Julia Gillard is starting to sound like Comical Ali

acotrel says:

09:11am | 22/02/12

Of crouse it was Abbott ‘s fault.  The whole media beat up was part of his negative strategy, and was helped along by his pal Rupert and his toadies !
’ ’ I for one am really over this. ‘

Of course you are, it’s a fizzer ! ! !

SteveKAG says:

10:48am | 22/02/12

If anything you are predictable Acotrel.

SteveKAG says:

10:50am | 22/02/12

If anything you are predictable Acotrel.

Chris says:

01:14pm | 22/02/12

No real strategy was necessary, Acotrel, other than “let’s just let Prime Minister Gillard try to manage the country for a while and watch the entire system unspool”.  Pretty simple implementation, really.

Bertrand says:

06:09am | 22/02/12

Conspiring with Fairfax and the ABC it would seem.

Nothing will resolve this. The party is split that even a spill for leadership won’t solve its internal problems.

dovif says:

07:17am | 22/02/12

It is just like when Gilliad knifed Rudd,

All the ALP drones like Acotrel, and his Abbott fetish, keep saying it was all imaginary, it was all the press conspiracy, it was the OZ, it was the Abbott.

They keep saying the OZ was bias, and it was all imaginery. All these while the OZ was quoting Simon Crean everyday and Julia’s staffers were writing her victory speak.

The day the backstab happened, suddenly they seemed to all got a new job to do, they were bagging Rudd and praising Gillard, and they all start saying the backstab had to happen

I cannot wait for them to start praising Rudd again

Buzz says:

07:40am | 22/02/12

This will continue until the next election no matter what happens.
Labor have dug their own grave, and there’s no one else to blame but the Labor Party.
NOT Tony Abbott, NOT the media and NOT because it’s a minority Government.
They have made a mess of Government, end of story.
You would think after 11 years in Opposition they would have had plenty of time to work out how to Govern. Sadly NOT.

SimonFromLakemba says:

07:59am | 22/02/12

-.-

Knemon says:

08:46am | 22/02/12

IMO the linked article below shows how over-exaggerated this whole ALP leadership issue is and I strongly believe that News Limited are promoting this for no other reason than to cause destabilisation within the ALP. Simon Crean has today, strongly denied even speaking to the OZ in relation to this article and that he fully supports Gillard, which is totally at odds with what the OZ have reported here and elsewhere, there’s no doubt in my mind that some sections of the media in this country are pushing their own agenda!

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/mps-consider-a-crean-break-amid-leadership-war/story-fn59niix-1226277641367

A couple of ALP backbenchers (who obviously support Rudd) sitting on narrow margins in their electorates and wishing for a change of leadership does not mean Gillard’s position is in jeopardy or that there is turmoil within the ALP. The same applies for the Liberal party, I’ve no doubt there would be a few Liberal MP’s (Turnbull supporters) sitting on slim margins that would be happier with a different leader than Abbott. There’s nothing strange or wrong with any of this, it’s been going on in politics since year dot. Factions, alliances and all that crap.

For the benefit of TimB, I couldn’t give a damn who leads the ALP or LNP (shock horror), except that I could end up having to look for a rusty razor blade or blunt pair of scissors.   Call me stupid, call me…

acotrel says:

09:07am | 22/02/12

Why don’t you just admit that the beat up was a fizzer ?

thatmosis says:

09:34am | 22/02/12

Fortunately for us who ever they vote for will not be on the winning side. If Joolia continues as our almost PM then Krudd will continue to white ant and if Krudd is elected then Joolia will do the white anting. Its a lose , lose situation for the ALP and makes me happy to see them fighting as the ship sinks with all hands on board including the villiage idiot who thinks this is all an Abbott plot.
  Keep fighting the good fight guys, it affords us mere mortals hours of fun and entertainment to see a once proud party implode because of dirty tricks, lies and deceit and the thought that who ever runs this party is doomed to failure.

acotrel says:

09:56am | 22/02/12

@Bertrand
‘Conspiring with Fairfax and the ABC it would seem.’

Some journos are too lazy to observe and think for themselves. Their ‘news’ comes from other media outlets.

Gerry says:

10:04am | 22/02/12

I think we might find out if it’s a beat up on Mon or Tues.
And then I guess if there is a challenge the “blame the media” crowd will say the media forced them to do it.
And if that doesn’t work for them then they’ll say “It’s Dr No’s fault”.

Anthropomorphic says:

12:09pm | 22/02/12

@ acotrel. Give it a rest. Your conspiracy theories are such a bore.  Apparently it’s always the press’  fault - and when the left-wing media like the Age/SMH and the ABC join in, they’re being lazy. Your churlish responses are lazy. I would imaging when the knives were out for Turnbull, you were immensely satisfied with the accuracy of the reporting. Cherry-picking the veracity of news reports to suit your narrow ALP-cheering agenda is of little value to public debate.

Simba says:

12:19pm | 22/02/12

acotrel
You are wasting your time pointing out the obvious to the rusted on.\
Journalists these days are like lemmings.
Just get some expendable hack on the Telegraph to start a rumour, label it news and off they go, chasing their tails annoying the crap out of each other and interviewing each other about what they “think”
Journalism is at it’s lowest point.. ever
The right are loving this and so they should. It was for their enjoyment it was offered up in the first place.
Heaven forbid we should dissect policy and provide factual reporting.

Damocles says:

04:34pm | 22/02/12

acotrel says, “Why don’t you just admit that the beat up was a fizzer ? ” Mate it sounds to me like your beating something and it sure ain’t a fizzer. Has no one told you, you’ll go blind or one eyed? Too late!

Bertrand says:

06:17am | 22/02/12

An administrator serving by appointment? Shall we give him/her all sweeping emergency powers?

I agree that the quality of our political leaders on both sides is at its lowest state in a very long time, but I’m sorry, I cannot agree with this idea.

Unfortunately, the only thing that will solve this is a thorough cleaning out of Labor’s ranks (which will happen when they get decimated at the next election), and the more forward thinking members of the Liberal Party wresting back control from the conservative and reactionary wing that currently has its grip over that party.

