Sinking in the Slipper to restore some order to Parly

Unionist says:

10:26am | 24/11/11

@iansand says:11:09am; so very true

Tommy says:

10:37am | 24/11/11

It means that the government is relying nwo on independents in conservative electorates and now a former liberal MP - that is the joke. The government has failed - forced to rely on people with completely different political persuasions. How embarrassing. Election now.

Marmalade says:

10:44am | 24/11/11

Tony appears to have modeled his leadership style on a Little Britain skit: “Tony say no. Tony says no. Tony says no.” It must be so frustrating for Liberal voters to see a prime opportunity to regain government thrown away by a leader who is, frankly, on the no’s.

Robert of Rural SA says:

11:00am | 24/11/11

Slipper joins Quislings Wilke, Windsor & Oakeshott whose personal needs will lose their jobs come the next election, enjoy it while you can.

Johnn says:

11:03am | 24/11/11

Tommy… err… that means Slipper doesn’t get a vote. Which means that the Opposition has LOST a vote and Labour had GAINED a vote. They are now, in fact, relying LESS on non-party support.

Rubens Camejo says:

11:22am | 24/11/11

@john

That’s too difficult for some to understand , John. Better to stick to the party ethos and just criticise everything you don’t comprehend and say no to things you undertstand less

james says:

12:06pm | 24/11/11

Tony, very very poor management of your own member.

What choice did he have given he was going to forced out of his electorate.

The fish rots at the head, and the rot has begun.

Anne71 says:

12:33pm | 24/11/11

Well put, iansand.
Ask not for whom the bell tolls, Abbott - it tolls for thee.  I’d be very surprised if we don’t have a new Opposition leader before the end of the year - certainly before Parliament sits again in the New Year.

Andrew says:

12:45pm | 24/11/11

Robert of Rural SA mentioned Quisling. Variation on Godwin’s Law. Chuckle.

MondoStef says:

12:49pm | 24/11/11

Abbott is better off without Slipper.  Better to have one less seat on your side of the fence if the remaining are true to their own convictions, than have one who sells his soul to the highest bidder.  Gillard’s days are numbered anyway, so what’s the difference.  Slipper, Windsor and Oakshott will all be booted out and Abbott will be our next PM.  There is nothing the members of the chattering classes can do about that.  Deal with it and move on.

john says:

12:50pm | 24/11/11

@iansand ” It is more like a failure of opposition.”

perhaps it is, however its more about the numbers, its now more unlikely we will go to an early election if a labor MP dies or charged with criminal conduct, therefore the government looks secure to go the full term.

see Mr farr is right =>  Slipper, or Slippery Pete as his nickname goes, has looked after himself by quitting the Liberals and taking up a Labor offer to become Speaker

Did Abbott shoot himself in the foot ?

Has the Abbott early election battleship ship sunk?

Frank of Ingle Farm says:

12:59pm | 24/11/11

all Liberal/National governments are a minority government as niether can ever govern intheir own right

Le blogeur gai says:

01:02pm | 24/11/11

Abbott is now well and truly finished.

He has failed on multiple occasions.

He failed to submit election policy costings under their own Charter of Budget Honesty and blatantly lied about the reasons why; failed to win a winnable election; failed to negotiate power with the Independents AND pissed them off in the process; failed to honour the Parliamentary Reform deal he signed; failed to stop the Carbon Tax and in the process left himself and his party exposed as a policy free zone; and has failed to stop the Mining Tax passing the HoR.

And despite his party in the lead in the polls, his preferred PM vote has fallen away. If he stays leader, he will only force voters away from the Coalition closer to the election. If voters can’t stand your leader, they’re not going to risk voting for your party.

Add to this a $91 billion black hole made up of an $11 billion black hole from his election costings, a $70 billion budget black hole AND a $10 billion Direct Action black hole, together with internal rumblings showing discontent with him not consulting wider with his parliamentary colleagues on policy decisions, it is very clear that his position as Leader has become untenable.

It’s only a matter of time before his colleagues wake up and realise that they have a leader leading them to nowhere.

Charity Box says:

01:04pm | 24/11/11

Marmalade @ 11.44..I see no frustration seeing Tony saying “No”,lets face it,if an election was called today..Labor would be out of Government

LOL says:

01:37pm | 24/11/11

Agreed.

How could you give a vote away especially in such a tight parliament?

It only shows why Abbott is not only out of touch with politics, but even his own team. How could you say that “it shows the Government doesn’t work, and call an early election”, when you’ve given Labor another vote.

This guy is beyond worthless. No wonder why Gillard is having such an easy time staying on even despite the many outrages she has put on us.

Steve of Cornubia says:

01:52pm | 24/11/11

This just reduces the credibility of Gillard’s government even more - if that is possible. Already an uncomfortable alliance of ALP, Green and independent MPs who care more about their personal power than the country’s needs, adding Slipper to their number just emphasises what a ragtag bunch of self-preserving electoral traitors they are.

Slipper should fit in perfectly, and Abbott will be glad to be rid of him.

DennisDenuto says:

01:54pm | 24/11/11

Frank of Ingle Farm - Not necessarily true. After the 2004 election the libs had at least 75 and the nationals 12.

Rocksteady says:

02:02pm | 24/11/11

This is a good thing for the country, any minority government is at the whim of a few individuals vested interests (cough greens, independents).
A bigger majority will put an end to the ridiculous demands and pork barrelling given to single mp’s who hold this country hostage.

