Prev
Next

Forget TomKat; the split of the year might ALP-v-Greens

Tory Maguire

by Tory Maguire

09 Jul 12:30pm

Must Reads

The Punch is moving house - this is a caption

The Punch is moving house

385

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this? - this is a caption

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

122

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming” - this is a caption

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

251

Filed under: Adam Bandt, Alp, Bob Brown, Greg Combet, Hung Parliament, Julia Gillard, Labor Party, Paul Howes, Politics, Sam Dastyari, The Greens

138 comments

So after months of tensions and simmering resentment, the ALP at the weekend indicated it needed some time apart to consider the future of its relationship with the Greens.

In happier times… a Bill Leak cartoon from one year ago

In a battle between its head and its heart, Labor’s head started calling the shots, finally admitting what outsiders have been able to see for ages, that entanglement with the Greens is not good for Labor. It’s an emotionally abusive relationship where the Greens have exerted more influence than should have been allowed.

But as divorces go, this one could turn out to be very messy. No dignified exit for this departing party. Labor is determined to air more dirty laundry than one of Charlie Sheen’s exes.

It didn’t have to be this way.

At the last election Adam Bandt became the only Greens member of the House of Representatives, after knocking off his Labor opponent in the inner-city leftie enclave of Melbourne.

During his campaign, and during the 17 days of national torture as we awaited an outcome from the hung parliament, Bandt never wavered from his commitment to support Labor in the event of a minority government.

He was never going to go with Tony Abbott. Of all the cross-benchers, he was the one who Julia Gillard could count on from the start.

And yet the accepted rhetoric on the Carbon Tax, which has done the Government so much political damage, is that Gillard had no choice but to buckle to Greens demands on it.

Terrible things have been said about the Prime Minister and her acquiescence to the former Greens leader Bob Brown. And now Brown is gone and all hell has broken loose.

Labor’s head started talking, firstly in the form of NSW Labor boss Sam Dastyari, who described the Greens as “extremists not unlike One Nation” and declared that no matter what Gillard thought, he would move a motion to quash the current preference arrangements, what up to now have automatically favoured the Greens.

Then bossy unionist Paul Howes joined in:

The lessons of the past show us that splitting the forces of progressive politics plays directly into the hands of the Tories. It doesn’t strengthen the progressive cause; because the Greens have shown they’re not above doing dirty, undemocratic deals with their Liberal mates.

That’s why Labor must fight the Greens with all its might. Labor and the Greens are not two sides of one coin. The Greens’ political class is fundamentally opposed to jobs, and Labor is not. The Greens do not support working people. They would rather we all squat in share houses in Newtown than work in real jobs that actually make things.

Now they’re piling on.

NSW Opposition leader John Robertson for one.

Doug Cameron another.

And now Greg Combet.

Tony Abbott says it’s a confected stoush to undo the perception Gillard is a Greens puppet.

But you don’t get the sense the Greens are going to take it well. The Greens know preferences are what keeps them alive.

Bandt was maintaining his upper-hand rhetoric this morning, telling ABC radio:

Every time that the Labor Party says that their future lies in being more like the Coalition, I think another Australian decides to vote Green. Why would they possibly see it to be in their strategic interest to have more of Tony Abbott’s MPs in the lower house and the Senate? Because that’s what they’re advocating and that will just hasten the return of Work Choices.

It seems to me to be a very odd strategic assessment and one that I think is going to ultimately increase the primary vote of the Greens.

It’s not over yet, but if they’re going to hold this relationship together it will take more than a weekend getaway.

Most commented

138 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Monica says:

      12:37pm | 09/07/12

      All the usual Labor talk with none of the action! Hopelessness thy name is Gillard!

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      01:42pm | 09/07/12

      Its Labor heavies versus the girls Gillard, Milne,  and Hanson-Young who really gave it to them on Sky. What a cat and dog fight - at each others throat. Disgusting - but I agree with Labor heavies coments on Green and Hanson- Young comments on Labor stand for nothing, lost its way comments. And where are the referees—Oakeshot and Windsor? - is this the rabble government Australia deserves?  The new paradigm. ray of sunshine??

    • nihonin says:

      01:51pm | 09/07/12

      In answer to your question, I shall use the answer mostly given by the Labor sycophants ‘this is the government we elected’.  But for Australia, it’s not the government the country deserves.

    • dovif says:

      02:29pm | 09/07/12

      Gillard was the one who sold the whole of Australia out for just 1 single job ..... hers

      She can hardly take the high ground

    • Gregg says:

      02:59pm | 09/07/12

      @Joan.
      Oakey will be sitting back and saying ” told you so ” - ” it’ll be so beautiful in all it’s ugliness ” and look how it’s getting even uglier more beautiful, all so beautiful!
      Don’t you just love them all!

    • Against the Man says:

      05:58pm | 09/07/12

      Australia has learnt an important lesson - ATM was right - > Gillard/ALP is pure shit smile

    • Greg in Chengdu says:

      07:25pm | 09/07/12

      Yeah so typical of the Gillard government to come out muck raking against former Allies, its been a recurring event even against their own MPs. Beware anyone who befriends Julia the knife she will put into your back is always kept within reach

    • Greg in Chengdu says:

      07:29pm | 09/07/12

      @dovif your spot on mate, all she cares about is her title and pay packet as PM. Its never occured to her that being PM is a job of service. Service and responsibility to the country and its people.

    • Mouse says:

      07:39pm | 09/07/12

      At least gillard is consistant. Super negotiator that she is, she will promise you the world then drop you like a hot brick when you become inconvenient. Just ask Wilkie LOL   Now the Union boys are upset with the Greens so gillard has to placate them and act indignant. Such vicious language being thrown around! lol Don’t worry, the “stoush” will all be over by the end of the week.  What a side show.

      But honestly, who else are the Greens and Independents going to follow? It will never be Liberal, so all this pseudo-chest puffing, peacock strutting, air-headed threats is just that, fluff!  Without each other, Labor, the Greens and Independents are toothless tigers.
      Geez, it’s almost as much fun as watching WWE, RAW or Smackdown and as believable! lol :o)

    • Young liberals are krudd says:

      11:47pm | 09/07/12

      Sound like ATM to me! Great load of nothing yourself “Monica”!

    • Babylon in Canberra says:

      03:33am | 10/07/12

      She is hopeless.

      Carbon tax - thousands of current jobs lost in the run up to its release, thousands of potential projects canned with future job creation.
      Queue total panic at Gillard HQ as they realise the disaster they have inflicted on the Australian economy. They throw millions back at business, including the Big zpolluters themselves to keep them afloat. The recent panic band aid fixes include $640 million thrown at One Steel, $150million for hospitals, $50 million at schools, and thousands for working families, who are now totally dependent upon Government handouts to survive.

      Asylum Seekers - she destroys a working policy and replaces it with nothing. People die. But she blames the Opposition for not helping her, even though she is the Government. We see 3 failures to create policy; East Timor, Malaysian Solution 1, Malaysian Solution 2. All rejected by the High Court and criticised for being illegal and against human Rights.
      MRRT - supposed to share the mining boom with the faithful. But we find out its another loan during critical financial times, because the mines won’t be paying it for 3 to 4 years hence.
      Minority Government- we find out that Thomson has been protected fro
      157 criminal charges, found by an institution the Gillard Government founded, because Thomsons vote is required for Government. If that wasnt bad enough, sexual harrassment charges against another crucial members are trivialised.

      I could go on but it’s late and you all know the full catelogue of cock ups anyway.

    • acotrel says:

      07:47am | 10/07/12

      Dear Santa, please send me another Kevin Rudd to make a challenge against Julia, and an issue which would cause the Greens to fight with the ALP !

      ?????  - The end of 2013 must seem such a long way off, until then Julia has the numbers, and probably after.

    • Cobbler says:

      12:46pm | 09/07/12

      Everyone seems to forget that the ineptly named ‘Carbon Tax’ was wanted by the majority of voters in 2007.  Labors primary vote started to spiral, not because of Andrew Bolts and Alan Jones fear mongering but because Labor didn’t have the guts to have a double dissolution election over it and put it off until the following election.  Then Gillard knifed Rudd and the rest is history.

      Any government that took 5 years to implement a flagship policy is going to see it’s support erode.  Hell, you could have a zero cost policy that stopped cute puppies from dying and if it took you 5 years to implement you’d end up with the opposition baying for puppy blood and voters thinking it is a good idea.

      Labor now has to cop it on the chin and just adopt the LNPs political strategies.