I was thinking yesterday how much better a place we would be in if Costello hadn’t resigned and had gone to the last election as Liberal Party leader. He would have romped home and would likely have led a stable and successful government.

As much as the rusted on Liberal voters are loath to admit it, Abbott is just not PM material (he’s like Latham… far too abrasive and too willing to shoot from the hip instead of actually think things through) and a huge swathe of the electorate knows it.

acotrel says:

06:59am | 22/02/12

Perhaps John Howard or Peter Costello might be interested in making a comeback ? If another political party owned a few newspapers, we could start speculating ?

CiscoKid says:

07:25am | 22/02/12

Bertrand maybe we should launch an online petition to “bring back Costello”.

TimB says:

07:31am | 22/02/12

Hehehe, ‘sweeping emergency powers’. For some reason I’m picturing this guy:

http://massassi.hobby-site.com/massassi/pictures/episode_2/img/senate_chamber-main_arena04.jpg

Don’t worry. He promises to lay down the powers you have given him when the crisis is over

@ Acotrel ‘If another political party owned a few newspapers’

Which political party owns newspapers now? Think carefully before you post a response.

Agree that it was a shame Costello didn’t stick around. The Libs really could have used him.

Rosie says:

07:37am | 22/02/12

CiscoKid

Just like Julia Gillard’s mechanically drones of “I’ve answered this matter before and am getting on with the job” I am sick and tired of the sour puss Labor losers now using the line; “I can’t see an alternative party or the other party is no better.” Please give the people some credit in their own judgement. At the moment the people have to endure the unimaginable but because of our democratic system we cannot do a bloody thing about it. Everything is in the hands of these dishonest people. “If they can’t manage their own party how the bloody hell are they suppose to govern the nation.

“Get rid of Rudd & Gillard and bring someone else in and start afresh if they won’t call for elections. The people may then start listening to what kind of job they are trying to do!

acotrel says:

07:48am | 22/02/12

@TimB
Perhaps it’s the newspaper owner who also owns and manipulates a few politicians ?

SimonFromLakemba says:

08:01am | 22/02/12

Burns me to say this, but if you took away the arrogant smirk, Costello wasn’t a bad bloke and his idea’s and temperament were similar to Turnbull, a complete contrast to the aloof Abbott.

Super D says:

08:05am | 22/02/12

@TimB - that would make ciscokid jar-jar.

TimB says:

08:14am | 22/02/12

Proof please Acotrel.

CiscoKid says:

08:29am | 22/02/12

@TimB ,that bloke looks like Bob Brown,I can see it now ,reform.

Troy says:

08:46am | 22/02/12

@Bertrand, sorry mate, as a rusted on I think Abbott will be one of the best PMs this country has ever had.
I do agree he is not one of the best public preformers I have ever seen, but he is honest and trustworthy, and I do believe he will go along way to uniting this country that Labor has divided with there left and right and class warfare policy approch, and would we rather a good leader or a good media preformer running this country?
He may not be the razzel dazzal of a KRudd, or kind heart warm and cuddly (while she stabs you in back) Gillard, or the daily 10 second one liners of a Combat or Shorten, but I do believe that an Abbott government will govern for the betterment of all Australians, and not just the LOUD minority groups.
I may be wrong, and Abbott could make a fool of me. But for christ sake he cant be any worst than the children running the country now.

CiscoKid says:

08:53am | 22/02/12

Seriously ,how can we go to an election and vote for any party at the present ,none of them have any idea of the issues that are of concern to the Australian people,instead they seem intent on airy fairy issues while good Australian people burn and perish.

acotrel says:

09:20am | 22/02/12

If Costello shaved off his toothbrush moustache, he’d make a great leader.

acotrel says:

09:39am | 22/02/12

@TimB
‘Hehehe, ‘sweeping emergency powers’. For some reason I’m picturing this guy:’

Tarzan’s hairy friend would just lerve that job !

acotrel says:

09:47am | 22/02/12

@TimB
Proof of what ?  That Rupert is playing puppeteer in several countries around the world ?”  Have a look at his doings at the investigations currently occurring in the UK.  What do you think that is about ?

Rosie says:

10:04am | 22/02/12

CiscoKid & Others

Please keep your opinions to yourself and allow the people to make their own judgement about which party is best to govern this country when next we have Elections. By all means debate the way in which the Opposition is doing its job as Opposition and leave the judging to the people of which party is best to govern.

This Labor Gillard Minority Govt has done nothing to make it easy for the people and have made what was already a bad situation worse created by the likes of you and the media. It is a wonder we had a bloody minority govt last Elections. There was confusion then and more confusion and chaos now. Dragging any alternative party into trying to solve this nightmare is like inciting more rage into those of us that would like Tony Abbott to be at least given a chance. We were not given that privilege with Julia Gillard, she was forced upon us overnight by some unknown power brokers, some of which are in our parliament today. Please give us a break!

thatmosis says:

10:45am | 22/02/12

TimB, the village idiot doesnt need proof, apart from the fact there is none, all he has to do is continue the mantra"its all Abbotts fault” and all is right in his miniscule world of one.

co2zzz says:

10:53am | 22/02/12

Rosie, you say Julia Gillard, was forced upon us overnight by some unknown power brokers, some of which are in our parliament today. Please give us a break! Yes but there has been an election since then and it basically came out a draw but Julia got the support of the independents. She may have the political skills of a knat but the country has been runnibg a long at a pretty cracking pace compared to the rest of the world and Even Abbott admitted that when he was in the UK!
And what do you mean by the govt making it easier for you? Around 5% unemployment is pretty good but what, you want more handouts?

Aitch B says:

10:56am | 22/02/12

@SimonFromLakemba

I know Peter Costello personally and you’re right… he is a really nice bloke. I agree with you on the ‘smirk’ business though…. I was never game to bring it up with him.

Bertrand says:

11:09am | 22/02/12

@Troy - well I hope you’re right because come 2013 Abbott will be PM, barring some major change in our political landscape.

However, when I consider the policies that Abbott has put forward, they simply don’t add up. He has made unfunded promise after unfunded promise. How are they going to be paid for? If the budget deficit is something people are concerned about with this government, they should be equally concerned with the multi-billion dollar black-hole in Abbott’s policy proposals too.