Todd says:

03:25pm | 24/11/11

One cannot stop clandestine betrayal. Slipper, like Oakeshott and Windsor accepted the votes of conservative voters then sided with the Green/Labor lefties. How can you blame Abbott? Slipper sounds like a Judas to me. Or was Judas’ betrayal simply due to him not being looked after. All I can say to my fellow conservative voters out there is DO NOT vote for an ex conservative party member, lest you end up inadvertently voting for the Green/Labor coalition. If Slipper (or Oakeshott or Windsor for that matter) was a man of character he would wait until the election before he declared that he is closer to the Green/Labor coalition than the Liberal/National coalition. But anyway, those who mistakingly put their trust in the word of others should not be scorned as those who break it. The worst thing is, this mongrel traitor will be the speaker for the next two years.

GB says:

03:49pm | 24/11/11

@iansand. Nice try Ian. Makes no difference at all. Please tell me which of the 200 plus pieces of legislation introduced so far have been blocked in the lower house? Pretty pathetic that Labor feel the need to defy tradition and do this because one of their boys is about to go to the big house. She was never going to an early election anyway so what’s the big deal. All it’s doing is prolonging the inevitable. Maybe whe the coalition romp in the next election they can nominate one of the dozen or so remaining ALP members for the speaker’s gig.

Maree says:

04:21pm | 24/11/11

Why is it that 2 faced politicians like oakshott, windsor, wilke, and now “Slipery” gravitate to the labor party ? I guess cause their just “little men” with no future of their own. Once the labor party is done with these four, they will be discarded like last years newspaper. It will not be long little boys !

Ben says:

04:48pm | 25/11/11

I don’t know whether it is sad or funny to read the number of people who have swallowed hook, line and sinker the government line that Tony Abbott is ‘Dr No’. Have none of you noticed Anthony Albanese crowing in the parliament about the 250 pieces of legislation that have been passed in this term? 99% of which passed with the support of the Coalition. Dullards…

Lapun says:

10:23am | 24/11/11

Agree Erick!  The Pollies think the PEOPLE, the ones who put them there are not smart enough to see through the cynical macciavellian, moves of the Government, but they are wrong and their moves will be remembered.  The Qld LNP want to get rid of Slippery Pete and now, the entire Coalition.  How long will it take for them to expel him from the Party?

Gratuitous Adviser says:

10:53am | 24/11/11

Yes, but the thread seems to be getting thicker, day by day.  I watch/listen to parliament often and the “No”, “No”, “No” philosophy of Abbott, combined with a continuous smirk by the leader, deputy leader and others, can not be an acceptable policy and look for a credible opposition.  The great unwashed are fairly gullible but there has to be more for Abbott and the opposition to win respect and hence government, like policies.
Face it.  If Turnbull was still there, the LIbs would be sitting on the right side of the speaker this day.

andye says:

11:42am | 24/11/11

@Erick - If I was a betting man I would have to say Tony is the favorite. Nothing is certain in politics, however. The people gloating over poll results (not you in this case, your post is free of stupidity) and claiming that Labor will be “in the wilderness” are counting unhatched chickens.

Blake says:

12:06pm | 24/11/11

Doesn’t matter if its a fingernail, a hand or a rope.  They are the government.  Deal with it.

Steve says:

12:25pm | 24/11/11

@Blake says: 01:06pm | 24/11/11
Doesn’t matter if its a fingernail, a hand or a rope.  They are the government.  Deal with it.

Not for much longer. Labor won’t just lose the next election, their whole party will be wiped out. Remember every dodgy tax Labor has introduced can be undone and will be.

sammic says:

01:15pm | 24/11/11

@Steve, to undo a tax once it has been active for more than a year is a whole lot harder than to implement it.

Keep dreamin’... the CTS and Mining taxes are here to stay… soon they will be as common place as the GST.

Smokey says:

01:52pm | 24/11/11

Blake, go grab an income tax calculator and find out how much better off most of Australia is since the libs got tossed out.

Rocksteady says:

02:17pm | 24/11/11

Lapun - Funny how you see through the governments lies (of which there are many), but not Abbott’s.

He is a poor alternative, you are nieve if you think ordinary people don’t see through his spin.
Where is he going to get all these billions for the super increase? Health, Education, Defense? Liberal MP’s are rightly saying to the media they can’t afford it.
He is so incredibly desperate for power and people pick up on that even if only sub-consciously.
Even worse is his new stance on trade protectionism, what the hell happened to the Liberal party? Every long standing ideal they stood for is being thrown out the door by Abbott.

Shooter says:

04:11pm | 24/11/11

Erick and the LNP are hanging on by none.

Steve says:

06:15pm | 24/11/11

@sammie.Keep dreamin’... the CTS and Mining taxes are here to stay… soon they will be as common place as the GST.
Remember work choices mate?  The longer Labor stays in this term , the fewer MPs they will have after the election.

Bruce says:

07:05am | 25/11/11

Smells of conspiracy ! and Jenkins is up to his neck in it !

TheRealDave says:

10:41am | 24/11/11

Yes, its only disgusting when its one of your blokes isn’t it? But when Mal Colston did the same thing to the ALP years ago that was Kosher…right??