      When Whyalla doesn’t die -” LIE”!
      When there is no economic apocalypse due to carbon tax - “LIE”!
      When Abbott doesn’t roll back the carbon tax on day one - “LIE”!
      When Abbott fails to implement any one of his pie in the sky uncosted policies with no impact on the bottom line - “LIE”!
      When he doesn’t make a $70B black hole disappear - “LIE”!
      When he doesn’t pull up the NBN - “LIE”!
      When he doesn’t turn back the boats - “LIE”!
      When the pacific solution fails to work - “LIE”!

      Reply

    • truthteller says:

      01:28pm | 09/07/12

      the majority of people didnt support the carbon tax, they supported an ETS when asked in polls, but hardly anybody knew what an ETS was. and it was a south australian union boss who said whyalla would be wiped off the map

    • gillard is a liar says:

      02:31pm | 09/07/12

      I am not surprise that you support the ALP

      People with lack of integrity hangs around together

    • Rocky Raccoon says:

      02:42pm | 09/07/12

      Correct. We would have a fully functioning and well supported carbon tax if one of the following had of happened
      1) Labor had the guts to call a double dissolution (polls suggest they would have easily one and easily had the scheme pushed through)
      2) The Greens passed it through the senate. It may not have been the perfect model they were after, however it would have at least been something to work with in the future.

      Labor and the Greens only have themselves to blame when in 12 months, an Abbott led government revokes the carbon tax and makes the concept untouchable for some time in the future (in a work choices type way)

    • Brad says:

      02:48pm | 09/07/12

      Sorry Cobbler,

      Your Labor is on the nose! It’s way too late for this ‘lovers’ tiff. The Liberals are going to Black Caviar this in.

    • Paul says:

      04:19pm | 09/07/12

      Cobbler mate, someone tell him hes dreaming! I love to know where you pulled the ‘facts’ from this comment from. You should leave political comments to the big boys just like the ALP should leave the running of the country to the Coalition.

    • sunny says:

      04:23pm | 09/07/12

      Brad “The Liberals are going to Black Caviar this in. “

      Black Caviar nearly lost a race that she should have won comfortably because of the jockey. While ever the Libs continue with their current jockey they’re also at risk of losing the big race. They lead in the opinion polls but it’s a long way out from the line and their jockey’s attention is fully on the other runners not on the ground ahead.

    • Steve-o says:

      04:44pm | 09/07/12

      @ (the inappropriately named)Truthteller
      Time to change your name, old son. Google the quote and watch/listen to A Abbott speak those very words. grin

    • Greg in Chengdu says:

      07:36pm | 09/07/12

      @Cobbler its Pretty rich accusing the LNP of lying what planet have you been living on mate? It never ceases to amaze me how labor freaks take Julia’s stuff ups and mistakes and put them squarely on the shoulders of Labor.
      And by the way 1, whyalla will take longer to die than a week 2 tuning back the boats isn’t Abbotts job yet its Julia’s and the Libs have a good policy that worked that Julia scrapped and tried to replace with an illegal unhumanitarian malaysian solution that to top it all of was a really bad deal, swapping 800 asylum seekers for 4000! How on earth could anyone call that a good deal or policy. Wake up Cobbler and stop blaming the opposition for the clusterf#@ck you and other Labor voters have brought down on Australia

    • Babylon in Canberra says:

      03:53am | 10/07/12

      I can do a far better presentation of a statement from the ALP ended by LIE than this fella.

      Not only that but in my presentation, even rational hard line ALPers concede the statements ring true.

      Whereas, up above is largely excrement.

      It smacks of desperation and frustration such that I am compelled to have mercy and not respond.

      I don’t believe in kicking a man when he’s down.

    • Cobbler says:

      08:33am | 10/07/12

      @Paul - Thanks for your insight   /rolleyes

      @Greg in Chengdu - I’m just suggesting that Labor adopt the LNP’s marketing strategy.  Tonliar doesn’t have the same ring to it but I’ll still use it.

      Greg in Chengdu says: -“And by the way 1, whyalla will take longer to die”

      OMG, Tonliar said it would die on 1 July.  What a liar!

      Greg in Chengdu says: “2 tuning back the boats isn’t Abbotts job yet its Julia’s and the Libs have a good policy that worked that Julia scrapped and tried to replace with an illegal unhumanitarian malaysian solution that to top it all of was a really bad deal, swapping 800 asylum seekers for 4000!”

      /sigh, where to begin.  It’s not anyones job to turn the boats around because it is idiotic.  Not long after it started people just started scuttling their own boats.  Why persist with it as a policy position?  The boat people have a work around.

      Also I can’t help but point out that Naru was just as illegal and unhumanitarian as Malaysia when it was in effect.  Why is the LNP free from scrutiny on this issue.  I agree 800 for 4000 is not a good number but 800 for 1600 would still mean that Malaysia gets rid of more people and boat people are suddenly uncertain whether they will get to Australia, rather than the back of a queue in Malaysia.

      The other amusing thing about that issue is that all the people who actually implement these policies; You know like Immigration, the AFP, ASIO, Defence all say that the Pacific solution doesn’t work.  They didn’t have sufficient deterrent value and only appeared to work because of a lul in push factors.  I’m not sure how the LNP know better than all these agencies but I’d be happy for Labor to adopt the Pacific solution again to show it didn’t work although no doubt then Abbott would simply deny that he ever thought it would and just blame Labor.

      Deluded in Chengu say:  Wake up Cobbler and stop blaming the opposition for the clusterf#@ck you and other Labor voters have brought down on Australia.

      You’re obviously one of those doom and gloomers that doesn’t recognize that right now Australia is the best country in the world.  But I guess when your view is shaped on what you read in the comments on the Punch from China it’s understandable that you have no idea.

    • acotrel says:

      08:58am | 10/07/12

      @cobbler
      The ‘carbon tax’ was not ‘ineptly named’.  It was intentionally called that by Tony Abbott to give the impression that is is a tax rather than a trading mechanism.  It was just another example of his deceitfulness.

    • acotrel says:

      09:00am | 10/07/12

      ‘People with lack of integrity hangs around together ‘

      Abbott has integrity !  - TODAY’S JOKE ?

    • Tolomy says:

      10:35am | 10/07/12

      @acotrel, “There will be no carbon tax under a government i lead”.
      Joke and Lie of the Decade!!!!!!!

    • Geoff says:

      02:01pm | 13/07/12

      Cobbler mate please please send me your car for me to work on for your next service because when I give it back to you with more problems and then way over charge you all I need to say is I am a labour supporter and you will be ooh no worries mate I can ignore the fact that you destroyed my car and ripped me off.

      Hopefully one day you will open your eyes and really look at the cluster **** this government is.

    • Geoff says:

      02:05pm | 13/07/12

      “When he doesn’t make a $70B black hole disappear - “LIE”!”

      You do realise that 70b black hole is a labor lie? Do you know where it came from?

      Turns out you know nothing of this courntry maybe its time for you to leave? Take your labor party with you seeing as you are rusted on.

    • AdamC says:

      12:47pm | 09/07/12

      I am yet to be convinced this isn’t all a lot of silly political theatre. Just as, from time-to-time, Labor would get faux tough on its union paymasters, it is now making a hammy show of getting stroppy at its Green enablers. Underwhelming.

      BTW, why did the Greens elevate Christine Milne to leader. She’s Terrible.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      01:07pm | 09/07/12

      Well, as to whether it’s theatre or not, time will tell.  If the ALP does decide not to preference the Greens, that’ll be a sign that all is not well in the Land of Oz, and the Munchkins may be in for a beating.

      As for Milne, well, look at the alternatives….

    • A H says:

      01:07pm | 09/07/12

      +1

      The Labor mouthpieces muttered identical key speaking points yesterday. Can’t the media and esteemed political commentators pick this?

    • Bertrand says:

      02:46pm | 09/07/12

      I agree. Greens and ALP will preference each other because they don’t have many other choices.

      Of course, the entire concept of giving your preferences away is ridiculous. How-to-vote cards and preference deals should be banned altogether. From my discussions with people it seems a lot of people believe that you HAVE to vote according to your preferred party’s how-to-vote card.

      I do support preferential voting, but it should be optional preferential and should be completely the voter’s choice. Abolishing preference deals would be a good electoral reform.

    • Gregg says:

      03:03pm | 09/07/12

      @Marley
      ” As for Milne, well, look at the alternatives…. “

      Sarah is a bit more out front, a ways ahead more so than just abreast you could say!

    • David says:

      09:24pm | 09/07/12

      Rhiannon is the political equivalent of a crazy cat lady and Hanson Young hasnt progressed past the ‘perpetually outraged student union activist’ stage of development. Add the fact they both have an ugly obsession with Israel and its obvious Milne was the only acceptable choice.