With regards to Abbott’s honesty, he has admitted that he shouldn’t be taken at his word, and that when talking he tends to say things without thinking. You simply can’t do that as PM.

I am socially progressive and his social conservatism worries me. There is no reason the Liberal Party has to be a socially conservative party. Some would argue that its natural position would actually be more socially progressive, as the Liberal Party espouses smaller government and less government interference in people’s lives.

Finally, I don’t think he will govern for the best of the country. His policies often do not even fit within the framework of economic liberalism and fiscal conservatism that the Liberal Party stands for. He is a populist whose policy positions are often not consistent with Liberal Party philosophy, and are made more to appeal to the unthinking masses.

The direct action carbon policy, the extra corporate tax to fund his overly generous paid parental leave scheme, Hockey’s apparent willingness to over-regulate the banks, all sit outside of the philosophical framework that the Liberal Party was founded on.

Bertrand says:

11:14am | 22/02/12

@Rosie - “CiscoKid & Others

Please keep your opinions to yourself and allow the people to make their own judgement about which party is best to govern this country when next we have Elections.”

Damned straight.

A discussion about Australian politics that is taking place on an opinion website is no place for people to put forward their political opinions.

Old Cobber says:

11:24am | 22/02/12

Great Mexican solution, Cisco—- Can’t wait to see Troll Corbet dubbed by our Barbie doll Grandma in the Tent embassy—- and we all lived happily everafter!.

Rosie says:

11:54am | 22/02/12

CO2ZZZ of the ‘others’ brigade!

‘forced upon us overnight’ how can anyone forget the beginnings of our first female PM especially after vowing weeks before big political event her loyalty to her leader. Aren’t a good start to the elections you talk about, which is the cause of the chaos we the people they represent have to endure. Even though we suffer in patiently and anxiously there is nothing we can do about it. Our democratic systems tells us that we have no choice but endure the sufferance until the next elections when we can throw them out into the never never!

As for the good things this government is doing - thank goodness for democracy you can voice your judgement and I can mine. Sorry this is a cut and paste job but these days it is not worth my time trying debate this matter in my own words;

In just 18 months, Gillard Labor has:

Led a divided, dysfunctional government
Entered into a power-sharing agreement with Bob Brown and the Greens
Broken the ‘No Carbon Tax’ promise by introducing the world’s biggest carbon tax
Proposed a new, job-destroying Mining Tax
Presided over record waste and government debt
Presided over record illegal boat arrivals
Increased cost of living pressures
Cut Private Health Insurance and family benefits
Slashed the child care rebate
Hit choice in education
Suffer the result of Gillard’s deceitfulness.

Troy says:

12:12pm | 22/02/12

@Bertrand, I do agree with some of what you say, but I have to disagree with the “Populist” tag.
In 2008 when Abbott took over as leader, it was widely accepted that Australians wanted a “ETS” to move with the rest of world.
There was virtually no media coverage or debate about Global Warming, and Turnbull was backing KRudd in to implement his ETS before Copenhagen summit. It was Tony Abbott and a few of his minister that sat up and said that this tax would not be good for Australia and that was end of Turnbulls chance of ever being PM.
That was not a populist making decisions on the Liberal Leadership, as all polls at the time indicated 70% plus approval for an ETS.
As far as the “Black Hole” you speak of, that is in fact debatable as I don’t believe for one minute that treasury is neutral, and regardless of the fact that Labor did supposedly have all there policies costed and paid for during the last election campaign and yet they still managed to completely blow out all there costings after implementing there policies anyway.
We could debate this all day long, and both of will defend our views, but at the end of the day I think we both agree that the Labor party from Gillard down are completely incompetent and have no business running this country, and the only way we will truly find out if Abbott can do better is when he is the next PM, as he certainly couldn’t do any worst!

Rosie says:

12:16pm | 22/02/12

Sorry Bertrand I thought I was talking about those that are trying to add more confusion to the fact we need to have a major political party to win the next election and form a majority government. We have a choice, Labor or Liberal/National. I have no problems with those attacking the Opposition for doing what they consider is the job of an opposition. What I have a problem with is mainly Labor losers trying to influence those that don’t follow politics by saying both major are bad and there is no alternative!

Please read my comments again and don’t add to the confusion and chaos we are already enduring. How about telling us how and why we have to endure the mess this Labor party has created for themselves. How the hell can a political party govern when they can’t even manage their own party??????

Mickey T says:

01:05pm | 22/02/12

@ Troy - You say “I don’t believe for one minute that treasury is neutral”

Are you serious? What happens if the LNP win the next election…do they sack and replace the whole of the treasury department?

Perhaps they could replace them with their shonky accountancy firm that produced an $11 billion dollar black hole prior to the last election?

thatmosis says:

02:27pm | 22/02/12

But thankfully Troy we have since seen the ETS was based on false and misleading science, I am being nice here because it was actually lies and deceit, like the Labor party and its so called policies. 
  Now we have the real science and it has shown that we have been sold a pup and the promise that prices would not rise unduly was smashed this morning when a power company in a Labor held State asked for a $150.00 increase in price to cover the effects of the Carbon Tax, something Treasury said may happen over a 5 year period not just one year.
Now add this increase, which I’m sure will be taken up by all Power Companies, into the price of everything that uses electricty to make, grow, harvest, transport or whatever and the Government compenstaion is not only looking pretty slim but almost no exisitant.
  This is another example of the Treasury getting it so wrong as to be complicit with the Labor Government of deliberately misleading the Australian Public. The list of cost blowouts of Labor Policies that have been costed by the Treasury and allowed to go forward makes one wonder as to what hold the Government has over it as no independant body could be expected to get it so wrong so often.
As for Joolia being forced upon us, well maybe but the real villains of this piece are the Independants who went against the wishes of their own voters for their 15 mins of fame and allowed this train wreck to become a somewhat Government that has proceeded to rack up a debt that will take decades to fix under a Government who really gets on with the job and it aint Labor.
  Everytime we have a Labor government we are left with debts that the incoming Lib/Nat has to fix and this has happened time and time again.
  The personal debt per person is about $8308 and thats for every man woman and child in Australia. When Keating was chucked out our debt was $5258 and it took m Howard and Costello 9 hard years to bring it back into surplus which was wiped out within a month or two of Krudd becoming PM. When Whitlam took power every Australian was $138.00 in the black but when kicked out we were all $63.00 in the red. Any body but me see the common theme here. Labor spends and spends, that should read overspends, and the people of Australia pick up debt like a dog picks up fleas, then the Lib/Nats come in fix the problem and then for some reason everything that Labor has done over the last dozen decades is immediately forgotten and they are allowed to have their hands in the cookie jar again. and people call this respnsible Government, give me a break.