Yeah, exactly what I thought

Etrix says:

10:51am | 24/11/11

I 2nd that - what a snake. I can’t understand why people like him & ALP can’t see growing resentment of people toward this minority govt…

Etrix says:

10:51am | 24/11/11

I 2nd that - what a snake. I can’t understand why people like him & ALP can’t see growing resentment of people toward this minority govt…

Richard says:

11:03am | 24/11/11

Actually no, Mal Colston disgusted me as well, as did Cheryl Kernot. The lowest circle of hell is reserved for treacherous turncoats and back-stabbing betraying Judases like them.

The righteous one says:

11:46am | 24/11/11

but, isnt that what Tony has done all along? stuck a knife into Turnbull, Hockey, Reith, Slipper and tried with Bishop.  Doesnt consult with the party room only talks to the management group.  Policy on the run without any consultation.  Seems to me its a bit of De Ja Vu.  no consultation, knife jobs kitchen cabinet er I mean management group.  Kevin Abbott had better watch his back.  Hardly speaks volumes for loyalty and party unity does it.  I really cant see it being any different to someone crossing the floor.  The only difference I can see is that there is not a pile of scalps around slipper

Rubens Camejo says:

11:56am | 24/11/11

If that is the case, Richard, then people like Abbott is destined for that lowest of circles.

He has betrayed all that all that the Libs were meant to be when established. It was meant to be a party that looked after those having a go like small business people. At its birth the party pledged to distance itself from being accused of looking after big business first, see quote from the National Archives’ history of Menzies:
Quote:
“Most important of all, the new party would raise and control its own funds, distancing itself from the charges constantly laid against the United Australia Party, that it was the party of big business. At the inaugural meeting of the Federal Council held in Sydney in August 1945, the Liberal Party formally came into being.”

Menzies also promised in a radio interview that his party would “ensure justice for all Australians.”

I would take a very good look at your party and its policies and what the party was meant to stand for; it certainly wasn’t for Tea Party policies that favour big business at the cost of small business, (think MRRT and what it could do for small business).

Everything Mr. has advocated would result in big business making a motza whilst the rest of Australia struggles on.

The Libs have never been my preferred flavour but I have begrudgingly accepted at times that they had to be in government because Labor had messed things up.

The party that Mr. Abbott has moulded, however, is NOT a Liberal party; it is a poor copy of the Tea Party of America with all its hate politics and radical right policies.

Next step is to ensure the rich pay little tax if any at all.

Check out Menzies History on this link:

ts says:

12:03pm | 24/11/11

totally agree richard. to turn your back on your party for personal gain (a few extra $$ before his eventual oblivion) is the lowest of the low.

the punishment will be having to live with himself knowing that he threw out all his beliefs for thirty pieces of silver. He’s basically admiting that his whole political life has been a waste - what a thing to take into your retirement to ponder over all those years.

and regardless of political persuasion mal colston was just as despicable. who ever hears his name mentioned any more except as an example of disloyalty - what an epitaph to a career.

Joan says:

12:11pm | 24/11/11

Slippery Pete - nothing I have read about this guy is nice. Slippery Pete will only bring disrespect to the Speaker position - he is not respected by politicians, journos, or his electorate and Labor looking to give him Speaker job. Labor resorting to owest qualifield person for Speaker role. Sad day for Australians to see their parliament treated with such disrespect.

The Big M says:

01:26pm | 24/11/11

Ah, a coalition staffer in the making RichaRD? LOL mate if the grapes are so sour simply stop eating them.
Peter Slipper does NOT disgust us all at all. He is exercising his legal and democratic right to take on the high office and role offered. he was told by his political leader than any coalition memeber that did that would be ejected from the party, so his next move was natural and put in motion by none other than Tony Abbott himself.
The coalition started this event by making it clear that Slipper was out by the next election anyway.
Abbott and the coalition have no-one but themselves to blame, completely.
They should be, as you perhaps should consider, directing their disgust at their own failed tactics here. You play the game and demand the rules, then you have to play by those rules as well.
Otherwise you end up being a sanctimonious rabble that is exposed as nothing but cynical and power-hungry political hacks yearning to once again wield arrogance.
And that mate, is just how Redneck Tony comes across, an Aussie male version of Sarah Palin.
He played the game, and lost this episode. He should take it like a man and stop his incessant whining…

Craig says:

01:55pm | 24/11/11

Seems more like the Libs tried to be “slippery” in replacing Slipper, so he was more slippery than the Slippery Libs and slipped into the Speaker’s Chair, clearly.

Tony was outdone at his own game.

Oh no the outrage.

sandra says:

02:11pm | 24/11/11

his expenses scandle and his arrogence plus lack or work ethic made his position untennable—yet Abbott was still tyring to work it out—so why is it ONCE AGAIN Abbotts fufault. Plus—Slippery invited Rudd to an event two weeks ago in his electorate!!!???? wtf—so they KNEW this was going to happen then—and Jenkins was shoved. What a disgusting power at all costs mob of scum

Rocksteady says:

03:02pm | 24/11/11

Sandra - It’s Abbott’s fault for not keeping his team in line, that’s what being a leader involves.
I think the word you are looking for is “Accountability”

marley says:

10:31am | 24/11/11

Actually, from what I’ve read of Peter Slipper, this is a loss for all Australians.  He will presumably now be the Speaker - and that doesn’t bode well for anyone.

Samuel says:

10:36am | 24/11/11

57-43 Two party preferred.