    • Brian Taylor says:

      06:10am | 10/07/12

      @ David, your comment “Rhiannon is the political equivalent of a crazy cat lady” really cracked me up, thanks mate.
      when you think about it, she really does look and act like the crazy old cat lady…keep up the good work lol
      now have the image of Julia as an old wicked witch stiring the pot inside my head…yuck… go away image

    • A H says:

      12:47pm | 09/07/12

      Is it really a split, Tory? Or just a convected tiff by Labor to be seen to distance itself from the Greens, pre-election? Labor know how ‘on the nose’ the Greens are with Australians right now (even more so as the illegal asylum seeker row intensifies) so my money is on a pretend public spat (or disagreement on policies). If that’s the case then Labor is every bit as conniving and desperate as they seem. Even if it’s not the case then it still shows how little they are trusted, and how every step they take is treated with disdain and skepticism by many.

      Reply

    • nihonin says:

      01:32pm | 09/07/12

      ‘If that’s the case then Labor is every bit as conniving and desperate as they seem.’

      Labor stopped being the real Labor party and a decent alternative party in the twilight years of the Hawke/Keating era.

    • Luke says:

      01:47pm | 09/07/12

      ” Labor know how ‘on the nose’ the Greens are with Australians right now “

      As evidenced by their plummetting poll numbers 12% to 14%... wait, hold on.

    • Luke says:

      02:33pm | 09/07/12

      Oh, and their likely by-election win in the seat of Melbourne. On the nose indeed!

    • Doh! another stuff up says:

      02:33pm | 09/07/12

      I agree

      I would bet $1 million that the ALP will put Greens before the Liberals, as usual, It will be all spin and no action from the worst government in the history of Australia

    • Tony says:

      03:02pm | 09/07/12

      Hey Luke, the only change in the Greens polling has been within the error tolerance of the polls. In other words, virtually no chage except in Qld where they have gone backwards.

      Now at a time when the closest party to them, Labor, is absolutely on the nose, I don’t think that says much for Green popularity. They are in fact ‘has beens’ and I expect the next election will see them out the door.

    • Luke says:

      04:03pm | 09/07/12

      @Tony: So getting the same amount of votes (or a little more) than they did in the last election will see them out the door? By that logic they are out the door already!

      You gotta love bogan logic!

    • je says:

      04:53pm | 09/07/12

      @Luke, reading your comment and tony’s, one is bogan logic and its not tony’s!!!! ALP primary vote is consistently polling 8-10% below their primary vote at the 2010 election. green polling in the same period shows no increase (excluding 2% m of error) over the 2010 election result. in other words left-leaning voters are being sucked from the alp to the coalition and not the other ‘left-wing’ party (the greens). Sorry Luke you are the one using bogan logic.

    • Babylon in Canberra says:

      04:06am | 10/07/12

      I’m one of those lucky Australians that have travelled extensively and worked overseas. Because of this I have seen what a dangers group the Green party actually is.

      I was shocked to see how many of my fellow Australians had voted for them. I hope that now they claim to be able to communicate with extraterrestrials, folks won’t waste their votes next time.

      However, I cannot help but feel sorry for the Greens in the same way I feel sympathy for Rudd and Wilkie. Used and abused and once there usefulness has been squeezed out of them, they are backstabbed mercilessly as only the Gillard Government knows how.

      What a cruel bunch of evil buggers.

      If the Gillard Government can do this to people that have openly served them faithfully, imagine with what ease they would betray you the voter as well.

    • HappyG says:

      12:52pm | 09/07/12

      Tory -  I suspect that I’m like about 70% of the electorate and have stopped listening to both Labor and the Greens. The election is more than a year away but, by my reckoning most people have made up their minds and are waiting patiently with baseball bats at the ready to show both these parties what they think of them.

      Reply

    • Mahhrat says:

      02:00pm | 09/07/12

      @HappyG:  I agree - and it could be the best thing to ever happen for the ALP.

      We’ve heard the LNP for four years, always negative, always on a full-out attack.  We’re told how incompetent the ALP/Green alliance is, and they certainly make good points.  We’ve got people dying on boats trying to get here, and the ALP can’t solve it.

      Yet for all that, all the things the ALP/Greens do wrong, 30% approval, teetering on the edge of the abyss - they are still the government.  The LNP has been utterly unable to bring down this corrupt, lying, inept, embarrassing government.

      Your’e right:  we’ve tuned out, but we’ve tuned out of all of it.  We hear of politics and we switch off.  What happens if (and this is a big if), we actually get an ALP advertising campaign come next election that owns the mistakes and goes on to describe the achievements?  The NBN, the leave schemes, the disability schemes. 

      While a lot of bad has happened, some good has happened too - we’re still in a stable financial situation, we’re building infrastructure.

      It’s a weird one, but the LNP has already played its hand.  We know they’ll continue their attack.  The ALP could win, simply by finally listening to the people and giving us something to vote for, rather than against.

    • HappyG says:

      02:27pm | 09/07/12

      Perhaps you’re right Mahhrat but judging by previous ALP sales jobs I don’t hold out much hope.Speaking of advertising campaigns for the next election how easy has Labor made the task for the Libs ? They only need to play a couple of sound bites like ” No carbon tax under a Govt I lead ” , some of the descriptions of Gillard and Rudd during the oh so untidy leadership spill and various other cock ups like Emersons attempt at singing and the job is done. As for the ALP owning up to making mistakes, I’ve got more chance of winning Oz Lotto.

    • Little Joe says:

      02:35pm | 09/07/12

      Why blame Labor and Greens, but not Oakeshot, Windsor and Wilkie??

      These three could end the Government now. If the Greens block supply .... double dissolution!!!

      The Labor Experiment has failed .... it’s time to clean house.

      @ Mahhrat

      I turned off 6-months ago. Every time I see a Labor or Greens Parliamentarian on TV I feel nauseous. It actually disgusts me how much time the media gives The Greens given that they only have one MP in the lower house.

      I would laugh if the joke wasn’t so expensive. Turned the promised $90B Debt into $142B, and $500B in liabilities. It is pretty tragic how the media refuse to report the basic facts.

      I heard that The Greens wanted to increase our refugee quota from approximately 14,000 to 25,000 showing how ignorant they are about resourcing and costing. Of course there is nowhere to house an additional 11,000 people unless their plan is to kick 11,000 Australians onto the street to add to the 100,000+ Australians already sleeping rough.

    • daniel says:

      05:32pm | 09/07/12

      Wasn’t part of their agreement to form government with the ALP to also take part in the national debate prior to the next election? Looks like the Greens will get their most coveted air time in the near future. It’d be the first time I agree with the Prime Minister is she breaks her promise with them on that agreement.

      @Makhrat

      How else do you expect the Coalition to remove the government? In case you didn’t realise, they don’t command a majority in both houses. Windsor doesn’t care if he loses his seat at the next election because he’ll retire, Oakeshott hasn’t a brain and Bandt will never cross the floor to support a motion of no confidence. That’s the just the lower house.

      I agree that the Coalition have had it pretty easy with all the stuff ups and embarrassments surrounding the ALP’s time in government, but I don’t think they’ve played their hand or for that matter, have a hand to play. They’re playing to popularity and voter discontent and will continue to do so until the election barring any of their own major embarrassments.

    • The Old Man says:

      12:59pm | 09/07/12

      Firstly a comment about ‘Motherhood Statements’
      If you asked a thousand Australian men were they in favour of motherhood, you would get a resounding yes. If you told those same one thousand Australians that the government was going to forcibly impregnate their fourteen year old daughters, there would be blood on the streets!

      I bet you would be hard pressed to find one person who doesn’t want clean air to breathe, clean water to drink to be able to enjoy ‘nature’. But you cant seriously believe those same people would support you when you tell them that you are going to increase their cost of living, close down their electricity supply without a viable alternative and stop farmers from farming on their land, thereby driving up the cost and availability of food.

      I wonder if the left wing, latte sipping residents of inner Melbourne would say if the government erected hundreds of wind towers in the beautiful gardens of which Melbourne is rightly famous and took them off the grid and said that they would only be able to power their homes with the electricity supplied by these towers and if the wind didn’t blow one day it would be candles and cold sandwiches for them! wink

      Reply

    • Luke says:

      02:44pm | 09/07/12

      They would probably say the same thing as the farmers i.e “who is asking us to do that?”

    • egg says:

      03:21pm | 09/07/12

      The Old Man, what does forcibly impregnating underage girls have to do with pricing carbon? Oh, absolutely nothing? Right, I can see why you brought it up. Carry on.

