10pm | 22/02/10

      27 comments and no one has picked up that if Lincoln had been born 250 years later he would be born in 2115.

      This is what passes for quality journalism? Let me guess, he won the war of independence and invented the internet too?

      Reply

    • exzilerate says:

      07:09pm | 22/02/10

      No matter where you look State or Federal the Liberal Party has been hijacked by the Extreme Right Wing. Now as Howard wisely once said to be and stay in Govt. you have to govern from the middle road , not right or left. The Australian people are not ready for an Extreme right wing Government as Abbott presents. As well Abbott the man is not to be trusted as he has had numerous positions on the same issue. Pensioners as well should be very wary as this is the man who opposed the recent Pension increases whilst at the same time trying to get his own Opposition salary increased ! What hypocracy !

      Reply

    • Bigboomer says:

      09:42pm | 22/02/10

      Way to funny!! anyone watch QA? No sex during Lent Tony Abbott? ooops your religion is showing. Being an Agnostic has its perks, I can keep doing the chacha all year long

      Reply

    • Colin Spencer says:

      05:16am | 23/02/10

      Anthony, my position was that a focussed, ethical and committed female politician usually turns out to be a superior choice.  Looking back at the best politicians we have seen, this fact seems to stand out.  They appear to be consistent, direct and to choose their words better in an interview.

      Reply

    • M Klitzke says:

      01:43pm | 23/02/10

      David, You miss the point. I am sad that you read the Bible and could not understand its message. I guess the difference is with me I met the Author first, then read His book - then it made perfect sense. I have been where you are and I know how hard it is to see the Truth when you are spiritually blind. It was not by my cleverness, intellectual ability, pride or arrogance I came to know Him - it was by accepting His grace and His grace alone.  I sincerely hope for you that when the opportunity comes, and it will come, you have the humility to accept His free gift. So many Australian men are puffed up with their own pride they miss the real Truth. To answer you other question - I am not interested in being a Muslim as I am not at all interested or in need of man-made religion.  Obviously you have a need to cling to your beliefs regardless of the lack of evidence for them. God bless and keep you and reveal His Truth to you in His time and may you have the grace and humility to accept it.

      Reply

    • David says:

      02:11pm | 23/02/10

      You still miss the point - how can you say your religion, your God is true and thus not man-made while every other is false and man-made? The followers of every other religion will say exactly what you have, simply altered to reflect their theology? I read the bible and found only men, superstition and flawed morality. The support for slavery, persecution of women, children and homosexuals, etc.

      You say so yourself, you start with the assumption God exists and you have “met” Jesus, whatever you mean by that, and work from there. I require evidence, I am open to the existence of a God but I require evidence otherwise I see no way to decide the christian god exists but the muslim god doesn’t, or the hindu gods don’t or the ancient pagan gods don’t, etc.

      The truth is you are just assuming so for whatever reason, the problem is people like you, with absolute confidence in an assumption, then try to use government to enforce their morals and values on a nation who do not necessarily subscribe to your set of beliefs and values. Not once in your responses have you justified your position other than saying you just know it is true. This is clearly not a line of reasoning you accept from any other perspective.

    • M Klitzke says:

      03:57pm | 23/02/10

      David - It is no good trying to have a discussion about this. You are where you are and are not able, pliant, humble enough to believe anything other than you own thoughts which of course have no more “evidence” empirically than my bekief in my beloved Jesus does. You need proof?  You will get it, but not in your puffed up time. No twill be in His time. You can deny Him, but you will meet Him face to face - either as His friend or enemy. He says “I put before you life and death, choose life,” We each have a choice. I have made mine and you are free to make yours. God bless you. Thank you for the albeit one sided discussion. :0)

      Reply

    • Yes says:

      11:46pm | 09/03/11

      Notice how > 80% of this dribble is _not_ on topic, its gone to the gods.

      BACKROOM POLITICS CRASH THE PARTY

      It’s not a matter of attracting support by extolling virtues, success is directly proportion to the undermining then burying the key competitors whilst aspiring to a ‘crown’ of some sort of another.

      Ambition used without wisdom leaves a lot of broken bridges and bodies around the place.

      Reply
 
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