Marmalade says:

10:48am | 24/11/11

@ Samuel - 9th March 2001: Labor leads the Libs 57-43 two party preferred. How did that work out for Kim?

Marmalade says:

10:49am | 24/11/11

@ Samuel - 9th March 2001: Labor leads the Libs 57-43 two party preferred. How did that work out for Kim?

nossy says:

11:01am | 24/11/11

@Samuel   2 years to go and Abbott slipping everyday Samuel - hes not even Preferred PM!  Ohhh how sweet it is Sammy!

MarkS says:

11:03am | 24/11/11

At least Slipper should lose preselection. A gain for all of us.

Blind Freddy says:

11:08am | 24/11/11

@Samuel

Over 200 pieces of Labor-Green-independent legislation passed. Less than 1 piece of Noalition legislation passed - zero.

You can have the polls- we’ll have the power.

Bob says:

11:17am | 24/11/11

66-63 in the only place that matters.

JT says:

11:30am | 24/11/11

@Blind Freddy says ‘‘You can have the polls- we’ll have the power.’‘

Well that sums up Labor in a nutshell, anything for power. Of course I do not understand your celebrations, you are afterall supporting a government that according to every single poll for almost this entire year is destined to be wiped out NSW style in 2013.

You might think that is a long time away but the way NSW played out suggests the time is irrelevant, the polls say people have made their minds up and that means you may have power now but you’ll lose it soon and lose it for an extraordinary long time. It is akin to celebrating your own death sentence. You’re a strange lot you Labor faithful.

Comrade RyaN says:

11:37am | 24/11/11

@Comrade Blind Freddy: “You can have the polls- we’ll have the power. ” spoken like a true communist comrade, our glorious leader will be pleased!

Joan says:

12:15pm | 24/11/11

No another Nossy,  loss for all Australians as one of the most disrespected politicians in Australia is handed the serious job of Speaker. And another low by Labor as they sink to the bottom of the pit for power sake

Samuel says:

12:30pm | 24/11/11

Wow, the Labor trolls are out in force.

That you guys cite passing 200 pieces of legislation (ie the Government doing its job) as some great achievement says a lot really.

Anyway, I look forward to the day when Tony Abbott becomes Prime Minister. It will be one of this nation’s finest hours.

james says:

12:41pm | 24/11/11

LNP now officially stands for:

Let’s
Not
Participate

Comrade RyaN says:

12:58pm | 24/11/11

@comrade nossy: First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win.” - Ghandi.

Looks like he was predicting the next Australian elections. Bye bye for decades if not forever to Labor and their delusional commie comrades.

R Gray says:

02:01pm | 24/11/11

Newspoll 57 to 43. Abbott seems to be doing very well thank you. He never had the numbers, He never had Brandt, Windsor or Oakeshott! Yet he continues to decimate the Labor vote. A slimey rat in the ranks has been got rid of… Gillard continues to lie. This is a minor set back which the electorate do not like but will not blame Abbott. Slippery Pete will be consigned to the villains of history just fora few shekels,

MDG says:

02:23pm | 24/11/11

R Gray, Marmalade has already pointed out how silly it looks to point to polls.  And the very fact that Abbott doesn’t have Windsor or Oakeshotte is just more testimony to the total absence of the “people skills” he boasted of.  He tried to negotiate with them, too, remember.  But he failed.  He has failed to stop every piece of legislation he has opposed in this parliament, including the ones he said his political life depended on.  He has now lost one of his own MPs.  He’s a serial loser.  Sure, his party is ahead in the polls right now, but the horse that’s leading at the halfway mark doesn’t always, or even often, win the race…especially when its shoes fall off and the jockey drops the whip!

Rocksteady says:

03:31pm | 24/11/11

Bring back Turnbull and they’ll win by a landslide.
Keep Abbott and it’ll be a battle.

GWS says:

01:32pm | 24/11/11

Because Slipper was nominated unopposed. You need two candidates to force a vote.

Andrew says:

01:50pm | 24/11/11

I agree, it shows how naive Oakeshott, Windsor and Wilkie are. Although it doesn’t help that none of the labor stalwarts would accept nomination.

Wilkie can say goodbye to his pokies reforms.Though I am sure he will find something else to be messianic about.

frank says:

10:49am | 24/11/11

we can only live in hope!

Peter says:

10:51am | 24/11/11

I think it is time for him to give up this “we should have won/failure of democracy” attitude and take on a new posture.  Like, “we would be a better government because ....”.  That is what I’d like to start hearing from him. He is starting to look the fool.

james says:

12:16pm | 24/11/11

well said Peter, but miracles dont happen very often.

nossy says:

10:41am | 24/11/11

@Tubesteak perfect analysis Tubesteak!  Spot on.

james says:

12:11pm | 24/11/11

Spot on Tubesteak, this is from a seasoned pollie.

What hope do the LNP have now?

JE says:

01:58pm | 24/11/11

@james are you serious? this government is heading for a wipeout. the lnp will easily retain the seat of fisher and win many more, including the seat of chisholm

james says:

03:15pm | 24/11/11

@JE FYI Election is in 2013.

One thing that is now apparent is that Tony will not be the leader .

Rocksteady says:

03:53pm | 24/11/11

JE - 1 week is considered a long time in politics, 2 years is an eternity.