    • Nilbog says:

      03:34pm | 09/07/12

      And Luke misses the point… lol

    • Nigel says:

      01:00pm | 09/07/12

      Labor are hopeless and stand for NOTHING. Everything they do they regret. The electorate are right.  BUT we still have journalists like Mal Farr, Barry Cassidy and others still trying to defend Labor and Julia even though voters can seee straight through Gillard and her team. (check the polls) Nothing will save Labor. Thank you Julia, the great negotiator!
      And the Labor fan club claim Abbott will do anything to become PM…lol

      Reply

    • WayneT says:

      02:26pm | 09/07/12

      Abbot may do anything, but Julia has proven she will do anything!

    • Keith Hammersmith says:

      01:05pm | 09/07/12

      So labor wants to split from the greens, of course it will still take their support to remain in power instead of going to another election….

      Reply

    • TimB says:

      01:08pm | 09/07/12

      “He was never going to go with Tony Abbott. Of all the cross-benchers, he was the one who Julia Gillard could count on from the start.

      And yet the accepted rhetoric on the Carbon Tax, which has done the Government so much political damage, is that Gillard had no choice but to buckle to Greens demands on it.”

      I’m glad you understand this Tory. Now can you please go and explain this to your colleague Tory S? I attempted to do this the other week to no avail.

      BTW, lol @ Bandt. Now apparently a vote for Labor is a vote for Workchoices too.  That old chestnut refuses to die, but at least now it’s being pelted at the ALP. Too funny.

      Reply

    • Knemon says:

      01:12pm | 09/07/12

      “At the last election Adam Bandt became the only Greens member of the House of Representatives”

      Amazing, isn’t it? Reading comments on The Punch and listening to Labor back-benchers, you would be led to believe that The Greens have a majority of seats instead of just *one*. The power of one I suppose!

      The ALP could have told The Greens to go and get stuffed, The Greens were never going to support the Coalition, so now the ALP are blaming The Greens, hilarious, you couldn’t make this shit up.

      Gillard should do the honourable thing and call an election, sooner rather than later.

      Reply

    • TimB says:

      01:28pm | 09/07/12

      The ALP could have told The Greens to go and get stuffed, The Greens were never going to support the Coalition, so now the ALP are blaming The Greens, hilarious, you couldn’t make this shit up.

      That’s been my view all along Knemon wink

      It’s the annoyingly pesky fact that exposes Gillard ‘I had to deal with changed circumstances’ as nothing more than a convenient excuse to explain her lie.

    • Knemon says:

      02:25pm | 09/07/12

      @ TimB - “That’s been my view all along Knemon” - You and me both wink

      “It’s the annoyingly pesky fact that exposes Gillard ‘I had to deal with changed circumstances’ as nothing more than a convenient excuse to explain her lie”

      We agree she lied, so that begs the question, why did she go ahead with the carbon tax knowing that it would be seen as a lie? I can only assume that she always intended to, but then that makes me wonder, why was she against Rudd and his ETS…aaaaarghhh, it’s all to much for my little brain.
      wink

    • TimB says:

      03:36pm | 09/07/12

      “but then that makes me wonder, why was she against Rudd and his ETS…aaaaarghhh, it’s all to much for my little brain”

      Oh that’s easy. Remember Gillard was swanning around as Deputy in early 2010 threatening Abbott with a DD. But at the same time, she was privately telling Rudd to drop what was fast becoming electoral poison.

      So when Abbott stared down the DD threat, and Rudd responded by dropping the ETS, it made him look weak. Which was the start of Rudd’s fall, and Gillard’s ascension to the leadership. She was scheming against Rudd for *months*. The Government hadn’t lost it’s way. Gillard deliberately steered it down a dead end and blamed Rudd.

      Then during the election, she did everything she could to distance herself from an ETS, claiming she’d only bring in carbon pricing when a widespread consensus existed in the electorate. My theory is that the ‘Citizen’s Assembly’ would have been rigged as much as possible. The ‘consensus’ would have been generated, and Gillard would have her excuse to bring in carbon pricing…all without the need for one of those pesky elections.

      Then we ended up with a hung parliament, and the Greens gave her a whole new excuse to play with.

      Gillard- Tricky and deceitful. Wilkie knows it, Rudd knows it, and now most of the electorate knows it.

      Abbott may not be perfect, but I have yet to see him stoop anywhere near as low as Gillard.

    • Karen from Qld says:

      01:22pm | 09/07/12

      Is Julia fast running out of friends

      Day after day,
      Alone on a hill,
      The woman with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
      But nobody wants to know her
      They can see she’s just a fool,
      And she never gives an answer,

      But the fool on the hill,
      Sees her chances going down,
      But the lies on her tongue,
      Keep on spinning ‘round.

      Well on the way,
      Head in a cloud,
      The woman with the grating voice talking perfectly loud
      But nobody ever hears her,
      or the sound she appears to make,
      and she never seems to notice,

      But the fool on the hill,
      Sees her chances going down,
      But the lies on her tongue,
      Keep on spinning ‘round.

      And nobody seems to like her,
      they can’t tell if she’s real,
      and she never gives an answer,

      But the fool on the hill,
      Sees her chances going down,
      But the lies on her tongue,
      Keep on spinning ‘round..

      Ooh, ooh,
      Round and round and round.

      And she never listens to them,
      She thinks they’re all fools
      They don’t like her,

      But the fool on the hill,
      Sees her chances going down,
      But the lies on her tongue,
      Keep on spinning ‘round..

      Ooh,
      Round and round and round

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      02:45pm | 09/07/12

      Well written Karen…To a Tee wink  Your song based contract is in the mail.

    • Mouse says:

      09:11pm | 09/07/12

      Top effort Karen! Love it, now just waiting for the single to come out. lol :o)

    • QE 12 says:

      01:25pm | 09/07/12

      Labor’s sudden, talk about separating from their Green marriage of convenience is laughable.

      With them now talking down their unhealthy relationship with the extremist Greens, it feels like more transparant connivance of the type many have come to loathe from Gillard and her union cronies.

      I’d almost bet Gillard declared a new edict—- start the separation ball rolling to see if they can pull together one more stunt on the electorate. Does this woman actually believe the public is so gullible it will fall for anything even remotely associated with herself, her Craig Emersons and her union hacks?  This latest stunt Blind Freddy could see through. It could even be regarded as analagous to habitual liars who finish up being so removed from reality they even believe their own untruths.

      This is amongst the most appalling piece of political hypocrisy to come out of the Gillard “government”.

      Reply

    • HappyG says:

      01:42pm | 09/07/12

      “It could even be regarded as analagous to habitual liars who finish up being so removed from reality they even believe their own untruths”. Pretty much sums Gillard up I reckon.

    • Gerard says:

      07:30pm | 09/07/12

      “Does this woman actually believe the public is so gullible it will fall for anything even remotely associated with herself, her Craig Emersons and her union hacks?”

      Considering the results of the last two elections, why wouldn’t she?

    • poa says:

      01:43pm | 09/07/12

      Just a pretense so the ALP can pretend to be different to the Greens….
      they know that 90% of Green preferences will go to the ALP regardless of How to Vote Cards and formal deals.
      The Greens now represent the Hard Left that have deserted the ALP in droves.Maybe in a few more seats it will be ALP preferences delivering a Green Watermelons.

      .If the ALP weren’t the same as the Greens we wouldn’t have a Carbon Tax, or boatpeople or a Mining Tax.
      Bit late now..The Coalition will run the smiling happy faces of the ALP/Green “wedding” /formal agreement before the next election in their ads.
      Green=ALP Its all the same.
      Might even get a few people thinking about their second preferences.
      Either way….with the ALP and the Libs preferencing the Greens lastnext time around, the Greens will go the same way as One Nation and the Democrats.
      The who? You ask..
      Exactly Tory.
      Into political oblivion where all the extremists belong.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      02:50pm | 09/07/12

      Be so much better if the ALP went the way of One Nation and the Democrats.  One can only hope…..Bring on the election.

    • Luke says:

      02:51pm | 09/07/12

      @poa: When did we get the boatpeople tax?

    • Ron e says:

      01:59pm | 09/07/12

      Oh, surprise! Surprise!
      Someone within the ALP who looks like a head on a stick (Dastyari), belatedly works out that the ALP have compromised themselves by bedding down with the Greens, AND, they need to start talking about the “Labor way” as if it’s something different to the Greens way they have been going since the last election.
      SO, today we have the usual suspects earnestly stating their variously similar diferences to the ‘nasty’ green extremists who they rely on to remain in government, and without whom we wouldn’t have a carbon tax.
      Who still buys this crap?
      Come on, hand up!
      Anyone?

      Reply

    • Alfie says:

      02:01pm | 09/07/12

      In the words of Gable: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn”

      Both Labor an their Green mates are a waste of space - they deserve each other.