Mickey T says:

03:52pm | 22/02/12

@ thatmosis - There are two sides to every story.

Have you even considered that after 11 years of Howard spending near to nothing on infrastructure, education, research & development, apprenticeships, Etc…That when Labor come to power they then have to spend money on bringing our country up to first world standards that were totally abandoned by the previous coalition government. It’s very easy to spend nothing and say “look how much I have saved” God help Australia if we go back to conservative economic thinking, look after your rich mates and don’t give a flying F**k about the rest of its citizens. Do you now see the political cycle that we find ourselves in?

Bertrand says:

07:59pm | 22/02/12

@Troy - I’m still not convinced he couldn’t do any worse.

For me, the major problem with Abbott is that he is against the two most significant economic reforms since the GST - which are the establishment of a carbon market through an ETS (which was originally a Howard policy) and the reform of the way the mining industry is taxed (which stems from a massive review of our nation’s tax system conducted by Treasury; the same Treasury whose boffins worked under Howard and did the economic models for the GST. In this sense it is a policy that either party could have adopted as it isn’t a policy formulated in a Labor Party backroom, but within the public service).

He has been very successful as painting these economic reforms as bad for the country, and has successfully built up a real fear campaign against these reforms. However, as someone without partisan views I aim to assess each policy on its merits, and I truly believe that they are good policy, just as I thought the GST was good policy.

It is easy to run a scare campaign against major reform, as Australians traditionally distrust big changes. It is in this sense that I see Abbott as a populist. He develops this anti-intellectual persona that says the views of an uneducated person about climate science are as valid as the views of scientists with years and years of research and study behind them. Have a read through the comments from thatmosis, which suggest he truly believes climate science has been debunked, when in fact it is stronger than ever.

Abbott has taken the same populist route when it comes to the views of Australia’s economists regarding the two competing climate action models, where he basically said the nation’s top economists don’t know what they’re talking about.

He is appealing to the broad swathe of Australia that isn’t particularly interested in politics, and doesn’t really have any understanding of science or economics. He does so by using simplistic arguments and scaremongering to talk down two reforms that once examined objectively and dispassionately, are actually pretty good. (Well the ETS as it stands is only OK, certainly not great, but it is a hell of a lot better than the direct action policy being put forward by Abbott.)

Look, I really do not like Gillard. I have written at length about the many flaws of Labor. But on these two issues, which I think are the two most important policy differences at the moment, I think Abbott has it wrong and that Australia is going to miss out on two vital economic reforms.

Dieter Moeckel says:

09:10am | 22/02/12

Simple by ignoring the media beat-up just like they are doing.
They are getting on with the job while the media is pursuing self delivered orgasms, infecting the little gnomes who lemming like follow the media vicarious orgasmatron.
There are more vicarious orgasmic moans and effluvient coming from these pages than from a french brothel.

acotrel says:

09:26am | 22/02/12

‘The ALP are finished and everyone knows ‘

You obviously never studied clear thinking at school ? What you should have said was:
‘The ALP is finished, any dupe will tell you that’ !

Pie eyed pipers says:

09:38am | 22/02/12

Dieter
Very good work.
I suspect Ltd. News bonuses are in the balance should a leadership challenge not happen by the end of the month as predicted by Benson last November. The hacks have been in overdrive and I can almost smell the burning rubber as they pound themselves senseless. Every hack in the country is joining in for fear they will be left behind and not be seen to be in the know. nod nod wink wink.

Against the Man says:

11:48am | 22/02/12

Enjoy this guys and remember I’m part of the majority hahhahahahahah

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/in-depth/rudd-forces-say-labor-leadership-change-is-inevitable/story-fnccyr6m-1226278000895

http://www.news.com.au/national/advisors-tell-gillard-to-sack-rudd-next-week/story-e6frfkw9-1226278130375

And while all this is going on Gillard and friends have solved the asylum seeker issue or health care debacle? Carbon tax anyone? Too funny

TimB says:

07:14am | 22/02/12

All signs are pointing to next week Acotrel. Buy your tickets now

dovif says:

07:27am | 22/02/12

Ace Troll

Wow a whole post without Abbott’s fault, wow your condition is improving.

I seem to remember about 2 years ago, you had almost exactly the same post…. it is all Murdock press (like that damn Age and ABC).... it was LNP bullshit .... There is no Gillard backstab of Rudd, 2 days after she sweared loyalty, and aparantly 10 days after her staffer penned her victory speach

But is is all Abbott

Gregg says:

07:53am | 22/02/12

Well you do know Acca,
Kevin claims to have changed and will keep his numbers close to his chest and will not likely make a move until he is pretty sure and likewise Julia is such a tough and resilient leader Shorty and a few others keep reminding us while others like Simon have picked up on Julia’s war cry ” Bring it on “.
Hard to know whether it’ll be on or not when Julia is known to be so evasive of the truth and then would you believe that neither Shorty nor Simon might harbour sneaky leadership ambitions!
Maybe we ought to even throw Nicola into the mix!

You could always move from Sophie’s electorate you know for even if the government had designs on taking it, they are so near bankrupt you cannot expect them to be throwing anymore money about and it’s Swannie tightening the purse strings and nought to do with Sophie other than her role as part of the opposition to reveal to all their ineptness.
It’s sad if you cannot accept that.

And btw, even some of the Labor caucus do not see anything happening until Kevin is back in the country.
You’ll just have to wait until next week and beyond Acca and if you save anymore commentary until then, that’d be so fine, even comical perhaps!