Glenn says:

12:09pm | 24/11/11

And I bet the ones laughing are the Liberal party, laughing at the Gillard Labor party being smashed out of thier seats. 636 days to go. doo da

MDG says:

12:40pm | 24/11/11

It takes a special kind of masochist to celebrate the prospect of 636 days of political impotence.  If that’s all the Libs have to cheer themselves up with, they’re in a pretty bad way!

Tom says:

09:13am | 25/11/11

MDG, “If that’s all the Libs have to cheer themselves up with, they’re in a pretty bad way!”

No, MDG.  636 days to go is all the people of Australia have to cheer themselves up.

Rocksteady says:

05:59pm | 24/11/11

I thought that’s how it worked?
You give a a seat and you get bias.
Not that it really means anything - the 0.3% of Australians who watch question time know exactly who they are voting for anyway and are quite used to to childish behaviour that goes on there.

Shane From Melbourne says:

11:07am | 24/11/11

Since when has a political party been interested in governing for the national interest? Did I blink and miss it?

TonyF says:

11:42am | 24/11/11

“Striking while they’re hot” - hilarious.
BTW- how would the mining tax work? How is taxing 7% better than taxing 20%. More foolish economics from someone who is obviously a Liberal voter - gimmie a break.

LJ says:

12:48pm | 24/11/11

Liberal Voter - oh really

Hamish says:

01:47pm | 24/11/11

You must be the only liberal voter who supports Gillard. At 30% primary polling she’s lost people who’ve voted ALP in every election they’ve ever voted in.

RyaN says:

02:49pm | 24/11/11

How to discredit yourself in one fell swoop, lie about your rusted on support.

David of Adelagado. says:

04:01pm | 24/11/11

I’ve never voted Labor in my life. I’ve voted independent a couple of times over the last 30 years but thats as far to the left as I’ve got. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be very, very disappointed with the current Lib leadership.

jf says:

08:17am | 25/11/11

David of the Grand Academy of Adelagado. says: 11:33am | 24/11/11

“They have opposed policies (pokies, ciggy packaging, mining tax, malaysia) that are popular and would work, for no reason other than political opportunism. “

Let’s hear that again in slow motion - they have opposed popular policy for political opportunism.

Interesting take on political opportunism you have there. Usually political opportunism involves opposing good policy because it’s unpopular not opposing bad policy because it’s popular.

Anna C says:

11:46am | 24/11/11

Agreed. How the hell did Peter Slipper ever get preselected anyway? The guy is a rat and an egomaniac.

B4Bear says:

12:21pm | 24/11/11

So we can blame you and your electorate for continuing to vote in an emabrrassment for all these years?

Stiffy says:

12:54pm | 24/11/11

If he is so bad why didn’t Mr NO get rid of him before the last election? More poor judgement by the then overconfident Abbott.
Slipper won’t be a Liberal/NP for much longer.
This move may be unprecedented in the Australian Parliament but it has happened under the Westminster system under the Brown Government in the UK.
However, no one should be under any disillusion, this is a party political move by Gillard and gives her a 1 seat buffer.
Slipper will never be as good as Jenkins. Disorder in the House will likely prevail. fireworks for Question time today

Noel says:

04:56pm | 24/11/11

B4Bear, very simply, many of the more experienced, sensible people in the electorate could not bring ourselves to vote Labor.  Even a rat like Slipper had a small advantage (then).
Stiffy, in the LNP it is still the menbers in the branch who appoint representatives, not Mr Abbott.
You see, I once voted Labor for Whitlam’s government.  Once burnt, twice shy!

Tom says:

10:29am | 25/11/11

Anna C, that is a pretty good point. LNP ran with Slipper and allowed Dopeshott and Windsdor to run uncontested in a conservative electorate. They need to tighten up.

Robert of Rural SA says:

11:05am | 24/11/11

Yes a win for Juliar, but a win for Oz? ? ? NO! ! ! !

LOL says:

02:01pm | 24/11/11

It isn’t even about politics or the CT or the Mining Tax or anything like that, Abbott lacks even basic social and negotiating skills…. these are BASICS for a pollie of ANY persuasion.

Even though I hate Gillard with a passion I’m laughing harder at the prospect of a “Lib Landslide with this joke excuse of a leader at the LNP helm.

Let’s
Not
Participate

(and hope for power)

sounds more like it.

Le blogeur gai says:

02:03pm | 24/11/11

There are only two things Abbott is competent at.

1. Just saying “Noooooooooooooo”.

2. Selling himself and party to:
      Big Tobacco;
      Big Mining;
      Big Polluters;
      Big Gambling.

Talk about a political ‘ho!

Richard says:

11:04am | 24/11/11

Jesus mate, get some decorum. You’re pathetic, grow the fuck up.

TS says:

11:05am | 24/11/11

I’ve tried looking for these blogs, and haven’t had much luck finding any worth reading. What’s that about?

I’m going to miss Harry; he was always good for a laugh during the Carnival of Stupid that our house of Reps is.

And I guess this is yet another victory for this seemingly hopeless, inept yadda yadda minority government? Man, if a gov’t this inept can in fact be so successful (especially at passing legislature, you know, ‘governing’), what does that say about the opposition? That it’s not good at opposing perhaps? Greg Jericho wrote a wonderful article containing this line of thought on The Drum yesterday.

Glenn says:

12:10pm | 24/11/11

The brain of the stupid. And we let tools like this vote

james says:

12:14pm | 24/11/11

lovely isn’t it watching the neo-cons squirm.