      Reply

    • ChrisW says:

      02:10pm | 09/07/12

      Nothing will happen - they both need each other.

      Reply

    • Dolly says:

      02:15pm | 09/07/12

      Where’s acotrel?  He is usually so vociferous. The silence from Acotrel is deafening.

      Reply

    • Tez says:

      03:46pm | 09/07/12

      O well I guess acotrel is tired of your lot whining about every thing , By the way don’t the Libs rely on the Nats, maybe Mr Abbott will be able to win the next election on his own

    • Matt says:

      02:34pm | 09/07/12

      Go Greens!  I’ll vote for Greens as long as they continue supporting marriage equality. The other major parties are full of religious bigots and atheists that bow to religious bigots, I have become a single-issue voter and will remain so until we have marriage equality.  If this country continues to screw over a minority I couldn’t give a fuck what happens to it politically..

      Reply

    • Swins says:

      03:08pm | 09/07/12

      Matt’s so right, the biggest issue in the country right now is marriage equality and it is clearly only a single minority that is being screwed over. God, what are those indigenous folk on about?
      Single issue, single brain cell!

      Now on with running down the Greens and the ALP, delicious!

      Acotrel, get on board!

    • The Forge says:

      03:22pm | 09/07/12

      ‘
        Matt says:

        02:34pm | 09/07/12

        Go Greens!  I’ll vote for Greens as long as they continue supporting marriage equality. The other major parties are full of religious bigots and atheists that bow to religious bigots, I have become a single-issue voter and will remain so until we have marriage equality.  If this country continues to screw over a minority I couldn’t give a fuck what happens to it politically..’

      Good for you Matt, stand by your man.  Other than that, most people would have expected you would waste your vote anyway.

    • Gay2boot! says:

      03:49pm | 09/07/12

      Bah!
      @Matt, while marriage equality of very important to many ( though not including Gay me) it’s hardly a reason to vote for any party.
      Get a grip man, your vote on other matters is important - however you vote - a single issue vote can confer “validity” for anything your chosen party can dream of!

    • Matt says:

      08:15am | 10/07/12

      Yeah, you guys are right, I should vote for one of the major parties, because there’s so much difference between them…  Well done though guys on berating me for not voting for your team.  You guys have really opened my eyes - I really should be voting for MajorParty1 or MajorParty2, although they are almost exactly the same and are both crap.. I should really thank you for enlightening me, I really should be as smart as you guys and do what you guys do because of your reasons.  Thanks, I am enlightened - now, who do I get to call names as that seems part of your deal?  Idiots…

    • Ben says:

      08:26am | 10/07/12

      This is the least important issue facing the nation today, yet thanks to the minority of people like Matt ramming it continually down our throats, we have to keep revisiting it.
      Think of someone other than yourself for a change, whether you get married or have a civil union is of no consequence in the bigger picture. Think carbon tax, boat people, welfare bludgers, homeless people etc etc.

    • Matt says:

      04:56pm | 10/07/12

      Yes Ben, I’m sure it is continuously rammed down your throat *snicker*  I’m ‘sure’ you hate revisiting things being jammed down your throat..

      And as I said why should I care about a nation that treats me as second class?  Why are my issues or my voting habits important to you?  Why do you even care who I vote for?  That is the most important issue affecting me at the moment.  How about you relax and worry about your own problems and I’ll worry about mine and who I vote for.  You just worry about not gagging with all this marriage equality being rammed down your throat…

    • Richard says:

      03:32pm | 09/07/12

      They say that history does not repeat itself, but it does rhyme.

      And so we can see this with the current spectacular destruction of the left as a political force in Australia.

      It happened before in the post-WWII Labor government in Australia. The catalyst was the socialist plan to nationalise the banks in Australia. This was vocifeously and extremely opposed by the average middle class suburban white voters, who punished the government hard at the next election by elected Robert Menzies, (who subsequently went on to govern for nearly 20 years straight).

      Shortly after this, the Labor party descended into a dark period of 20 years of internal fighting and squabbling, and was in fact sundered into two warring factions the ALP and the DLP, which poisoned all its chances of electoral success for an entire generation.

      Well, History has repeated, because of this Government’s Socialist agenda to (effectively) nationalise the mining industry and impose the terminally hated carbon tax.

      If history is any guide, we can look for to a 16~20 year reign by Tony Abbott as PM, similar to Menzies. And the only people to thank for such an outcome are the extreme left socialists in the Greens/ the ALP socialist left.

      Gillard of course is, in her bones, a member of the ALP socialist left. The fact is, she didn’t have to implement the Greens’ policy agenda, she WANTED to. And that is why we have a Carbon Tax, that is why we have no Border Security, and that is why Abbott will likely emulate Menzies as Australia’s longest serving PM started from the election next year.

      Reply

    • Knemon says:

      04:02pm | 09/07/12

      @ Richard - I appreciate you probably don’t care, but do you think there’s a chance of a new political party being formed from the ashes (so to speak) of the current ALP? I personally do.

      “The fact is, she didn’t have to implement the Greens’ policy agenda, she WANTED to” - I fully agree.

      “Abbott will likely emulate Menzies as Australia’s longest serving PM” - I very much doubt it - Abbott’s hated by the populace as much as Gillard is, and that’s saying something!

    • Bertrand says:

      04:10pm | 09/07/12

      “This Government’s Socialist agenda to (effectively) nationalise the mining industry.”

      Oh, give me a break. With the mining tax Australia’s tax receipts as a percentage of mining profits would move back to where they were at the beginning of the century when Howard was PM.

      The majority of our mines are foreign owned. The profits these companies make from exploiting our non-renewable mineral resources go overseas. These profits have been climbing significantly because of a huge surge in the price of commodities that has not been mirrored by a similar rise in mining royalties.

      How any Australian can support us selling our resources to foreign owned companies at bargain basement prices is beyond me. The mining boom is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Australia to create some real wealth for itself and invest this wealth for the future. Failure to do so will mean we crash particularly hard when the boom ends.

      Of course the fact that the ALP is pissing the proceeds from this tax against the wall in the form of electoral bribes is a disgrace. It should have been used to lower company tax rates (thus stimulating investment) or used to establish a sovereign wealth fund (thus investing our mining revenue for the inevitable end of the boom while also putting downward pressure on our dollar and helping Australia’s other export industries.)

      Try not to get hysterical about something which you don’t really appear to understand.

    • thatmosis says:

      03:34pm | 09/07/12

      More talk and no action as usual. Gillard is trying to avert the publics gaze away from the rising prices that are going to come from the carbon tax and its effects on everything that makes life bearable. People are so over this almost Government and its hangers on that it will be a blessing to see it put down as you would a rabid dog.

      Reply

    • irene says:

      03:38pm | 09/07/12

      Well I think Labor and the Greens are a perfect match,they both talk a load bull and the only thing on their agenda is staying in power. I just love the way Greens stay in the back round every time Labor is screwing something up,then the greens act as if it had nothing to do with them, they are just abiding their time till they can totally crush Labor. I don’t believe we need the carbon tax…I don’t think we need to lose more jobs in manufacturing or construction or retail,but that’s what is happening and is going to get worse,that is what should be a concern to the government not just coming up with new taxes.

      Reply

    • Bob says:

      03:45pm | 09/07/12

      Matt You are such a charming BIGOT

      Reply

    • Think for yourself says:

      03:50pm | 09/07/12

      Lets not forget that voting for Abbott means voting for income tax! What else do you think happens when you make all the same commitments but refuse to take taxes from large polluters or international mining companies when they make over 40% profits& then send $6 out of every $7 earned in Australian mines overseas. As for the lying thing, they all lye but Tony Abbotts entire policy position is based on multiple lies. Far more deceiving than either the Greens or ALP.  Media truth, “common sense” truth, is bullsh*t. Coalition policy is insane!

      Reply

    • poa says:

      04:02pm | 09/07/12

      Moderators ..does this nonsense and abuse really “add to the debate”???

    • Brian B says:

      04:08pm | 09/07/12

      And you really think he could do worse than this incompetent lot?

      Worst Government in living memory….and I voted for Hawke and Keating.

    • Tony says:

      04:19pm | 09/07/12

      So abbott has made all the same commitments but Coalition’s policy is insane? OK, if that works for you then go for it.

      That is the sort of logic I have come to expect from the remaining few diehard Labor supporters.

      By the way, Abbott only has to stop wasting cash on useless schemes that are endlessly rorted and he will have more than enough for his policies without raising income tax.

    • Bertrand says:

      05:09pm | 09/07/12

      There seem to be an increasing number of people on this site appealing to the moderators to block the opinions of people they disagree with.

      Wouldn’t be much of a conversation or debate would it. Go to the ABC’s Drum site or the Daily Telegraph if you want to sit in an echo chamber.