Shadow says:

08:09am | 22/02/12

Funny that acotrel, thats not where ALP Connect has you listed.

T-rev says:

08:37am | 22/02/12

I agree with acotrel insofar as I don’t think there will be a leadership spill. At least not now.

The reasons are:

1. Gillard is gutless - she won’t call Rudd on this (even though she should as if she genuinely has the numbers she has to cut this off now). But she won’t. She’ll bury her head in the sand.

2. Rudd is gutless - he won’t call the spill without being guaranteed of the numbers, which he is not. He is scared of looking like a loser again.

So you have these 2 gutless people denying the obvious tension whilst everyone else talks behind their backs.

The 2 ways this is likely to end:

1. Gillard ignores it for too long and Rudd finally gets the numbers to topple her;

2. A third candidate emerges as a compromise, as the pro-Rudd camp are really mainly anti-Gillard. The candidate calls the ballot to clear the air, and slides through unexpectedly.

Either way, Gillard goes.

If she wants to protect her job, she has to act now.

Blerghhh says:

08:47am | 22/02/12

sigh

Dieter Moeckel says:

09:15am | 22/02/12

One more time with the LNP from you and I will relegate you ‘not very bright status.’ The only LNP is in Queensland - all the others are a “Coalition” of two separate parties Liberal and National. Each of whoihc can withdraw support from the other and can stand a candidate in any seat.
Please acotrel don’t do this to me.

acotrel says:

09:36am | 22/02/12

@T-rev
There will be no leadership spill, because Julia and Kevin won’t be seen to be manipulated by speculation.  And while it is going on, the LNP will look progesssively more stupid. Even now it is becoming evident that the media beat up is a fizzer, that the strategy has failed.  To continue with it would be really crass.- but that is Tony Abbott - he’ll shoot himself in the foot AGAIN ! ! If this stuff gets played right out, and neither Gillard or Rudd weaken, the LNP will be the ones to really suffer.

Denny says:

10:11am | 22/02/12

Hve a look at the Age and SMH fool. Are they puppets to the LNP. What a joke.

VVS says:

10:32am | 22/02/12

T-rev seems bang on the money to me.

Beware the unexpected 3rd horse coming in late as a compromise…

Troy says:

12:15pm | 22/02/12

@acotrel, relax mate.
KRudd 747 is in Mexico, wait till he gets back and see what happens!

glenm says:

12:42pm | 22/02/12

I would put money on Crean as the next leader. Gillard and Rudd will effectively destroy each others chances. The next leader will come from the back of the pack. No good candidate will come forward to be handed a hiding at the next election. Crean was hopeless last time he was in charge but I dont recall any major stuff ups, just poor polling due to his blandness.

TimB says:

06:55am | 22/02/12

You are aware the thumb has knuckles too right?

Sure, it won’t line up nicely with the finger tats, but it’s still doable.

Amused Qld says:

07:12am | 22/02/12

You must be a Labor voter?

Kipling says:

05:44am | 23/02/12

@TimB yes very aware of our opposable thumbs mate. Of course, that is not how those tats work EVAH… Mainly because at a glance one would appear to say U L I A and the other woudl appear to say K E V I…

I am still fairly certain we have a few six fingered dudes around Canberra. Perhaps even Soph is one of em, hence her erroneous little quip.

@Amused, you mustn’t be a critical thinker…

Reader says:

09:54am | 22/02/12

I would agree that the entire shebang of journalists covering federal politics is highly farcical right now.
One hack following orders creates a rumour, publishes it and all the other lemming hacks jump on board lest they be left behind. Best thing that could happen is they all jump off a cliff and we start over.

They should just return to the model where they report news and analyse policy instead of trying to create news and ignore policy.

Right under your nose says:

10:14am | 22/02/12

Mahhrat - go to the LNP website because it’s all there - simple but effective.

Dan says:

10:17am | 22/02/12

A point well-put Mahrat.

Tony Abbott just told the world of talkback radio ” if you’re not prepared to turn around asylum seeker boats, you’re not prepared to protect our sovereignty”.

Lord, give me strength. I think my passport is still in date…

AdamC says:

10:43am | 22/02/12

Bon voyage, Dan. Feel free not to come back for a while ...

SimonFromLakemba says:

11:28am | 22/02/12

@Right under your nose

Aren’t they the same policies that they lost the last election with?

Mahhrat says:

12:06pm | 22/02/12

@Right Under whatever - see, here’s the thing.  They need to tell me.  Why should I go to their website?  All I’m getting then is their marketing.  No, I want people smarter than me to pick it apart, comment knowledgeably, all that.

Are you seriously telling me that from the LNP’s website, I would gain a clear, unbiased view of the pros and cons of whatever it is they stand for?

Of course it wouldn’t - it’ll be how wonderful the LNP is and nothing else.  That tells me nothing of their plans and the good and bad of voting for them over another organisation.

Put the policies out there, let them be criticised.  The media aren’t touching the website because it’s crap.  Your point is similarly turd-covered.

glenm says:

12:52pm | 22/02/12

Mahhat,
Alternative policies dont need to be released until the election campaign. At present the coalition job is to hold labor to account for the crap job they are doing. The only thing turd covered I can see is the ALP leadership .

Mahhrat says:

01:12pm | 22/02/12

@glenm:  Horseshit.  They can (and should) release a policy whenever they like.  It should be available for public comment, derision or celebration based upon its merits.

The DECISION not to release it is simply political and based on the knowledge that it’s easier to destroy than build.  The entire argument that they are simply opposition is similar horseshit - they should be putting forward an alternative government framework.  Neither side are doing that when in opposition and haven’t for years.

