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Earn your mandate Barry, or there’ll be no man date

Mark Lennon

by Mark Lennon

24 Mar 05:50am

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Filed under: Barry O Farrell, Election Promises, Nsw Election 2011, Nsw Politics, Politics, Unions

117 comments

A small tap of the space key can make a world of difference.

You want real policies? I'll give you real policies. More giraffes for everyone! Hooray! Pic: Nic Gibson.

Case in point - mandate: “the authority granted by a constituency to act as its representative”; as opposed to man date: “two men doing something that would be your standard date, eg going to a film, out for a meal.”

Now, Unions NSW has been working constructively with governments of all stripes for 130 years. But with all due respect, if Barry O’Farrell becomes premier after Saturday’s election, I won’t be lining up for a man date.

However I am asking him to earn his mandate.

So far – despite a six week campaign period and sixteen years in opposition to develop a cohesive plan for NSW – O’Farrell has said remarkably little about his plans for the state should he win Saturday.

I seriously doubt whether Barry O’Farrell would be able to claim the authority granted by NSW voters to represent their interests in a range of key areas, particularly if he tries to cut public services, sell off assets or undermine work rights.

An O’Farrell victory would be more Steven Bradbury than Cathy Freeman. He may glide through simply by not messing up. But he certainly hasn’t led from the front, created a vision and brought the crowd with him.

So he plans to cut the price of a monthly train ticket. That’s good. But what’s the future of public transport? We know Sydney Ferries are up for sale, but which other parts of our public transport networks in Sydney and major regional centres will be outsourced? There are question marks hanging over the future of Sydney Buses, Newcastle Buses and Ferries and the maintenance of the CityRail fleet.

How about public sector jobs? We know the Coalition plans to cut 1,000 workers from the Department of Community Services, but an analysis of the proposals put forward by various ‘consultants’ and lobbyists this election campaign shows a further 25,000 are under threat – front line workers across departments like education and training, ageing and disability and national parks and wildlife.

Business would certainly push a Coalition Government to erode work rights and entitlements in the state – how would they respond?

And for all his willingness to hit the Labor Government over power privatisation – what does O’Farrell plan for our power assets?

Despite repeated invitations from workers and community members across NSW to sign – or at least speak to – the Better Services charter already signed by over 200 candidates this election campaign; O’Farrell has refused to answer these and a host of other questions.

The absence of any real answers from the Coalition is creating a level of uncertainty in the community that it is neither fair nor necessary.

Unions are looking forward to working with the next government to improve our essential public services – but we also stand ready to hold the next government to account if it oversteps its popular mandate.

There may only be a day or so left, but it’s not too late for Barry O’Farrell to come clean.

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117 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • John C says:

      04:59am | 24/03/11

      So, the dictat from this union fool is that even if the LIbs get the 65 per cent two party vote predicted, they have no mandate to govern.

      Listen mate, we live in a democracy where the party that wins the majority of seats gets to govern. A state that is governed by the wishes of a small number of the population, which is what the unions are, is called an oligarchy.

      Keep your undemocratic opinions to yourself and look more carefully at your mate GIllard who, on your principles, has no mandate to bring in a carbon tax.

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      07:07am | 24/03/11

      Why are we listening to a Union man anyway? Are they still relevant?

      O’Farrell can do whatever he likes as far as I’m concerned. Can’t be any worse than the ALP for the last 10 years.

      There will be blood on Saturday.

    • Reg says:

      07:47am | 24/03/11

      If you want to see stagnation and paralysis Reg, just wait and watch poor useless Barry. $20 says 12 months from now he is butter memory.

      The most appalling part of this display is that O’Farrell is the best you have to offer. In the light of such an apparently easy win, where are your men of vision and panache? Totally f***ing invisible.  “MarK for Premier,” at least we’d a Punch with say, Zeta as his Judy.

      Now…..Timmy, don’t get any ideas of a political future. You’re NOT up to it.

    • Nafe says:

      09:33am | 24/03/11

      Exactly.

      The point is that Barry has policies, has a contract for NSW, but can not annnounce concrete issues due to not knowing the actual state of finances.

      I can guarentee that the state coffers are far more depleated than anyone can imagine.

    • Arnold says:

      09:46am | 24/03/11

      Butter memory?  Does that mean it’s a delicious, creamy memory?  Mmmm… creamy!

    • TimB says:

      10:05am | 24/03/11

      Hey Reg (the sane one), can I make a suggestion? I know you shouldn’t have to, but you might want to think about differentiating your name a bit
      .
      Just so we can tell you apart (at a glance) from the crazy Reg who posted after you.

    • Likes Joining Dots says:

      10:35am | 24/03/11

      TimB

      Thanks for ruining it. I was beginning to enjoy the soliloquy. Killjoy.

    • TimB says:

      11:15am | 24/03/11

      Oops. Sorry LJD smile

      Hey you might still be right. It could be a split personality. The rational & logical one, and the one that spouts pointless incomprehensible gibberish.

      Rational Reg seems too sane to have an alter-ego though.

    • Tom says:

      12:01pm | 24/03/11

      The many faces of Reg? Reg is never lonely?

    • Erick says:

      05:03am | 24/03/11

      Oh, come on. Unions own the Labor Party. Don’t pretend that they’re somehow independent and impartial.

      Reply

    • Phil says:

      06:34am | 24/03/11

      Erick if the twit that ran them prior who is looking like being opposition leader next week didnt stop Iemma from selling the power companies we would have another 12 B in the bank or thereabouts.
      Another Union dope trying to make themselves relevant.
      By the way Mark do you support the carbon tax on your members. And I suppose you would like compensation for them as well so it doesnt hurt them. Ged wants $28 a week. Sure if I can raise my prices them can have it but its unlikely or if they increase productivity.
      Workers rights are a federal issue?