      I come to The Punch because the views expressed on it are diverse.

    • Think for yourself says:

      05:29pm | 09/07/12

      @poa, more to the debate than you just offered.

      @Brian, so what would that make the current opposition with Tony Abbott running the show who could not even win the 2010 election against what you cal the “worst government in History”?

      @Tony. Dear oh dear where do I start with you. Firstly, commitments and policy are not entirely the same thing. Abbott has made commitments to suppport the ALPs disability reforms as well as the 5% reduction in CO2 emmitions by 2020. He has also committed to the ALPs superannuation increase, his own paid parental leave (at higher rates if you are rich) and non means tested baby bonuses (a Howard initiative, remember?). However he has different POLICIES because he wants to achieve the 5% CO2 reduction not by market forces like a price on carbon achieves, but by the much less efficient “Government intervention” policy which is not traditionally the conservative way. His plan will cost more, will require more oversight and involves a net transfer of funds from the tax payer to the polluting industry. And because Abbott says NO to any taxes on mining companies, It will have to be funded with money raised primarily through PAYG income tax. Saying no to the mining tax is just plain stupid. Now that we have it, far from scaring the investors away, the level if investment is continuing to break records. Thanks to the MMRT, the share of profits that stay in Australia will be increased significantly, far more so than in the past and Abbott wants to reverse this?...

    • Brian Taylor says:

      06:39am | 10/07/12

      @ poa

      Moderators ..does this nonsense and abuse really “add to the debate
      mate I think you should go back to The Age or the SMH where they all mostly think Labor.
      I put in a comment in the AGE not long ago against Julia and Co and a person asked “how could the Moderator allow my comment on a site like the Age lol

    • MarkS says:

      03:59pm | 09/07/12

      Howard was smart enough to realise that One Nation was poison for the Libs and regardless of some of the Nats wishing to flirt with the redhaired one he was firm. No hanky Panky with One Nation.

      Richardson was a fool who saw short term gain in pandering to the Greens vote. Keating or Hawke should have stopped him, they failed to do so. The present problems relate back to the ALP failing to treat the Greens like Howard treated One nation. Sleep with dogs you get fleas.

      Reply

    • Darryl says:

      04:00pm | 09/07/12

      Goodnight Irene. Let me know when you find a party which does not “talk a load of bull”  or with an agenda to “stay in power”. In the mean time, I will actually compare coalition policy to what we have now before I blindly give them my vote. The problem is that on just about every major point that the coalition have differentiated themselves, they have the worst policy. Why would I want to pay more income tax so that international mining companies don’t have to. Why would I want tax payer funded agencies to pay polluters with money they take directly from my income instead of charging them? Why would I want third world speed broadband in the 21st century?

      Reply

    • dovif says:

      04:22pm | 09/07/12

      Darryl

      You are not very smart aren’t you.

      You see these international miners, they create jobs in Australia, for every $1 of profit they make in Australia, about $9 of pre profit income are paid to Employees of Australia, and business in Australia. Mining have driven our economy for the last 10 years and was the only reason, we hardly felt the GFC,

      If we loses 1 single mining project, the cost to Australia would outweigh the take of this short sighted government

      As for the Carbon tax, quite simply it is job destroying, as seen from europe, The fact is it makes all Australian goods more expensive compared with the rest of the world, hurting the Australian economy.

      Direct Action won’t come in until the likes of India, China and USA (ie the polluters who makes a difference, does something and is a significantly better policy than that of the Job destroying ALP and Greens

    • Darryl says:

      05:56pm | 09/07/12

      Hi Dovif,

      Thanks for not being too insulting in the opening of your reply. You must be very open minded to show such respect for the opinions of others. I think you may have misunderstood me. You see I didn’t actually say “Lets stop mining all together” so there is no need for you to enlighten me about how these international mining companies “create” jobs. I know what they do. I have a degree in economics, no that does not make me an expert I know, but I do know a little. The mining industry paid millions on an advertising campaign telling us all that the MMRT would kill jobs and kill investment. But we now have the MMRT in place and instead of investment & jobs drying up, the level of investment & jobs have increased to record levels. This is good for us because now a much larger portion of mining income will stay in Australia than what would otherwise be the case. Around the world it has been seen as a success and now similar mining taxes are being put in place in Brazil, Peru, Chile, Africa, China, Indonesia, India etc..

    • Little Joe says:

      06:32pm | 09/07/12

      @ Darryl and Dovif

      MRRT ..... again a wasted opportunity.

      $30B over the next 4-years could have knocked almost 20% of the debt.

      Ps. MRRT in developing countries is paid without too much fuss because the mining companies don’t pay Australian Wages, have to conform to Environmental Laws and abide by stringent WH&S Laws.

      Pss. Thought that China only recently introduced an MRRT and this was at 2% and set to grow at an additional 2% for the next 5-years. 

      Thanks for not being too insulting in the opening of your reply. You must be very open minded to show such respect for the opinions of others. I think you may have misunderstood me. You see I didn’t actually say “Lets stop mining all together” so there is no need for you to enlighten me about how these international mining companies “create” jobs. I know what they do. I have a degree in economics, no that does not make me an expert I know, but I do know a little. The mining industry paid millions on an advertising campaign telling us all that the MMRT would kill jobs and kill investment. But we now have the MMRT in place and instead of investment & jobs drying up, the level of investment & jobs have increased to record levels. This is good for us because now a much larger portion of mining income will stay in Australia than what would otherwise be the case. Around the world it has been seen as a success and now similar mining taxes are being put in place in Brazil, Peru, Chile, Africa, China, Indonesia, India etc..

    • Hummmph says:

      04:03pm | 09/07/12

      It’s also about time lazy labor got out of bed with the unions and the independents. Gillard and co are so weak, every time some one wants a bit of attention she has to negotiate (give in/bribe) It is costing taxpayers $billions just to appease a few, bring on a majority government.

      Reply

    • Hummmph says:

      04:06pm | 09/07/12

      Also, with Gillard/labor its always somebody elses fault. If it’s not Abbotts fault, or Rudds fault, I guess its now the Greens fault, Wish they would just grow up and be honest.

      Reply

    • Daz says:

      04:58pm | 09/07/12

      At the last federal election I think both disenchanted LNP and Labor voters thought they could safely deliver a kick in the backside to both those parties by voting for Greens and Independents. Little did they anticipate the dangerous, unworkable parliament that would result. 

      At the next federal election it will be a landslide win to the LNP with a dramatic drop in the vote for Labor, Greens and Independents. If for no other reason than most ordinary Australians are absolutely sick of this failed experiment in minority government. I suspect there won’t be many each way votes at the next election.

      Reply

    • Gerard says:

      07:46pm | 09/07/12

      Awarding the major parties 96.7% of Lower House seats constitutes “a kick in the backside”?

    • Inky says:

      08:14pm | 09/07/12

      I know I’m probably in the minority, but I still have no intention of voting for either of the major powers, given that both strike me as rather unappealing and frankly, damn near identical.

    • Terry2 says:

      05:07pm | 09/07/12

      It has usually been the case that the Senate is a House of Review and may put forward changes to legislation passed by the House of Reps. Whilst we have come to expect the coalition to knock back legislation it was a surprise that the Greens knocked back out-of- hand the asylum seeker legislation. No attempt to negotiate or compromise as was the case with Bob Brown.
      I don’t think this is a stunt on the part of Labor and it could hurt the Greens in the future as the Greens rely on Labor preferences which may not be forthcoming in the future.

      Reply

    • Bertrand says:

      05:53pm | 09/07/12

      Kind of like the Greens knocking back the original ETS and holding out for a worse policy.

    • Starline says:

      05:30pm | 09/07/12

      I can’t see Labour splitting from the Greens soon but maybe when it gets within 6-12 months to an election.I also see this being a planned Labour strategy.

      They all know they cannot win so at that time they may start to play tough to save getting wiped out.That is Labour,greens and the other Independent clowns who half caused this mess.
      Labour will bet the Greens and Independants won’t jump ship causing an early election as it would be too late.They also want to clutch onto their jobs as long as possible knowing the end is near.n  
        It will then become a self-preservation mode fight for all of them.

      Reply

    • Starline says:

      05:30pm | 09/07/12

      I can’t see Labour splitting from the Greens soon but maybe when it gets within 6-12 months to an election.I also see this being a planned Labour strategy.

      They all know they cannot win so at that time they may start to play tough to save getting wiped out.That is Labour,greens and the other Independent clowns who half caused this mess.
      Labour will bet the Greens and Independants won’t jump ship causing an early election as it would be too late.They also want to clutch onto their jobs as long as possible knowing the end is near.n  
        It will then become a self-preservation mode fight for all of them.