Have you considered that the reason so many “swinging” voters are disaffected is because we understand this and expect better from people in these positions?

glenm says:

04:45pm | 22/02/12

@ Mahhrat,
And just what budget figures should they use to base thier policy announcements? Should they use this weeks treasury figures or last weeks ? The fact is Labour and treasury has consistantly got it wrong when it comes to the budget , and the constant juggling to create an on paper surplus is providing no certainty going forward. How can policies be released when you simply dont know the state of the books.
In addition if the oppostion releases policy why does that benefit you? Do you want to decide your vote 18 months from an election based on old information? Why should discussion time be allocated to policy that may never be, when we cant even get discussion about policy that the government has already put in place or are considering ie: NBN detail, Education reforms, Health reforms,etc etc. As a taxpayer I require my sitting member (he is liberal) to spend his time challenging the government policy, not worrying about if he will get re-elected. That is the problem with Labor they are spending so much time worrying about who will lead them to the next election they can t do the job the taxpayer is paying them to do.

jaki says:

09:26am | 22/02/12

Ooooh scary !!!! I bet Sophie’s shaking in her boots at that threat Acotrel !
:D

cynical ali says:

09:27am | 22/02/12

Acotrel, I am concerned…  Will you be ok by yourself? To make you feel better & not so alone. Everyday that you are there,  I’ll give you a wave or a hello when I go past her office.

Q.Pham says:

09:29am | 22/02/12

So Sophie, if you see some deranged old fart blabbering on incoherently outside your office at the next election, you know who it is.

acotrel says:

10:01am | 22/02/12

@jaki
You obviously don’t live in a country town !

Brian Taylor says:

10:33am | 22/02/12

@ Q.Pham now that cracked me up good one mate lol

Steve Putnam says:

05:31pm | 22/02/12

@ acotrel The Member for Indi is the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. Would it be expecting too much for her to devote one of posts on this site to her responsibilities instead her usual piss-weak attempts at character assassination?
The fact that Abbott sees fit to keep this sarcastic harpie in her job is clear evidence that he cares nothing for science or innovation.

Bertrand says:

07:10am | 22/02/12

It’s always good to be a know-it-all when you are wrong.

The name comical Ali was derived from the pre-exisiting name Chemical Ali.

When that guy got up on TV and claimed the Americans were close to be defeated and you could see the tanks in the background, he was immediately labelled Comical Ali.

Spikey says:

07:11am | 22/02/12

Chemical Ali was a different person -  the Defence Minister who killed thousands and was later executed for his crimes.  It was the hapless Information Minister who was dubbed “Comical Ali” because his broadcasts were considered laughable…. Two different people.

Erick says:

07:11am | 22/02/12

@Gregg - No, Comical Ali is the right name for this one. Chemical Ali was a notorious mass murderer under Saddam, now deceased.

The comparison of Comical Ali with Julia Gillard is spot on, since he was notorious for telling extremely blatant lies on international TV.

acotrel says:

07:24am | 22/02/12

Poisonous = funny ?  What next ?

poa says:

07:26am | 22/02/12

Chemical Ali was another bloke mate.
Hung by the new Iraqi government for gassing Kurds with chemical weapons.
Comical Ali was the Information Miister…I think he’s still going.

JT says:

07:26am | 22/02/12

Comical Ali and Chemical Ali are two different people. Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf was given the nickname Comical Ali for his crazy and plain to see untruthful announcements during the Iraq invasion.

wolf says:

07:29am | 22/02/12

No Gregg, Chemical Ali was Ali Hassan al-Majid, so called for using chemical weapons on the curds in the north of Iraq.
Comical Ali (Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, pictured) was the Iraqi information minister, who as the tanks rolled in made claims that the allied troops were nowhere near Baghdad and were in fact committing suicide by the hundreds at the gates of the city.

davo of Thorneside says:

07:38am | 22/02/12

Oh Dear, widely read and informed are we Gregg? lol Here, let me google that for you.  on second thoughts, you can do it your self.

Ron E Coote says:

07:48am | 22/02/12

No Alcotrel, POINTED and yes, funny.
Suck it up big boy. If you think times are hard right now, I suggest you’re in for an unpleasant surprise.
This is not going to end well for the true believers club, and I must say I’m quietly looking forward to it.
Smug, yes. But haven’t we had to wade through some Labor generated poitical sewage to get to here.

Gregg says:

07:55am | 22/02/12

This is not the real Gregg btw and not the first time someone has decided to pick up on my name.

Blind Freddy says:

09:34am | 22/02/12

@Gregg

“This is not the real Gregg btw and not the first time someone has decided to pick up on my name.”

Cough . . . ok . . .

acotrel says:

10:06am | 22/02/12

@Ron E Coote
‘Suck it up big boy. If you think times are hard right now, I suggest you’re in for an unpleasant surprise.’
Certainly won’t happen before the end of 2013, if then !
Anyway by that time Abbott and his mates will have destroyed business confidence with their antics, so the next government will inherit a cinder.

Surely says:

11:22am | 22/02/12

Not original but . I think I heard the comparison on Paul Murray or the Drum.

acotrel says:

07:52am | 22/02/12

@Polly
‘Is there anyone in the Labor party fit to lead a nation other than Gillard or Rudd, two of the worst leaders in Australia’s history’

About half a dozen competent people who could lead effectively.  How many does the LNP have ?

nihonin says:

05:07pm | 22/02/12

I’d vote for Simon Crean….......................lol sorry just kidding, it’s still the same Labor party for the moment.  Get rid of the unworthy, who supposedly represent the people (the union overlords) and then watch the voters come back.

nihonin says:

05:14pm | 22/02/12

Sorry, I didn’t quite ‘ear’ what you were saying.

Gregg says:

11:00am | 22/02/12

Aaw, come on Sunny, it is partying week afterall or that’s what Kevin the mouse is doing whilst out of sight from Julia the Cat woman and Julia too is trying to make the most of a Party line this week too so we cannot have Sophie missing out on the fun can we?

Sherlock says:

12:02pm | 22/02/12

@sunny
I literally devoured the article in anticipation of seeing a policy,

If you believe the libs have no policies please explain what these are

http://www.liberal.org.au/Policies.aspx

Or is google beyond your capabilities?

SimonFromLakemba says:

02:39pm | 22/02/12

@Sherlock

Polices that they took too the last election and lost, outstanding policies they were!

Honestly they even have where ‘Labor has failed’ in their policy fact sheets, they can’t even have policies on merit without having a dig.

DD says:

10:40am | 22/02/12

Because she couldn’t innovate her way out of doing nothing.
Sad sad small minded woman.