    • Super D says:

      09:21am | 24/03/11

      It’s the union backed Labor party that got NSW into the mess its in today.  Barry O’Farrell has a mandate to do whatever he thinks is necessary to fix it - and if that means doing things after the election that he promised he wouldn’t do before then by Labor standards even that is ok.

    • TimB says:

      05:27am | 24/03/11

      “However I am asking him to earn his mandate.”

      Perhaps you should have had a word to your ALP mates then. It’s their total and utter incompetence that’s handed Barry a mandate on a silver platter.

      Reply

    • Paul C says:

      07:20am | 24/03/11

      Nice comment - pity Gillard wouldn’t earn a mandate before inflicting us with the Carbon tax. Tell us not on the agenda, when clearly it was.

    • Reg says:

      07:32am | 24/03/11

      Excellent point Timmy. Thus far there is certainly no indication the peanut deserves to win.  wink

    • n_dude says:

      11:49am | 24/03/11

      Absolutely correct Tim (unfortunately)!

    • biff says:

      05:57am | 24/03/11

      “But what’s the future of public transport”, asks Mark. Pity the poor disabled person that needs assistance at any railway station without any rail staff present. Mark, can you guess who retrenched hundreds of railway staff? I’ll give you a clue: the initials are   A-L-P.

      Reply

    • Paul C says:

      07:25am | 24/03/11

      Oh but don’t the Labor party create jobs? They preach that during elections, but like everything else, all lies. Hard to create jobs when the unions (labor’s owners) make it impossible to employ people, through their ridiculous demands.

    • Tubesteak says:

      07:55am | 24/03/11

      The best thing any government can do is halve the public service.

      A bunch of lazy useless parasites working a piddly 7 hours per day and getting flex leave and a bunch of other forms of leave in a glorified work for the dole scheme.

      I worked for the Cth PS for a while and it was full of lazy losers that couldn’t get a real job and were just sitting aorund waiting to retire. The sooner we corporatise it the better.

    • Richard says:

      06:03am | 24/03/11

      Haven’t you union thugs and faceless hacks done enough damage in NSW already? Seriously, stfu and let Barry get on with the job of rebuilding after the destruction and incompetence the NSW state administration.

      The public service is bloated and groaning. It needs to be streamlined and made more efficient. Remember, its tax payers’ money who pay for all these bureaucrats’ salaries: if taxpayers aren’t getting their money’s worth than they have a right to take steps to rectify the situation.

      And you union hacks keep on banging on about workers rights. “Workers rights, workers rights” on and on and on like a broken record. But just remember who makes the workers’ jobs possible in the first place: that’s right, business. (Even public sector jobs are financed by taxes paid by business and workers receiving salaries from businesses), So if you push for rights and entitlements that are so unsustainable that the business can’t make a profit any more and has to shut its doors, guess who suffers? EVERYONE.

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      07:26am | 24/03/11

      All indications so far are that poor Barry does not have the backbone for the job, but I guess MarK’s out there somewhere with his hand in the glove gesticulating wildly. 

      Richard; “So if you push for rights and entitlements that are so unsustainable that the business can’t make a profit any more and has to shut its doors, guess who suffers?”

      Your presupposition that rights are unsustainable, suggests that such rights should dismantled to the advantage of businesses so they can run riot in the public arena, using it as a plaything. Kindly read yesterdays news and take note that the guy just sentenced to 13 years for fleecing the public was one of yours, not ours.

    • Tom says:

      12:25pm | 24/03/11

      @Reg (the insane one) “13 years for fleecing the public was one of yours”
      I guess we should overlook the murders, paedophilia and wife bashers from your lot?

    • Reg says:

      02:33pm | 24/03/11

      Oh right Tom. Millions of workers but only thousands of businesses and I guess none of the business people are murderers, wife bashers or thieves.

      Oh I see, you left out thieves because you regard theft from pensioners as fair and reasonable business practice, like this gentleman did.  Should I put your selectivity down to insanity, dementia or criminal disposition?

    • Tom says:

      02:51pm | 24/03/11

      Your rules Reg. You selectively quoted, so did I. Stop crying about it.

    • Reg says:

      07:40am | 25/03/11

      Don’t be petty Tom. Anything I quote is enclosed in inverted commas and what little of yours I quoted was a complete sentence. No exclusions or alterations. Apparently you’re reading things that were never there.

      Did you screw up mate?  smile

    • Paul Horn says:

      01:03pm | 25/03/11

      Yeah Reg (the insane one) niot like the filthy unions have’nt been running rorts for the past 50 years or more!

      Intransigence, corruption, demaracation, stand over tactics, ring a bell Reg (the insane one). Standard union operating procedure hey Reg! Makes the bloke you criticise look like an absolute saint!

      Reg so many companies have been driven to the brink because of your lot it is a national disgrace.  I just hope that what they do to the ALP they’ll do doubly to thise cursed unions.

      Have a nice day Reg (the insane one)!

    • Jedi_T says:

      06:14am | 24/03/11

      MANDATE.
      If you want to talk about mandates, take a good long hard look at your puppet PM Gillard.
      If ever a mandate was needed its for her absurd taxes.

      Reply

    • Tony of Poorakistan says:

      08:05am | 24/03/11

      Exactly - how about it, Mr Lennon?

    • Jedi_T says:

      10:44am | 24/03/11

      Don’t hold your breath Tony!
      Mr Lennon probably only submitted the article. It’s most likely someone has written it for him, he skimmed it then forwarded on.
      He probably doesnt even know which website it went to.