      Reply

    • Starline says:

      05:32pm | 09/07/12

      I can’t see Labour splitting from the Greens soon but maybe when it gets within 6-12 months to an election.I also see this being a planned Labour strategy.

      They all know they cannot win so at that time they may start to play tough to save getting wiped out.That is Labour,greens and the other Independent clowns who half caused this mess.
      Labour will bet the Greens and Independants won’t jump ship causing an early election as it would be too late.They also want to clutch onto their jobs as long as possible knowing the end is near.
        It will then become a self-preservation mode fight for all of them.

      Reply

    • Grey says:

      05:33pm | 09/07/12

      This reminds me of “Real Julia”.  Labour is confusing meta-narratives with acting like grown-ups.

      Pollsters find that a portion of the Labor vote is unhappy with the Greens, so Labor decides it needs to distant itself from the Greens.

      So how does it do this?  Change policies?  Good Lord no.  How you do it is by going around the country saying “We are distancing ourselves from the Greens.”

      It is classic politics without content.

      Reply

    • mikey says:

      06:02pm | 09/07/12

      I’m staggered by the stupidity and naivety of the Greens.  In making a point they will sacrifice most of what they have fought long and hard for.  Their stance on refugees has left Australia in an untenable position and given Abbott a potent weapon with which to maximise the Liberal vote at the next election.  That will almost certainly mean the reverse of policies that the Greens and Labor have implemented.  Talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face.

      Reply

    • the moor says:

      07:03pm | 09/07/12

      It was a far from reassuring performance for a party with aspirations to be a major political option in the future.  Based on that performance it will be a long time coming.

    • Gordon says:

      06:15pm | 09/07/12

      Last time I looked there were still people in Australia who worked* for a living. I’d like to think there is a market in the political space for someone to represent such people. Unfortunately the ALP has for too long been split between “save the world” types and the brothers- in-arms unionists and have left those outside those tight groups to drift to the libs: by which I mean tradies, contractors, working migrants, small farmers, small business owners and apolitical white-collar types. The Greens do Save-the-World more convincingly for those adherents, leaving basically Doug Cameron and a rusty screwdriver left behind.  That the whole centre of Aust political life has been abandoned to the toffs is a bloody disgrace. If the ALP does decide to kick out the greens they are going to have to work pretty hard to get the rest back in the tent.

      * a process by which more is created from less with some of the proceeds going to the worker and enough left over for the game to be worth playing.

      Reply

    • Dave says:

      06:27pm | 09/07/12

      Last time I looked there were still people in Australia who were journalists, not partisan spin doctors.

      That was about ten years ago, now we just have Tory and her fellow paid shills playing to an audience of aggrieved baby boomers approaching the ends of their locust-like existences.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      09:01pm | 09/07/12

      Last time I looked, boomers had as much a right to express their opinions as anyone else.  If you don’t like it, well, tough bananas (that’s a boomer expression, by the way).

      And I, for one, am only aggrieved by the unwillingness of the younger generations to accept that, guess what,  you’re in charge now.  Or about to be.  And you’re as unprepared as we were in our day.  You’re going to make as big a mess of it as we did.  Have fun.

    • Dave says:

      08:06am | 10/07/12

      Well Marley, thanks for acknowledging your role in destroying the planet, consuming all the resources and steering our society in an unsustainable direction. While you waddle off this mortal coil loaded with government-subsidised drugs, myself and other young people will be fighting the conservative legacy of your generation - consumption at any cost. That cost of course being the quality of life of your descendents, which you conservatives don’t ‘give a hoot’ about. Look at the comments every day on news.com.au - all you people care about is accumulating $$$ then spending it on consumer goods. You don’t grasp that this isn’t an endless joyride, that your ‘take take take’ attitude comes with a price. Or maybe you do, you just know you’ll be dead before the price comes due. Again, thanks to you and your greedy ilk for the hardship you cause those who follow you.

      And we’re not in charge. The two party system is a relic of your days and panders entirely to your generation. Young people hate both parties as there is nothing to differentiate them. They both exist to suit the needs of elderly white folks. Greens and independents are the parties of the youngsters - no surprise our system is rigged to keep them out, and no surprise you lot fear them so much.

    • Ginger Mick says:

      11:33am | 10/07/12

      @ Dave “And we’re not in charge. The two party system is a relic of your days and panders entirely to your generation.”

      You really are not a student of politics and government.

      http://australianpolitics.com/key-terms/westminster-system
      “Australia’s political system is based on the Westminster system used in Great Britain. In essence, Westminster is the name given to the system of parliamentary democracy used in countries such as Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
      The essential features of the system are:
      The Government is chosen by the democratically elected lower house. The government requires the continuing support of a majority of members of that chamber to stay in office.
      The head of government is the Prime Minister, who leads a Cabinet which is responsible to the lower house.
      A loyal Opposition exists, led by the leader of the party or parties with the second largest number of seats in the lower house.
      A constitutional monarch, if one exists, who is “above politics” and acts on the advice of the prime minister.
      There is a career public service which impartially serves the government of the day.
      The armed services are outside of politics and act on the instructions of the government.
      The rule of law prevails, with an independent judiciary, subject to the Constitution.”

      I would point out that “the boomers” are also responsible for building Aussie to what it is today.  If we have done so badly we might be like South Africa, Pakistan or Bangladesh.

      But then again it sounds like you live in a bark hut with no mod cons BUT you are here, how, not rubbing two sticks together, maybe you are using a consumer product (computer)?

      As to “greedy ilk”, really, what generation expects to live in a twenty square home, all mod cons, two cars in the garage and more power hungry gear that you couldn’t jump over?

      But the real rub is this, say g’day to grandad and grandma for me, then tell them how you really feel about them and your parents.

    • youdy beaudy says:

      06:35pm | 09/07/12

      Haven’t people worked it out yet that it doesn’t matter who runs it it is always going to be the same. What do you think, that Tony Abbott who you love so much cares about you as an individual. Do you think that tony is going to do better than the mob you hate and go on about in the negative all the time.

      Well if you believe all that then you are all deluded. Please enjoy what you created and don’t whinge later. Politicians don’t really care about your lives people. Haven’t you woken up to that yet?. Me, i don’t care about any of it because it is all against us, so why worry, that’s my thought for what it’s worth. Probably nothing on here, so, so be it.

      Reply

    • nihonin says:

      07:14pm | 09/07/12

      ‘Do you think that tony is going to do better than the mob you hate and go on about in the negative all the time.’

      Don’t hate (or love) the Labor party myself, but the current government, well let’s just say, the less said about it in the future, the better it will be Labor.

    • The Fatman says:

      06:42pm | 09/07/12

      Another knife in the back of the preferential voting system, at least in the lower house, but will either major party commit to getting rid of it or moving to a form of proportional representation in either house - no!  So unless the system is changed The Greens will, eventually, get preferences from both sides who will preference each other last.  Its an undemocratic process - the only time this has not happened (preferencing each other last) was when One Nation were around and the majors preferenced each ahead of them.  One Nation members, mostly disaffected lefties, got ripped off by their party preferencing the Libs and by the majors preferencing each other.  Hanson was ripped off most of all got just under the 50% plus one she needed to stop distribution and the person who finished 3rd with around 15% got the job - just plain wrong regardless of who she is or was or what she represented she won the seat first past the post hands down.  Labor only have themselves to blame they brought the stupid system in and it kept them out for years when the DLP preferenced the Libs ahead of the ALP until they disolved or remerged.

      Reply

    • Ginger Mick says:

      11:56am | 10/07/12

      I do not believe in preferential voting.  First past the post, finish.

      The least that could be done is that only the voter can express his wishes ON THE VOTING SLIP.

      Then L/NP coalition would have to unite in one party to survive.

    • Bho Ghan-Pryde says:

      07:51pm | 09/07/12

      This is all just a farce to convince voters the ALP has come to its senses as the oncoming election loom large. The ALP and the Greens both know this alliance has damaged the ALP and as both do not want the Coalition, they have a stake in playing out this little charade of a public divorce to give the ALP a prospect of regaining support. It would be better to judge them on their behaviour over the last two (2) years when they got along just fine than take notice of this little sham played out in the shadow of an oncoming train wreck called the election.

      Reply

    • Craig says:

      07:59pm | 09/07/12

      People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
      A one-front army can’t fight a two front war.

      Labor is weakening itself further by a fight with the Greens.

      This is what a political party with a deathwish looks like.

      Reply

    • David says:

      09:17pm | 09/07/12

      One year to the election and Labor needs a scapegoat.  Watch them blame the Greens for every unpopular decision they have made since the last election. The final act will be to dump Gillard and pretend everything is back to normal. It wont work.