Denny says:

01:23pm | 22/02/12

Stop being sexist. I am fed up with lefties on this site denegrading Sophiw with comments like ‘girlie’. You better watch it or Bob Brown will get angry.

PW says:

12:15pm | 22/02/12

Governor General kick ‘em out? On what grounds?

I think you’ll find what the people want is stable Governments that run their full term. Except perhaps for the Libs and their supporters after they’ve lost. The Libs have a long and shameful history of not accepting the umpire’s decision on the few occasions it has not been in their favour.

You start kicking out Governments mid-term just because they have made some unpopular decisions, Government in this country will be even more shonky than it is now.

andy says:

09:32am | 22/02/12

who’s the jounalist your referring to?

woody says:

11:13am | 22/02/12

andy
journalism isn’t a journalist.

think before you type and you won’t look so silly.

Chris says:

02:24pm | 22/02/12

@ woody
surely the intended (but not always resulting) product of a journalist is journalism, right?  So the reference would be implicit…

woody says:

06:59pm | 22/02/12

No Chris
The accepted definition of journalism is :
a: writing designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine
b: writing characterised by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation
c: writing designed to appeal to current popular taste or public interest.

The new low Jane refers to is probably directed at (b) and the glaring absence of facts and the writing of opinion masquerading as facts.
Journalists by definition report the facts. News Ltd. doesn’t feel the need to report facts, they go straight to interpretation of rumour and innuendo and do a great disservice to the community.

In your world apparently, the product of a globalist is globalism and the product of a capitalist is capitalism and the product of a finalist is finalism and the product of a socialist is socialism and the product of a racist is racism.

News. Ltd. Plumbing the depths of fiction and creating news.

Indii says:

09:41am | 22/02/12

Sophie is not capable of humor and sadly it seems you are a confused lost soul

Sizzle Chest says:

09:36am | 22/02/12

Poor bub ! Need a tissue ?

Dave says:

10:17am | 22/02/12

To those who are so indignant about the “Comical Ali” comparison - ALP darling Anthony Albanese has used it several times in relation to Libs/Nats:

http://www.openaustralia.org/debates/?id=2009-06-15.32.1

http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/media/pressrel/NMY96/upload_binary/nmy9611.pdf;fileType=application/pdf

Or is it just because it’s Sophie that it’s suddenly offensive?  Come on, grow a pair!

Brian Taylor says:

10:42am | 22/02/12

I would never in my wildest dreams believe that this woman could sink so low.
She is a disgrace to humanity! you were talking about Julia weren’t you?

Ron e says:

11:06am | 22/02/12

There is nothing so faux, as lefty moral outrage. Dishing it out is second nature, but can’t handle the return serve.
Just who do you think you’re fooling indii?

Eda says:

11:12am | 22/02/12

‘She is a disgrace to humanity!’

That is very harsh, Indii, on poor Sophie.

‘I would never in my wildest dreams believe that this woman could sink so low.’

Really?,  I enjoy listening/reading, Sophie, just for the sheer amusement of ‘how low can Sophie go.’

‘ma che Mirabella, e La Mirabruta’ 

But, as has been said many times before ‘each to their own’.

Spikey says:

09:57am | 22/02/12

Wow righteous - didn’t even read the comments pointing out that “Chemical Ali” and “Comical Ali” are two different people, and the comparison, far from being inaccurate, is spot on. I think there are more personal insults in your short post than in all of Mirabellas piece.  Respectfully suggest that the one who needs to “wise up” is you.

Reality Bites says:

11:19am | 22/02/12

The word has come down.
Why do you think you are seeing such a proliferation of stories about a leadership challenge that is never going to happen?
The censors have arrived at the punch and they can longer put it down to “faulty” software.
The best conversation indeed.
Your time has come and gone punch.
You are now just a rabble of conservative thought bubbles.

Mickey T says:

01:26pm | 22/02/12

Stop making sense Holly….You’re confusing the conservative lemmings.

Richard M says:

12:48pm | 22/02/12

Gosh Carl Palmer, your eloquent and cogent arguments and clear rational logic has convinced me.  I must, therefore, have rocks in my head and be completely brain dead. 
Now, perhaps you can find something better to do than “contribute” here.  Please go and play in your room while the adults have a discussion.

Carl Palmer says:

04:54pm | 22/02/12

@ Richard M says: 01:48pm | 22/02/12
Yep can’t convince you, you’re brain dead. The dibble from your previous post is confirmation that you clearly are BD.

Now little Richard M, lets subscribe to the KISS principle. Print this, take it to your little room, and don’t come out until you have read it and hopefully understood it. Bye bye

1.A Carbon tax. The day before the 2010 election Gillard states, “I rule out a carbon tax.” A week before the 2010 election Gillard states, “There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead.” On 24 February 2011 Gillard announces there will be a carbon tax. On 8 November 2011 a carbon tax passes both Houses of Parliament. As well as job losses it will cost average Australians a further 25 per cent on their electricity bills and an extra 6.5 cents a litre on their petrol bills.