    • Tom says:

      12:33pm | 24/03/11

      @Tony and Jedi, “Thankyou for your call. It is important to us. All our operators and assorted dopey union hacks are busy putting together their last minute looting of NSW. Mr Lennon has left the building. Suggest you try Brazil.”

    • Jedi_T says:

      03:03pm | 24/03/11

      @Tom.
      Expected nothing less!

    • Zeta says:

      06:44am | 24/03/11

      I love these guys.

      Seriously, every journo in town is getting personally backgrounded by every hack, hatchet man and union boss on hand to get the message out that Labor is destined for a wipe out, reduced to first 20, then 12, then 8, now 6 seats - all to protect the reputation of Sam Dastyari, that horrid lovechild of Mr. Bean and a Thunderbird.

      Meanwhile, those same hardheads will tell anyone who’ll listen but doesn’t have a press pass that BOF hasn’t earned his mandate.

      But…. hang on a minute there peanut - your mob are telling all and sundry Barry will decimate the Labor Party (the actual definition of decimate too I might ad), but at the same time, he’s not earned his mandate? How is reducing the ALP to rubble not earning your mandate? The people have spoken - ‘it’s the Parliament the people voted for’ I think was the quote Gillard used. Or Bob Brown, the two are interchangeable at this point.

      You can’t have your expectation management cake and eat it too.

      Without direction, you just spin in circles.

      Reply

    • Tubesteak says:

      08:47am | 24/03/11

      It comes from the belief that everything a government is to do for it’s entire term in office must be voted upon by the public.

      Apparently, we don’t elect leaders anymore. We elect pollsters and yes-men or something who can’t do anything without a permission slip.

    • Reg says:

      09:08am | 24/03/11

      Zeta I really thought you were more rational that this. If the current rulers have shown themselves not up to the job, how is it that any blind-freddie standing in opposition can regard a win as a mandate?

      Zeta; “How is reducing the ALP to rubble not earning your mandate?”

      It’s actually falling across the line in tatters of historic irrelevance. So stand by for the first gasping breath as the fool emerges from the protective womb of being in opposition, into the daylight of reality. It’s not going to be a pretty sight.

    • Zeta says:

      10:35am | 24/03/11

      @ Reg - Using your logic, the Liberals should spend their first 4 years not fixing any of Labor’s failures because they don’t have a mandate to do it.

    • Tubesteak says:

      01:37pm | 24/03/11

      Reg

      It’s often a saying in politics that “oppositions don’t win elections, governments lose them”.

      Howard never won the election in 1996. Keating lost it after he should have lost to Hewson a few years before.

      Winning the most seats in parliament is a mandate. We elect representatives to represent our electorate and if a majority of those representatives are from one party or coalition then they are the ones that win. We vote them in to govern us. To build things. To manage the state/country. That is their job when they are there.

      They shouldn’t be asking us what we want them to do every 5 minutes. They should get in there and do what they think is best for the state/country. If we disagree then we can vote them out in 3 or 4 years.

      A representative is there to do what’s best for their electorate. If some of them choose to vote and operate as a bloc (Labor, Liberal, Green etc) then so be it. The biggest bloc wins.

    • Syl says:

      01:39pm | 24/03/11

      Reg

      Its called Democracy.

    • Dash says:

      06:48am | 24/03/11

      Go and ask Julia Gillard about her mandate for the carbon tax. Deliberately mislead the Australian people on election eve! She would not be PM if she announced the intention to tax carbon before the last election. She promised no tax and a citizens assembly. Then she replaced the assemblt with an committee on which every member is aligned to the ALP! She used $11b of taxpayers money to bribe her way into office with independents. And you want to talk about mandates?

      I agree with Richard stfu!

      Unions represent about 15% of workers, the other 85% of workers don’t need you or find you relevant. The state of NSW at the moment is largely because of the unions and their involvement in ALP politics. The best you can do is accept your responsibility for the mess and then get out of the way.

      Reply

    • Diamantina Dick says:

      06:51am | 24/03/11

      Just contemplating the “Bradbury” analogy and picturing Carr, Iemma, Reese and Bambi sprawling off stage left. Thanks for the chuckle.

      Reply

    • Rose says:

      10:30am | 24/03/11

      Why did you refer to Kenneally as Bambi and the others by their surnames? You don’t even bother to hide your ignorant sexism.

    • Michael says:

      11:58am | 24/03/11

      Rose, I don’t know that it’s sexism - perhaps nothing more than well deserved contempt? The ignorance tag is a little harsh too - s/he did also mis-spell Nathan Ree’s surname, but really… Why so angry? Are you really babmi, but not game to admit it?

      Personally, I think the Bambi tag fit’s pretty well. Without paying any mind to the sex of the premier, they are without doubt a lightweight, rather unintelligent and delusional fool. The best I could say for the premier is that they are too stupid to know what corrupt bastards her pupppet masters are… If she was 17 years old, I could forgive the innocent, wide-eyed act, but anyone in her position is either plain stupid or an active part of the corruption. You decide… “Bambi” is a reference to a wide-eyed “innocent”. If anything, Diamantina Dick was paying her a compliment!

    • Rev says:

      03:00pm | 24/03/11

      Bambi (the deer) is male.

    • thatmosis says:

      06:53am | 24/03/11

      The Unions know that their puppets the ALP are in for a thrashing and are starting the its not our fault routine again. The Unions are the ALP and everything that has happened in NSW has had their seal of approval. Now that they look like the biggest Losers they will try and undermine the incoming government wherever and when ever they can. Good ridance to bad rubbish I say.