      Reply

    • DW says:

      09:45pm | 09/07/12

      I used to be a rusted on Labour voter, but switched to the Greens because they are the voice of reasonable, rational Australians.  I have a family. I work. I don’t live in or desire to live in a squat house. And after these foul insults have been thrown around (such as “green voters know nothing of hard work or the value of family ” etc etc) I doubt I will ever vote Labour again. Go for it Julia, burn the once principled but now morally impotent Labour house to ashes, you and the faceless men will be derided in the history books, that is if you ever get a mention after the next election.  The Labour caucus deserves to be squashed by the Mac truck coming for it, even if the rest of don’t deserve an Abbot government.

      Reply

    • Jay says:

      07:55am | 10/07/12

      Let’s see how many Lower House seats the Greens win in the next Federal election without Labor’s support. We have all seen first hand what it is like to live in the The Greens world. No thanks.

    • Tony H says:

      10:32pm | 09/07/12

      We see you Labor,clear as day.The smoke and mirrors routine wont work any more. How many more sleeps is it?

      Reply

    • Sd says:

      12:51am | 10/07/12

      Thanks for the usual bullshit young liberals, the biggest liars of all. Bigger than even the nations master liar Howard!

      Reply

    • Brian Taylor says:

      05:53am | 10/07/12

      This so called “split” between the greenies and ALP is nothing but a con game.
      I said not long after they got “married” that after the Carbon tax came in, they’d fight and split up.
      all part of the “game”
      Julia is hoping that if she appears to stand up againt the Greenies now, she’ll have a year to go before she has to call an election and that voters will forgive her for even signing the Greenies/ALP marrige form.
      Guess what Julia?....won’t work, just like nothing you’ve placed your slimly fingers on has worked.
      Time to start packing woman

      Reply

    • Jay says:

      07:11am | 10/07/12

      Credit where credit is due. Bob Brown was a masterley politician who basically formed a political Party from nothing. He retired leaving the Greens holding the Balance of Power and managing to hijack the Labor Party and control the political agenda using gay marriage as an irrelevant distraction. Whilst Labor debated Gay marriage the Greens kept their agenda making sure that Labor changed their position on Boat people, implemented a Carbon Tax and shifted the Labor Party to the left. The so called Labor Power brokers were impotent and continued to be distracted by Brown’s magic tricks. The Green cause was greatly assisted by Labor replacing Kevin Rudd with the incompetent Julia Gillard whose lack of political nouse is breath taking. To watch Graham ‘Richo’ Richardson on his weekly show just shake his head in total exaspiration was a salient warning that something was seriously wrong. Now we have the Carbon Tax. Prices are on the rise over and above the 0.001% and Labor’s political fortunes are still in the doldrums. In fact the Party refuses to accept that Gillard is the most unpopular PM in the history of the Labor Party. For some reason the Labor Party brokers refuse to accept this and are intent on driving Labor to the most destructive in living memory. Alas Bob Brown is now happily retired, but he made a mistake. He should have replaced himself as leader with Adam Bandt. Instead he probably had no choice but to annoint Milne. The public has not warmed to Ms Milne and her shrill pitch when she does not get her way grates on all. Labor has finally woken up but its too late to win an election, but maybe not late enough to try and reduce the haemmoraging.
      Get rid of Gillard and appoint Martin Ferguson. Bill Shorten is not upto the job.Cut their ties with the Greens. Bring the Party back to the centre.Adopt Abott’s boat people policy which if it does not work will force people to question his credentials. Penalise any Company which claims the carbon tax as the reason for a price rise.

      Reply

    • michael says:

      07:51am | 10/07/12

      Labor can say all it wants Gillard forced Green policy on the Australian public to stay in power,  the truth is that it is Labor policy as well and now they want to blame the Greens! no thank you, both Labor, Greens and the dependant independents all worked together to pass the most draconian, policies ever on the Australian people, yes they did it together and they kissed and cheered as they passed them they are as thick as thieves.
      Now that they got what they wanted against the wants of the voting public majority they want to blame the Greens and distance them selves? give us a break, as Labor said anything to stay in power they are shameless and Gillard is a proven liar, anybody that believes this nonsense that Labor wants to distance themselves from the Greens is been taken for a fool, they need each other and they work together to keep the Australian borders open to any-one and tax us to oblivion, the most deceiving, evil government this country has ever had in Australian history.

      Reply

    • Terence says:

      08:13am | 10/07/12

      Yes! there is an election in the air, and it’s sink or swim time for Labor!

      Just like a well worn out tool, Labor has decided to distance it’s self from it’s partner in crime, and move onto greener pastures. Expect another stab in the back Prime Minister wise shortly as Julia has passed her used by date, and a new image is desperately required to inject a confidence vote which is sadly lacking at the moment.

      Almost unbelievable, but true to form!

      Reply

    • Daniel says:

      08:24am | 10/07/12

      Not sure where all this ALP bluster is coming from? I think they just needed an issue to carry on about to make themselves relevant again. The ALP needs to get over themselves and stop trying to make out they care about workers and also stop taking cash from political donors.

      Reply

    • jimbo says:

      10:21am | 10/07/12

      Why are people bashing the Baby Boomers?  Explain what we have done wrong.  We worked, we saved and bought a modest house that we could actually afford at 11% interest.  We didn’t have two latest model cars in the garage and we usually did it on one wage.  We didn’t put our kids in child minding centres but gave them “quality time”, all the time.  Perhaps it is envy of our realistic expectations alone that has caused this irrational Boomer Bashing.
      Remember, we are your parents and grand-parents who tried their best to raise responsible, mature and self sufficient adults.
      I appologise for the fact that we have obviously failed.

      Reply

    • michael says:

      12:22pm | 10/07/12

      I go along with that.

    • Randal says:

      12:01pm | 10/07/12

      Come on Tory this lovers tiff between the ALP and the the Greens is as manufactured as their alliance. Both sides claim independence of each other, yet crawl into bed with each other at the first sign of political convenience.

      The fight is a pure show as it suits both sides as they enter election mode to point to their differences, yet come post election they will support each other at all costs if it means power.

      The public should not be hoodwinked by this deceit, and when they get their chance at the ballot box should make no illusion that a vote for the ALP is a vote for the Greens, and vice versa.

      If the public truly wants change then they should them both at the bottom of the ballot come election day,

      Reply

    • Ron Vincent says:

      08:50pm | 10/07/12

      If handouts on election day by Labor, whenever that will be, indicate that their preferences are to go to the Greens simply ignore them. The Greens are the most destructive party with the most disgraceful platform on which to stand. Number your ballot paper and whichever party you vote for ALWAYS PLACE THE GREENS LAST, in both Houses. Labor can ruin this country without their help.

 
Sorry, comments are now closed for this article.

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Daniel Piotrowski

drpiotrowski 22 May 13 07:53PM

RT @JoshuaWithers: Have you seen the Australian version of Breaking bad? He get's cancer and Medicare covers his costs and the series ends.

Paul Colgan

Colgo 22 May 13 05:45PM

How the totally awesome weather in Australia recently is hurting retailers http://t.co/4dvDwDlNZG

Paul Colgan

Colgo 22 May 13 05:29PM

Hell, your name is Excel and Powerpoint.

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 22 May 13 04:56PM

Great fun yarn by @the_mattyoung and @DebKillalea. What the hell annoys you about the evening commute? http://t.co/Eyi82lHiBQ

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

The Punch is moving house

by The Punch Team

385

The Punch is moving house

Good morning Punchers. After four years of excellent fun and great conversation, this is the final post…

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

by Hannah Harborow

122

Will Pope Francis have the vision to tackle this?

I have had some close calls, one that involved what looked to me like an AK47 pointed my way, followed…

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

by Sarrah Le Marquand

251

Advocating risk management is not “victim blaming”

In a world in which there are still people who subscribe to the vile notion that certain victims of sexual…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: Hasbro, go straight to gaol, do not pass go

Tim says:

They should update other things in the game too. Instead of a get out of jail free card, they should have a Dodgy Lawyer card that not only gets you out of jail straight away but also gives you a fat payout in compensation for daring to arrest you in the first place. Instead of getting a hotel when you… [read more]

From: A guide to summer festivals especially if you wouldn’t go

Kel says:

If you want a festival for older people or for families alike, get amongst the respectable punters at Bluesfest. A truly amazing festival experience to be had of ALL AGES. And all the young "festivalgoers" usually write themselves off on the first night, only to never hear from them again the rest of… [read more]

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

Superman needs saving

Superman needs saving

Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis. Eighteen months ago,… Read more

28 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free News.com.au newsletter