Rubens Camejo says:

12:22pm | 24/11/11

@ Richard

Decorum, you say but decorum you don’t deliver. Did Dave touch a sore nerve with you? - Methinks so

The Badger says:

12:40pm | 24/11/11

One more vote removed from the access to the trough for Mr. Abbott and his Noposition party.

You enjoy the tears, I enjoy the squeals Dave.

charleyb says:

12:40pm | 24/11/11

Richard your typical of all Liberals cant stand the truth.  These blogs are staurated with mindless Liberal sheep bleating about nothing you the one that needs to grow up.  I wont resort to using coarse langauge.

LOL says:

02:05pm | 24/11/11

The truth hurts as it’s become very clear to the Lib failure trolls on this blog.

As far as Abbott is in the leader’s chair, dream on if you want to get rid of Gillard. It’s as simple as that.

Your choice, after all.

BMJ says:

11:16am | 24/11/11

So if he refuses the speaker role the scandels will stay hidden? Is that what the Lib’s have to offer here. Astonishing. What a grubby game this has become.

Anna C says:

11:57am | 24/11/11

“Wouldn’t you have to ask why Slipper has been on the outer with the Libs for a long time…”

Steve, I heard that he was never really accepted in the Liberal Party because he was considered a rat by them because he left the Labor Party to join the Liberals. Once a rat always a rat .

Steve says:

12:05pm | 24/11/11

@BMJ

Yep, its a very grubby game played by very fallible humans,who often succumb to temptation.

Eda says:

04:26pm | 24/11/11

Anna C

’ because he was considered a rat by them because he left the Labor Party to join the Liberals.’

Peter Slipper was a National Party member prior to joining the Liberals, he held the seat of Fisher for the Nationals from 1984-87.

peter says:

12:18pm | 24/11/11

The things about this weaken Abbot.
1) His refusal accept that this does strengthen the government makes him look delusional, unable to face reality.
2) It increases the impression that the Coalition is disintergrating (probably not true but that is the impression).
3) That this was a possibility from almost the start of this government and not only could they not prevent it but have no contingencey plans to face or spin it implies that they have nobody capable of long term planning.
On the other side I don’t see it strenghthening Gilard except on the floor of Parlement.

AJfromPerth says:

02:54pm | 24/11/11

peter, I don’t think it strengthens Labor (the government?) - the power/control is still with the independents and Greens.

Rocksteady says:

04:12pm | 24/11/11

@AJ -  The Greens and Independents just lost a huge percentage of their control over parliament.
This is a great thing.

JT says:

11:21am | 24/11/11

@Super D says: ‘‘his will of course result in the total NSW style annihilation of the ALP and lead to a decade of coaltion rule - so at least we have something to look forward to.’‘

Which makes you laugh at the Labor sycophants here crowing about this so called victory. All Labor have done is shuffled the chairs on the Titanic and Slipper has climbed on-board to sink along with them.

What really are they celebrating? some back-room deals done and they have an extra vote, the stench of their failures still give us 57-43 2PP month after month.

Paul says:

01:49pm | 24/11/11

@ Super D: I think it’s a great result. Labor will do as Howard did with ‘Workchoices’ when he control both houses and that is to smash unpopular legislation through both houses.

Although Gillard will most likely do an Anna Bligh and call an early election before the carbon tax effects kick into gear. She has already admitted the mining tax will slow wages growth in an environment of ever increasing prices. Just wait for the so called major polluters to move offshore and the commensurate job losses.

It’s going to be interesting.

andye says:

02:20pm | 24/11/11

@Paul - “She has already admitted the mining tax will slow wages growth in an environment of ever increasing prices.”

The ever increasing prices in our country are partly caused by the mining boom. The boom is driving up the dollar and so on, so sectors like retail suffer. It is sometimes called Dutch Disease.

Paul says:

07:01pm | 24/11/11

@ andye:  In my opinion, the death of the manfacuring industry in Australian is simply, cheap labour overseas. Why have most of our manufacturing moved O/S? It started well before the mining boom.

palone says:

11:52am | 25/11/11

Not- so- Super D. This was on about two months ago, and it has taken that long for the no-hopers to wake up. I keep getting asked what event was going to spell the death-knell of Anthony Abbott, the negative Rabbit, and I kept saying “Wait and see”. Well, you waited, and now you see.
This has been spoken of around the corridors since the end of August, when Abbott spoke of sacking Slipper. When someone who has failed in every endeavour brags about “Sinking in the Slipper” to all and sundry, it’s hardly surprising that the intended victim gets in first.
Bad person, Abbott. Bad leader, bad example, and totally unable to control anyone, including himself.
I remember Menzies witnessing one of his ministers losing it with a member of the Press. Menzies told him, unforgettably, “When you lose control, you lose everything.”
Abbott’s “Shit happens”, in connection with the death of someone whose shoes Abbott wasn’t fit to clean, would have at least seen him into the Menzies’  backbench, if not sacked for disrespect. But his lovers forgave him and admire him for his “strength”. Wierd Liberals.
Abbott, like all bullies, is weak. He wouldn’t stand up to Howard, he fell in a hole when Slipper threatened him, (and if it wasn’t for the Liberal machine in Melbourne Slipper would still be there), and he can’t handle being personally thrashed by a mere slip of a girl. He has no substance. Now, being terrified of Melbourne, he has brought himself totally undone. Ain’t it beautiful!
Could not have happened to a more worthy candidate.
BTW, Slipper has been a rat for so long yet the Libs kept pre-selecting him. Why? Because he fitted in superbly.