      Reply

    • TChong says:

      07:08am | 24/03/11

      All self righteous Ayn Rands and HR Nicholls,, sitting at keyboards bravely attacking unions.
      But what is curios, many of the same people who have job security, award structures, super, annual leave, penalty rates etc. all fought for, and gained by unions.
      Typical whingeing hypocrits.

      Reply

    • michael says:

      07:50am | 24/03/11

      Fuck off! how long will you people trot out that old line….moving forward please.
      I have all those things and never been union.

    • Paul C says:

      09:09am | 24/03/11

      Funny TChong - I started earning real money when I ditched the Union.  Also I feel a lot more secure in my job now.  Employers employ when there is a conservative government and stop employing when a socialist government comes to power.  That is why Labor will never be able to achieve job growth.

    • TChong says:

      09:27am | 24/03/11

      Angry angry tantrum chucking Mike.
      Whats your counter argument? -profanity.
      Shows just how poor your lack of argument is mickey.
      You have all those things without being in a union?
      You Mike are a parasite.

    • Reg says:

      09:36am | 24/03/11

      Michael; ” I have all those things and never been union.”

      You blind fool Michael. You have all these things BECAUSE of unions and the pressure that unity brought on companies and governments to ensure a reasonable standard of living for the people of Australia.

      If companies such as CSR had been allowed to prevail we’d have had slavery of the Southern US variety from 130 years ago and this probably includes racial segregation. Only Australia’s beginnings as a fettered class would have alleviated such a possibility and that commonality is also the origin of our unity.  The unity that you and all your faux-liberal governments strive to fragment.

    • Michael says:

      10:10am | 24/03/11

      Yes as are all creatures of the earth parasites of the host planet.
      Not angry at all, just enjoy the full range of emotive vocabulary, simple yet effective rejection of your position.
      Don’t need a counter arguement better than actual union membership as a percentage of total individuals participating in paid employment in Australia…..that’s right the unions only represent a minority or workers from industries that are high yield tax earners for the Government.
      The rights we have are actually LAW and can’t be removed by a political party, well not one that wants to govern for more than one term.
      Yes the things that the unions HELPED give the workers, lets not forget industry and Government did their parts as well are excellent but seriously, are Unions going to just keep saying we did something once now you owe us forever?
      Tell me what have unions done for anyone lately?

    • Michael says:

      10:14am | 24/03/11

      Reg, mate you don’t know anywhere near enough detail about my situation to claim all the glory for the unions about my work conditions.
      Yours is that very same old tired argument, unions got you something 30 years ago, you can’t do better on your own.
      WRONG!

    • Jedi_T says:

      10:14am | 24/03/11

      TChong,
      Curious not Curios!
      Hypocrites not Hypocrits!
      Spellcheck buddy! Or perhaps buy a dictionary?
      As for your argument that Unions made all these things possible, I believe they had a very strong hand in such, but to attribute it all, please prove?
      And I wonder, what kind of Govt was in power when such rights were granted?
      TChong your arguments are becoming very amateurish, lets see you step it up a notch.

    • TChong says:

      11:23am | 24/03/11

      Jedi T - I dont bother with word spell / checks, googling, wiki, or political party sites.
      Unlike many here, I am not asked to blog by any political organisation, so dont have spelling perfect cut and pastes to post.
      You and I Jedi, old pal, we stand alone. - not political hack participants, but observers .
      As the old Guiness ad used to say: “I like to watch”.
      And then poste a grammeratickly incorect repleye.

    • Reg says:

      11:29am | 24/03/11

      Michael; “Reg, mate you don’t know anywhere near enough detail about my situation to claim all the glory for the unions about my work conditions.”

      Michael, read my reply again, I did not NEED to have any detail of your personal situation, I merely point to the historical conditions that influenced your current situation and the prevailing working conditions of Australians in general. 

      And pardon me, but you seem to be gloating in the aura of your own personal achievements as if no-one else ever helped you along the way.  Such self-centredness indicates the narrow outlook so typical of Liberal/National followers, from the farmer to the accountant.

      “I did it unaided.”  Bullshit you did!

    • grumpy old man says:

      12:15pm | 24/03/11

      TChong, you are such a wally!
      I have never been in a Union, never will be in a Union. The one time I was ‘asked ‘( directed/ subjected to Union coercion), to join a Union,  I fought and won at the Tribunal.  I have always negotiated my own salary and terms and conditions. I’m now in my late 50’s, raised 3 kids who all work hard for what they have. I don’t have a University education, and I’m not a lawyer, Doctor or any other professorial, just a working man from a family of working men, and there are plenty like me, so I’m nothing special or unusual.  People like you who make ridiculous and unsubstantiated generalizations make me puke.

    • Michael says:

      12:50pm | 24/03/11

      Thank you, Reg. I didn’t offer my political persuasion or details of success or even field of employment yet you manage to assume so much from so little.
      Reg you even re posted what i said and then misquoted me ?:S

      In denial much?

    • Jedi_T says:

      03:13pm | 24/03/11

      “Unlike many here, I am not asked to blog by any political organisation, so dont have spelling perfect cut and pastes to post.”
      But you do have an opinion TCHong, usually the opposite of mine and it belittles your intelligence when you “poste a grammeratickly incorect repleye” when posting.
      I understand neither of us are “political hack participants, but observers” but we observe from opposite sides. And I much prefer the intelligent argument over the current gutter hacking underway.
      So i’ll ask once again, please prove how Unions solely gave us super, min wage, AL, etc?

    • Paul Horn says:

      01:23pm | 25/03/11

      Do you mean (Mr Chong and Reg the insane) the union bastard that refused me entry to my workplace unless I produced a valid ticket? Or the union bastard that tapped me on the shoulder and demanded I go slow as it was making the rest of the unionised scum look like lazy parasites   - when they were. Or the CMFEU parasite banging on about Aboriginal rights for one and a half hours during work time!