2.Debt and deficit. In just four years, Labor has turned a $20 billion surplus into $167 billion in accumulated deficits and $70 billion in net Commonwealth assets into $133 billion of net debt. That’s $6000 for every Australian man, woman and child.
3.The betrayal of Andrew Wilkie. After signing an agreement with Wilkie to introduce mandatory pre-commitment in return for his support the Prime Minister reneges on the deal and commits the government only to a trial of mandatory precommitment.
4.The Australia Day riot. It is revealed that the attack by an angry mob of Aboriginal activists on our nation’s political leaders was actually orchestrated by the Prime Minister’s own press secretary.
5. Gillard persists with the Malaysian deal no one wants. On 16 June 2011 the Gillard government’s Malaysian people swap is condemned by both houses of parliament. Not once in our history has a government policy been condemned by both houses of parliament. Gillard not only defies the motion but fails to front up to the debate in person.
6. Craig Thomson affair. To save the Gillard government from this tarnished Member there is an institutional go-slow over the investigation into Craig Thomson with reports of collusion between the Government and elements of Fair Work Australia over the media management of this affair as well as claims by Kathy Jackson that there has been political interference in the inquiry.
7. Persistent leadership instability. Gillard is dogged by poor polling for the past 12 months and a vengeful Kevin Rudd continues to strategically plot to get his old job back.
8. Gillard betrays the Speaker she never really wanted. On 16 September 2010 Gillard refused to back Labor Speaker, Harry Jenkins, to retain his job instead secretly preferring Oakeshott. On 24 November 2011 Jenkins is forced to resign and then overlooked at a subsequent Cabinet reshuffle.
9. Abandoning the Citizen’s Assembly. The promise to introduce a Citizen’s Assembly dissolves after Gillard forms government because of pressure from the Greens. On 7 October 2010 Gillard concedes, “The committee concluded that, in view of thecreation of this committee … the proposal for a citizens’ assembly should not beimplemented.”
10. East Timor centre abandoned. At a press conference on 7 May 2011 Gillard announces that the East Timor quick fix is now history. Gillard states, “I made it clear that we wanted to build a regional processing centre in another nation in our region, a nation that at the time most likely to be East Timor. As has become increasingly clear, it is unlikely that East Timor will end up hosting such a centre.”
11. Botched release of the Murray Darling basin plan. On 8 October 2010 the Murray Darling plan is released causing uproar in rural communities, made worse when the Water Minister, Tony Burke, persistently refuses to meet with farmers to discuss its contents.

More to follow…................

Carl Palmer says:

04:55pm | 22/02/12

Continuing…..
12. Take up rate with the NBN. The NBN increasingly becomes an expensive white elephant. It has 1,355 staff, including 27 public relations officers, but just 4,000 customers.
13. Riots in detention centres. Aside from the sheer numbers more graphic evidence of the Gillard government’s inability to control our borders emerges with riots breaking out in the Christmas Island, Villawood and Darwin detention facilities causing millions of dollars of damage to the taxpayer.
14. Gillard first loss on floor of Parliament. On 29 September 2010, Parliament’s first day back after the election, the Gillard government is defeated on the floor of the House on a vote involving parliamentary procedure – the first time since 1941.
15. Attack from Labor elder. On 13 October former party elder John Faulkner launches a stinging attack on Labor in which he states, “It is no secret modern Labor is struggling with the perception we are very long on cunning, and very short on courage.”
16. Gillard sends a kid to meetings of the National Security Council. Gillard is accused of ‘scandalous’ disregard for national security amid revelations she sent a former bodyguard to attend highly sensitive security meetings on her behalf.
17. Cash for Clunkers promise abandoned. On 25 October it is revealed that the start date of January 2011 for Labor’s much ridiculed ‘Cash for Clunker’s’ program can’t be met and problems emerge in how the policy will be implemented.
18. Opposition to the Paid Parental Leave and the Pension Increase. Reports surface during the 2010 Election campaign indicating that Gillard questioned Labor’s paid parental leave scheme and any increase in the Age Pension in Cabinet.
19. Unable to stop the boats and the flow of asylum seekers, Gillard establishes or expands immigration detention facilities in every State and Territory in Australia except the ACT. Facilities include those at Curtin, Northam, Scherger, Inverbrackie, Pontville and Darwin. None of this was foreshadowed prior to the election.
20. A rushed livestock ban with no consultation. Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig and his Department knew of the inhumane treatment of Australian cattle and sheep since the live trade began. Despite this Ludwig first announces an inquiry but then suddenly lurched to a total suspension of the entire trade after a backbench revolt. A $300 million industry which includes 700 indigenous employees is in jeopardy.
21. Gillard ignores cost of living pressures. Under this Government there’s been a 51 per cent average increase in power prices. There’s been a 30 per cent average increase in gas prices. There’s been a 46 per cent average increase in water prices. There’s been a 24 per cent average increase in education costs and there’s been a 20 per cent average increase in health costs.
22. The mining tax. This tax is really just a success tax on our biggest exports that doesn’t give smaller miners a fair go.
23. New GP Super Clinics. Labor promised a grand total of 64 GP Super Clinics, including
23 during the 2010 Election campaign alone. Only 19 are fully operational.
24. School halls. $16 billion spent on over-priced school halls while the standards of academic achievement actually fell.
25. Gillard loses control of our borders. As at 18 February 2012 the total number of arrivals since August 2008 was 15,433 and the total number of boats was 283.

Richard M - it’s a rabble. Please head to the top of the class as you are a first class dope.

PW says:

12:17pm | 22/02/12

She aint the worst PM we’ve had either by a long shot. Fraser, McMahon, and even Hawke in the last bit before Keating rolled him were all much worse. Holt was a major disappointment given the lead in he had. Even Rudd, like Peter Pumpkinhead, made too many enemies. And there were some shockers in the early days too. At least Gillard is having a go, unlike so many others who were content to just roll along. I think, like Whitlam, history will be kinder to her than her polling suggests.

Maurie says:

01:33pm | 22/02/12

I guess you’d agree then that Albanese is similarly indecent? Or is that a bit difficult given he’s one of yours?

http://www.openaustralia.org/debates/?id=2009-06-15.32.1

fred firth says:

03:28pm | 22/02/12

Even with a promise signed in Tony Abbot’s blood, there’s no way the citizens of this country will ever get what they want.

Sophie talks the talk, but the stage managed pantomime in parliament house on the day of the Carbon Tax vote was an insult.
Labour were two votes short of victory, so to help them, Peter Slipper throws fellow Liberal, Sophie Mirabella, out of Parliament house for the day.

Small wonder that Slipper wants ermine robes and wigs, but while he is Speaker, it will bring as much dignity to his role of the house as lipstick on a pig.

At the recent election in South Australia, there was the danger that two of Labour’s safest seats could fall to the Liberals. The votes, when counted, showed that they would have won if only there was a Liberal candidate to vote for. There wasn’t one.

Was it coincidence? Maybe, but remember this after Tony Abbot wins the next election.

When, on the eve of renouncing the Carbon Tax, Tony is removed from office and is replaced by Malcolm Turnbull, (the Prime Minister we had to have, even if he couldn’t get elected). Then we will have the benign dictatorship we so deserve.