Aussie battler says:

11:40am | 24/11/11

Wrong. Yesterday the details were released of the concessions the Greens had negotiated on our behalf in order to have returned to us a few more super-profit dollars from the multinationals.Today, another defection from the Noalition.

Ron E Coote says:

12:02pm | 24/11/11

About the same time those same details were released to members of their own party, no doubt.
Why should any of them have needed to know of them before voting in the parliament?
After all, a lazy hundred million is nothing to the Labor party.

Borderer says:

12:33pm | 24/11/11

Yeah, because the greens have such well thought out policiies and such….. Really?
When our government, with their poor history of major policy are keeping secret the deal they’ve made to fund the greens policies and don’t want to make it public, how good for us can it be? They made public various other disasters yet this one is so good it needs to be secret, try smelling what you’re shovelling…..

Aussie battler says:

01:26pm | 24/11/11

A lazy hundred million is definitely nothing to the multinationals making billions in profit every year from our non-renewable resources, Ron. Good on Labor, the Greens and Independents for returning a small fraction of them to us.

Hamish says:

01:50pm | 24/11/11

Aussie battler, I can’t tell if you’re taking the piss or just the most gullible person I’ve ever met.

JE says:

02:04pm | 24/11/11

@Hamish, sadly i think its the latter

JE says:

02:06pm | 24/11/11

@Hamish, sadly i think its the latter

MDG says:

02:13pm | 24/11/11

The $100m is being raised by delaying the introduction of a tax break for foreign banks on the withholding tax they currently pay.  In other words, it isn’t a new tax at all, just an extension of one that’s already being paid and clearly isn’t causing problems.

Rocksteady says:

03:18pm | 24/11/11

How is the deal secret?
What a load of crap.
The details are in the mini budget on Wednesday.

Aussie battler says:

04:36pm | 24/11/11

Thanks, MDG, for saving me the trouble of explaining it to a couple of morons. They can’t dispute the facts so they had to play the man.

Blind Freddy says:

11:35am | 24/11/11

Well, I did, until I saw all of your exclamation marks - so convincing.

Col Sanders says:

11:50am | 24/11/11

As obviously a Abbott solution supporter you should know that Nauru was never a processing centre but a holding facility. Howard’s Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone removed the asylum seekers and closed the facility after UNHCR protests. To expand Nauru, refurbish it and build medical facilities and accommodation for security and immigration staff will cost millions if not billions.

Rocksteady says:

04:42pm | 24/11/11

You aren’t being serious are you?
Liberals constantly ignored pleas by the UN and many nations about our stance on refugee policy.
Nauru was not aligned with the UNHCR when we were sending people there.
Memory of a goldfish.

Anna C says:

11:53am | 24/11/11

Yay, the independents have now been sidelined. Sucked in Rob Oakshott, Tony Windsor etc your 15 minutes of fame are now over. No longer will journalists be forced to hang on your every word and forced to suffer another 17 excruciating minutes just for clowns like Rob Oakshott to say ‘yes’ to something.

MDG says:

12:53pm | 24/11/11

Not quite.  The parliament is still in the balance.  The government just needs fewer of the crossbenchers now, not none of them.

Super D says:

01:08pm | 24/11/11

Not totally sidelined but the government doesn’t need to meet all of their demands, the government can now ignore up to two of the independents and still get legislation through the lower house.  They do of course still need the greens to get their legislation through the senate.

Just think if this had happened last week they could have told Wilkie to go jump and wouldn’t have had to increase taxes to appease the Greens.

luke09 says:

02:30pm | 24/11/11

The independents must feel powerless right now and unpopular in their own electorate are facing oblivion at the next election. They were used and now no longer needed by Gillard. 

Gillard’s desperation in forcing Harry Jenkins to resign shows her natural personal trait of deceit, much like the loyalty she showed Kevin Rudd when knifing him in the back while saying publicly he had her full support.

Wilkie can now forget his pokie reform policy because the Gillard Government owes the independents nothing.

Make facts your friend says:

11:29am | 24/11/11

Richard, your opinion of Jenkins being “Stitched up and forced to walk the plank” is obviously derived from having paid absolutely NO attention to politics or seeing parliament in work at all. Well done, making something up thats clearly not based on any suggestion of fact and stating it as “obvious”. From those that actually HAVE seen at least ONE parliament session, Jenkins was clearly unhappy in the role of speaker, and is it so hard to believe that a politician might want to actually have a hand in politics and work towards achieving his political goals to help his electorate? 
Oh, and whilst I am correcting your “Richard Facts”, it was the Liberals that turned on Slipper that led to him quitting. How is that a dirty deal?

Stiffy says:

01:06pm | 24/11/11

I think that it may be a bitter/sweet move for Jenkins. It is in his DNA to be Speaker but this is a savvy move by Gillard and he is Labor first.

glenm says:

01:54pm | 24/11/11

@ Make fact s your friend, you may like to take your own advice.  You must be like that guy on TV the one who can read peoples thoughts through body language. By wacthing question time you have confirmed that Jenkins was unhappy and he wanted to give up his additional pay to sit as a back bencher. You my friend are a genius.