      Let’s get this straight morons Unions do not create jobs they destroy them and sentccne many many folk to the unemployment queue, people they could not give a flying filth about!

      Our living standards were not handed down to us from bloody Mount Union. They were developed through the hard work of entrepreneurs, inventors, innovators and canny businessmen who could see the potential and were willing to take the risk! Fantastic technological advancement over the past 100 years has enabled the average workers productive capacity to be lifted exponentially above that of his forebears!

      This has given us a standard of living that not even a King in the middle ages could dream of. Without this we would still be ruinning around the wilderness with our collectively organised heads up our collectively organised arses howling at the moon to give us better pay and conditions. 

      Unions have never created one damned job! But they have destroyed plenty!

      At least learn a little Economics before you open your mouth!

    • Jordie says:

      07:27am | 24/03/11

      What a ridiculous article, this is a Labor government who have rightly earned the title of the worst in Australian history and who will be reduced to just a few seats in the state parliament now trying to suggest that the Coalition will not have a mandate.  Go away Labor and leave the Coalition to get the State back into working order.  That’s a big enough job without the noise coming from you.

      Reply

    • David C says:

      08:07am | 24/03/11

      worst state and federal governments ..... its a double act

    • Paul C says:

      09:14am | 24/03/11

      But are they as Bad as Labor’s Bligh Government in Queensland ?

    • Michael says:

      07:52am | 25/03/11

      Paul C: YES!! nsw labor is FAR, FAR worse the Bligh’s effort in Qld. She at least has some semblence of a government. nsw labor are a bunch of organised criminals and a few moron incompetents who have nothing left to corrupt, nothing left unbroken and are now working feverishly to destroy the evidence of their years of corrupt (a lot of it criminal) activity.

      You can be certain that in years to come we will see “Underbelly” shows about the crimes and times of nsw labor and their union overlords.

    • Flexo says:

      07:31am | 24/03/11

      Can any politcial party be more incompetent that the NSW state ALP or Federal ALP governments? I think not. Barry is getting the vote simply because it is not physically or mentally possible to screw things up any more than Labor have. You want incomptence? You want wastage? You want lies? Than vote the ALP for more terrible years!

      Reply

    • Rose says:

      11:13am | 24/03/11

      I feel a bit sorry for you New South Welshmen. By all accounts you have put up with poor government for quite some time. I think you’ll need to put up with it for a long time yet, it will just be that the poor government will be Liberal instead of Labor. The only way to get good government is to have a good strong opposition and to have intelligent, informed debate. For a long time it seems that NSW have had a crap government only in place because the Opposition has been worse. If there is a complete rout and Liberal get an absolute majority in both Houses, who is going to hold them to account. The best case scenario would be a change in government but an Opposition and minor parties with just enough clout to provide some real scrutiny in Parliament. Absolute power corrupts and that appears to be the risk NSW faces now.

    • TimB says:

      12:49pm | 24/03/11

      No Rose.

      What the hell is it with people like you? Every time the (Labor) government of the day is a complete and utter failure, up pop the usual suspects claiming “it’s all the Oppositions fault!”

      No! No it isnt! The Opposition weren’t responsible For Keneally’s bullshit power sell off. The Opposition weren’t responsible for the goverment continuously delaying rail projects. The Opposition weren’t responsible for Milton Orkopoulos’s pedophila crimes. And they weren’t responsible for any of the other scandals that plagued the Labor party either.

      It’s amazing. In NSW Labor constantly screws up and people like you claim it’s the Coalition’s fault for being weak.

      In the Federal arena the Labor government is still screwing up everything it touches, but whenever the Opposition tries to hold them to account, you and your Labor-loving friends come out with your hysterical screams of “Blocker! Wrecker!”, etc.

      No matter what haoppens it’s apparently all the fault of the Opposition. Or John Howard. Or Menzies. FFS, enough is enough. Once, just once, I wish the Left would take responsibility for their own failings instead of continuously finger pointing at the other side.

    • Syl says:

      01:48pm | 24/03/11

      Wow Rose

      Seriously?  NSW ALP government is useless because of the opposition? Huh??

      We get it, your a Labor/Labour hack, but seriously, the way to improve is by recognising your faults and improving them, not blaming everyone else.

    • AdamC says:

      04:34pm | 24/03/11

      Wow, Rose, I guess you just experienced the blog commenting equivalent of ownage there.

    • Michael says:

      05:18pm | 24/03/11

      yep, rose no lube no pleasantries you got boned!

    • Flexo says:

      07:04am | 25/03/11

      Everytime the ALP or its fans blame the opposition they lose a point. Grow up and take responsibility for your actions!

    • marley says:

      07:48am | 24/03/11

      I would say that the only mandate O’Farrell needs is a majority in Parliament.  He doesn’t need the approval of the unions to be Premier.  Democracy really sucks, doesn’t it, Mr. Lennon?

      Reply

    • Reg says:

      10:50am | 24/03/11

      Marley “Democracy really sucks, doesn’t it,”

      Just remind me when Unionism stopped being democratic Ms Marley.

      In the days before Unionism we had the rotten burrows, or perhaps you’d prefer the days when political representation was hereditary.  You really are very old fashioned if you still believe in the “born to rule” Liberal/National philosophy. None of those were, or are, Democratic you know, so make up your mind Ms Marley and thank the French Revolution for the impetus to raise you from penury to your present comfortable status.

    • Rev says:

      03:03pm | 24/03/11

      @Reg,

      You’re old fashioned if you think unions are still relevant.
      Thanks for the memories.

    • Elphaba says:

      08:05am | 24/03/11

      Death throes - so much fun to watch. grin

      Reply

    • Nick Buick says:

      09:50am | 24/03/11

      Hahaha - Best comment ever!

    • Reggie says:

      09:51am | 24/03/11

      Elphaba; “Death throes - so much fun to watch.”

      Says Madame Defarge as her thread-less knitting needles click and slide in the slaver of her anticipatory drool.

      Perhaps Erick is correct, that women are more cruel than men.

    • Elphaba says:

      10:11am | 24/03/11

      Awww, Reggie, what’s with all the hate?  wink

      Cheer up.  Politics is cyclical.  Let Bazza have a go, and if he’s rubbish, I won’t be backwards in coming forwards and telling him, and everyone else on here.

      Low blow, picking on me because I have a vagina.  Is that the best you can do?

    • Michael says:

      11:02am | 24/03/11

      Nods along, more Elphaba more :D

    • Reggie says:

      11:42am | 24/03/11

      Elphaba; ” Low blow, picking on me because I have a vagina.  Is that the best you can do?”

      Worse ....... I am horrified and aghast that you should seek to hide behind your vagina, which admittedly is an image difficult to conceive.

      Erick Erick…come here, take a look at this!!!!!!!

    • Elphaba says:

      11:48am | 24/03/11

      @Reggie:

      Reggie 11:42pm: “Perhaps Erick is correct, that women are more cruel than men.”

      You personified me.  You brought my gender into the discussion.  What I have between my legs does not change my opinion.  I think your meds are affecting your basic comprehension skills.  Maybe you should take a nap and come back when you’re a bit more coherent?

    • Erick says:

      11:55am | 24/03/11

      Good Lord.

    • Reggie says:

      12:18pm | 24/03/11

      Erick; ” Good Lord.”

      Gasp…is that all you’ve got to say man?  smile

      Here it is I make a remark about some French tart and this person…has the audacity to apply it to herself. And MADAM, I am not in the slightest bit interested in what you have between your legs NOR that you seek to shelter in its shadow.

    • Elphaba says:

      12:26pm | 24/03/11

      @Reggie, then stop bringing it up *yawn*

    • Darren says:

      08:06am | 24/03/11

      Why do we have to suffer fools who don’t understand the meaning of a mandate. It allows the government to govern. Bazza will be the Premier on sunday morning and he will have the right to govern. Nobody reads any (or all) of the guff pit out by the parties - so no party can ever claim they have a mandate for this or that policy!

      Reply

    • FelicityC says:

      08:44am | 24/03/11

      I think anyone with a teaspooon full of brains would realise Barry O’Farrell is going to be Premier by default , certainly not on talent or policy. Doubt he will last long.

      Reply

    • Jordie says:

      09:15am | 24/03/11

      At least he will have been elected by the voters of NSW.  Something the last two premiers of NSW will never be able to lay claim to.  The brains will be voting for the Coalition, the rest of you will be irrelevant on Sunday.

    • Michael says:

      09:01am | 24/03/11

      What a stupid, moronic article! There are so many reasons this load of mindless, labor propaganda is utter crap - first at foremost is that the complete and well-earned hatred we all have for labor could never, ever be exceeded by the popularity of anyone. If God himself were to appear and run against nsw labor, even s/he could not “earn a mandade” against labor’s hateful, corrupt and completely broken rabble.

      Then, consider how much detail we know of the true state of NSW - just how broke are we? Just how broken is every little thing in NSW? For 16 years, everything has been conducted in utter secrecy “commercial, in confidence” and under the bannner of “executive government”. Parliament barely sits any more. Probably even labor don’t know how bad things really are (a mix of incompence, apathy and the mist raising from the steaming piles of s#1t) - so HOW THE HELL would ANYONE know in any meaningful detail how to fix NSW when nobody could say in detail what the real problems are or what resources we have to fix them!?

      It’s just not good enough for you to say that because your labor overlords have made such a complete and comprehensive mess of every single part of NSW, Barry O’Farrell has not real hope of giving a detailed analysis of how to fix what you lot deliberately broke, that he must be bad and so you will refuse to have a “man-date” with him. With all the respect you deserve (which, frankly is angry contempt), I say to you - I’m hope that your photo will be handed to security in every puplic building in NSW and that you would not have a chance in hell of getting a meeting with anyone with a brain or a scrap of ethics in NSW!

      So mr lennon, perhaps instead of dribbling labor propaganda crap down your weak, quivering chin (you’d have to be weak - you are a labor sicophant), perhaps you could go take a long, hard and (god-forbid) honest look at yourself and, like your corrupt labor overlords will do next week, slither back under your rock!

      Reply

    • Jim says:

      09:29am | 24/03/11

      Seek a mandate, hey.

      How about you have a quiet word in your girl Juliars substantial ear and suggest she seek a mandate for this abhorrent tax she is proposing to allow Labor to keep up it’s spending habits?

      Take it to an election!

      Reply

    • Nick Buick says:

      09:42am | 24/03/11

      Oh look kids, a union goon attempting word play. Don’t quit your day job Mr Lennon (if you still have one after this election)

      Reply

    • Jodie says:

      09:47am | 24/03/11

      I think Mark has a fair point - Coalition has had plenty of time to work out a plan for NSW, they should tell us what it is.

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      10:45am | 24/03/11

      Oh jodie…. Perleeeease! Where have you been hiding - with your hands over you ears (la-la-la-la-la not listening!) Barry O
      Farrell has given us FAR more detail of exactly what he intends to do and what his plans for NSW are than anyone else in this so-called campaign. To be brutally frank with you, labor have so comprehensively fucked us all over and so utterly destroyed every part of this state that were Barry to list all the things he and his team need to fix, you with your clearly short attention span and limited mental capacity would simply give up reading it. And that’s just the list! Any actual details of HOW all these things are to be addressed would take many, many thousands of pages. Would you be willing to listen to all that?

      Jodie, if you simply have been paying attention, then please, dismiss what tripe labor are wheeling out on the basis that they have been so dishonest about every little thing for so long that you know that whatever they say - no matter what it is - cannot be relied on in any way. IF however, you are just another moron labor sicophant, then just shut the fuck up because like everything else from labor, your noise is meaningless, worthless and only serves to further damage our country!

    • tony says:

      09:58am | 24/03/11

      Mark, where were you when we needed you to hold the current government to account mate?  I’m going to enjoy watching labor get slaughtered on the weekend.  And of course you’ll be applying the same rigid acid test to the liberals that you applied to labor over the past 16 years, which was nothing.  You see that’s why things are so bad in this state because you and your media mates placed absolutely no scrutiny on labor at all.  You and your unions are a joke Mark.  The unions ARE labor and were just as guilty of destroying this state as the labor party are.  Enjoy your 20 years in opposition.  Hahahahahaha.

      Reply

    • Sirena says:

      10:31am | 24/03/11

      I think he’s doing the Libs a favour. I mean just look what happened with julia - she didn’t have a mandate for a carbon tax and she is getting hammered. What happens if O’Farrell’s cronies (yes they all have cronies) decides to shut down local police stations or get rid of public holidays - will you sit by and let him do it when he clearly doesn’t have a mandate to? Sure he may get a mandate to govern, but not much else.

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      11:49am | 24/03/11

      I do take your point Sirena, but shut down local police stations? labor’s already shut them down. Even many of the major police stations in Sydney have been shut down for all but 9-5 weekdays. As for the public holiday lie, labor put up an idea for a new public holiday (grandparent’s day) and while grandparents are wonderful, I think we can all agreee that’s stupid idea. Barry said it was dumb - so now labor say he hates public holidays and wants to remove them… Anything left to privitise? No, labor’s seen to that. Toll roads? Check. To be honest, I’d be surprised is Barry’s people could find a single thing left in NSW to corrupt even if they tried!

    • David C says:

      10:38am | 24/03/11

      You know how this is going to play out dont you, Anything other than a complete schalacking of Labor on the weeknd will be spun to mean a mandate for a carbon (dioxide) tax

      Reply

    • Mattb says:

      04:46pm | 24/03/11

      You know how this is going to play out don’t you. A win to the liberals on the weekend is going to be instantly spun to mean ‘opposition to a carbon tax’. You’d almost put your life savings on it that TA will be claiming it, regardless of the fact that the NSW labor government has been done and dusted long before the carbon tax announcement. And it’s just as easy to predict that nearly all the liberal hacks on this site will be screaming ‘carbon tax did it to labor NSW’ as of Sunday.

      Carbon tax or no carbon tax, labor deserve to loose.

    • Rusty Abacus says:

      10:47am | 24/03/11

      So the general theme of these comments is “yeah Barry, just waltz in and do whatever the hell you want because we all hate Labor.”  Well it’s fine that some people don’t care about what Barry might or might not do, but most thinking people DO care, and they deserve to know what Barry actually has planned for NSW.  Mark Lennon is 100% right, Barry should declare his hand.  Handing over the keys to Macquarie St on trust alone is just plain stupid.

      Reply

    • Michael says:

      11:09am | 24/03/11

      How can one be held to your standard of disclosure when one hasn’t seen the state of the books?
      Will you first assure “Barry” that any finacial position he finds himself in will be 100% the first and foremost reason given by both sides of parliament for any failure to deliver on policy because of said financial position upon winning Government?

    • Michael says:

      01:35pm | 24/03/11

      Didn’t think so.

    • Reg says:

      02:56pm | 24/03/11

      Michael, regardless of the actual state of the books you can bet they will “found” to be “so bad” that poor Barry will not be able to find it within himself to do anything except cut jobs and public works.

      He is not one to inspire confidence or find ways of lifting the state out of the doldrums created by the Sydney CBD sucking the life out of the rest of the state.  Yes ... Central Business. The businesses that won’t shift their arses and their gigantic staff any further than 2 kilometres from the foreshore of the harbor. Is it any wonder they want to keep the blowtorch on the government, anything to keep it off their own arses. smile

    • Michael says:

      06:56pm | 24/03/11

      I’m not interested in confidence, i know you don’t realise how feeble your rebuttle is.
      I wish you well, i hope the future is everything you planned for.

    • Direct says:

      11:51am | 25/03/11

      Rusty, most thinking people realise that the longer we tolerate an incumbent in power for fear of the opposition bogeyman, the more corrupt and decadent the government becomes. We can start worrying about what potential governments might do when we start showing actual governments that we will throw them out of power if they get too far out of line.

    • Angry Punter says:

      10:50am | 24/03/11

      More Giraffes! Yes, at last, someone addressing the real issues.

      He gets my vote.  And the nudist guy, he’s on the money.

      Reply

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:55am | 24/03/11

      If I were a NSW Lib I’d be very concerned about recent election ‘walkovers’ that have seen the victors be very much on the nose when they can’t fulfil their promises immediately and have suffered huge backlashes in the next election.

      But that would require a politician looking past the next election and trough to stick their snout in…....which is never going to happen

      Reply

    • mary monica roche says:

      11:00am | 24/03/11

      ALP Labor will win the election 47 seats to 46 seats.
      Earth hour starts on march 26,2011 at 6.30 pm 1830 and finishes 12.30 am oo 30 march 27 2011.
      Labor will win 30 seats easily.

      Reply

    • Elphaba says:

      11:16am | 24/03/11

      As always, you nonsensical ramblings are amusing.

      Does anyone else thing that MMR is a Labor funded manitee in a tank spelling out Labor rhetoric with beach balls?

    • TimB says:

      01:08pm | 24/03/11

      Elphaba, MMR is one of at least half a dozen different identities, each spouting the same garbage.

      If you dare, google The Punch in conjunction with the following names:

      “jane wallace”, “john tracey”, “sandra nelson”, “kerrie o’rourke”,  “guy lee hanlon, and “The Liberal Loafer”.
      I have a strong suspicion it’s Badger given his MO of multiple account names and general nonsense.

      The sad thing is, not content with trolling the Punch, the guise “Jane Wallace of Riverwood” has been used to troll the Telegraph’s letters page at least twice that I know of. With pretty much the exact same post above (the 47-46 prediction). Someone needs serious mental help. And the Telegraph needs better troll detectors.

    • Elphaba says:

      01:19pm | 24/03/11

      @TimB, there is definitely some trolling going on.  I wondered if it was a computer program written to spout Labor-supporting incoherence much like Tourette’s Syndrome.

      Meanwhile, your post to Rose was awesome.  grin

    • Ryan says:

      11:55am | 24/03/11

      ALP / Union people clearly cannot read, nor listen. Here you go let me help you poor sad sacks, here are those policies you claim you don’t know about let alone lie about in those disgusting muckraking ads, paid for by the unions who laundered taxpayer monies through NSW government “donations” one day to the unions then a “donation” of a similar slightly less amount the next day by the same union to the Labor party.
      Here you go, policies, even with pretty pictures just for you… http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/policies

      Now you know what they are going to do. Perhaps you can pass it on in an ad.

      Reply

    • Allan says:

      01:28pm | 24/03/11

      At least Barry, Premier in waiting,  has been the leader of his party and of the opposition for the last four years.
      Labor has had a revolving door policy when it comes to leaders who try to stand up to Unions NSW.
      Barry is very much his own man as can be seen when he starred down the big end of town over Iemma/ Costa electricity privatisation.
      Barry will be beholden to no one except the voters when he becomes Premier this Saturday

      Reply

    • waltersj says:

      01:36pm | 24/03/11

      Mandate is from telling the voters what they are going to do, barry hasnt done it.

      Labor will lose the election massively bevause of incompetence, barry wont win in for his vision

      Reply

    • CSAllen says:

      03:51pm | 24/03/11

      what’s that Mr Lennon? you’re going to be irrelevant in NSW come Saturday?
      best join Roozendal and Keneally in fed politics then.
      don’t let the door hit your arse on the way out of NSW…
      by the way, love the photo of you sprouting hot air as always.

      Reply

    • First Time Liberal Voter says:

      05:17pm | 24/03/11

      Im fairly sure that Barry wont be talking to the unions are they are the reason why NSW is in so much trouble.

      Problem is no one want a visionary leader they just want a fix to the problem, we all know that Barry is going to give us a world class leader, but basically anyone can take the role as Premier as long as they dont have Australian Labour Party in thier name.

      What amazes me is that around 20% of people will still vote labour? Surely there should be 2.0% Im assuming there is a typo.

      Reply

    • Cynthia says:

      02:45pm | 25/03/11

      *Labor

    • Terry Wright says:

      06:21pm | 24/03/11

      It’s not so much Barry O’Farrell that I’m worried about but the riff-raff he may be burdened with. Seriously ... The Shooters and Fishers Party, The Christian Democrats, Family First and Darren Marton?

      We’re all doomed back to the 1950s!

      Reply

    • Selma says:

      08:28pm | 24/03/11

      There’s no argument that Labor has to go.

      But the point made in this article is correct. I challenge anybody to detail 5 policy positions of the NSW Libs.

      What are they planning to do about public transport? Or urban sprawl in Sydney?

      It’s very easy to blame the government for the problems that exist (because they are largely responsible for them), but why does anybody think O’Farrell and the Libs will be any better?

      Reply

    • Ryan says:

      10:26pm | 24/03/11

      Oh god, yet another illiterate. here you go if you need me to explain with pictures (i mean more pictures) please ask. http://www.nsw.liberal.org.au/policies

      And in case you were on the off chance going to challenge someone else to find some with regards to the ALP, here you go also. http://www.nswalp.com/policies/

    • Michael says:

      08:08am | 25/03/11

      Selma, are you deaf, stupid or just another labor crap spouting moron? This myth that the Libs have not outlined any policies if astounding! I don’t think I can remember the last time I saw so much detail from a politician. There’s so much so broken here in NSW that there is honestly not a single area that does not need fixing. Barry O’Farrell has been saying it for years, and outlining what he intends to do about it. If you have not been listening then whose issue is that?

      ...Maybe the problem is, like so many other labor morons, you WILL NOT listen?

      As for the Libs not being any better, OH PERLEASE! Are you a complete arse-wipe? My dog leaves piles on the lawn that would be better then labor! The piles smell better and frankly, are more inspiring and more welcome than labor. Libs not better? HAHAHA!!! That just answers my first question - you are a spineless, moron labor sicophant who is just too gutless to put it on the line and speak out - so you pose stupid passive-agressive questions.

      Slither back under your rock. It’ll be 20 years before your lot even get a look in! labor deserve to be delisted as a party and every member banned from ever holding public office again!

    • Jeff the ref says:

      10:42am | 25/03/11

      Micheal & Ryan stop bullying and harassing people you’re an embarrassment to Politics!

 
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