Richard says:

06:48pm | 24/11/11

IT was orchestrated, of that there can be no doubt. Yet I don’t think Gillard orchestrated it, no. I think RUDD did, HA!.

THAT’S why Rudd was in his electorate 2 weeks ago. Rudd the wiley underhanded white-anter. He’s doing a number on Gillard and she doesn’t even realise it!

Ha ha, this is actually pretty good.

Stiffy says:

08:01pm | 24/11/11

There was vision tonight of Jenkins running his thumb from one side of his neck to the other whilst looking up towards the Press Gallery. However earlier this year he came very close to resigning from the speakers position.
Labor has been grooming Slipper for such a move for some time. Even Rudd has been involved.
It looked like all the moons aligned today. Jumped? Pushed? Fell? Bit of all of the above.

TonyF says:

11:45am | 24/11/11

Labor - morals? - don’t go there.
It’s a debate you cannot win.

RyaN says:

11:47am | 24/11/11

Yawn, you rusted on Labor commies keep spouting on this line, its getting oh so boring.
As much as you rusted on Labor lovers would love to have incompetent, compliant, pushover Malcolm Turncoat as the leader of the opposition there is firstly no way you would ever vote for him and there is no way most Liberal people would vote for him so cut the crap its stupid and boring.

I tell you what, how about we give you Malcolm Turnbull to be your leader, you lot seem to like him a hell of a lot.

TonyF says:

11:53am | 24/11/11

Bi-partisan approach? Who changed the policy, even though advised not to, and then was told by Austrlian courts that their decision broke Australian law? But with Julia “my way or the highway” Gillard, this never happened. Why should the Liberals support changes to laws that protect individuals just so that Gillard can look good. Its a shame Labor’s ideologies are hurting so many people.

Shane From Melbourne says:

12:38pm | 24/11/11

@Ryan…..umm no. Tony Abbott is the ALP’s best asset. By all means keep him on until the next election.  Go Stable Population Party 2013 !!!!

James1 says:

01:10pm | 24/11/11

I see your rhetoric had further deteriorated, RyaN.  Keep it classy, mate.  Those ad homs make for very unconvincing arguments.

Dr Yes we can says:

01:37pm | 24/11/11

Hey , Id vote liberal for the first time in my life if malcom Turnbull was still leader , I liked him , smart , articulate , made his own money before getting into Parliment, thinks before he speaks, had/has actual policies and coherent thought process’s , Dr No has way too much religous baggage for me to even consider voting for him so even though I think the current goverment is shite ,its still a case of better the devil you know then a loose cannon dr no

Craig says:

02:09pm | 24/11/11

It’s quite laughable for the Libs to have a chance with this fool Abbott at the helm.

So many people want to vote Lib because of Labor being bad, yet they look at Abbott and see only a walking self-ingratiating eyesore. I am one of these.

The whole bi-partisan thing is a bit ludicrous though.

I’m not going to say that Turnbull is good/whatever. That’s up to you Libs to decide, but it’s clear that Abbott is NOT going to be the one that will work for you.

andye says:

02:46pm | 24/11/11

@Ryan - You know this whole super-partisan hate-filled ideological stuff really doesn’t play well with the swing voters. It actually turns them off. You are really just doing what most of us are doing here and arguing from either end at people who aren’t likely to change their position.

James1 says:

03:59pm | 24/11/11

It turns off conservatives too andye.  It makes us look like we have no arguments and must resort to namecalling.

It also demonstrates that some people don’t know what communism is.

hot tub political machine says:

04:16pm | 24/11/11

Have to agree with James 1.

When I hear “socialist” “communist” “facist” and “nazi” used here to describe things that are nothing of the sort I get Steve Buscemi’s voice in my head:

“Maybe you shouldn’t be listening to the grown up’s conversation”

dictionary.com people…..use it.

RyaN says:

12:01pm | 25/11/11

@andye: It is what it is, Gillard is a blatant commie (not a very efficient one at that) and we can see it throughout her low underhanded actions.

peter says:

12:25pm | 24/11/11

Actually he was elected to represent the people of his electorate not a party.
However I agree he is not doing this for them only himself.

Adam says:

06:49pm | 24/11/11

@peter

With all do respect he was elected to represent both. No more than one person can represent the Liberal party in a seat when going for an election. He was elected by his branch members in the pre-selection process to represent the Liberal party at the next election. By that measure he was elected to represent the Liberal party in that seat. Then he was elected to be the MP of that seat, thus making him both being elected to represent the party and electorate in parliament.

Matt says:

01:20pm | 24/11/11

I agree, Gillard Labor will win the next election now.

Alf says:

03:11pm | 24/11/11

ALP with Slipper on board. Good luck with that.

Shane From Melbourne says:

12:56pm | 24/11/11

If people cared about the country, they wouldn’t vote ALP or LNP….....

Todd says:

05:40pm | 24/11/11

@Shane. Don’t tell me….hold on….wait….you’re a Greens voter. No surprise, mate. Melbourne is the only seat in the country that voted Greens because they are at one with Mother Nature in pristine Melbourne. What would all those idiots who live outside entirely man-made urban jungles know about the environment? And to all the ALP supporters who (not very sincerely) say they would vote for the Coaltion if Turnbull was leader, you are the worst of the worst. At least Greens voters are sincere, albeit deluded and naive. I wouldn’t vote Labor if JWH became their leader as I do not like the collectivist economic and social policies of the ALP and their slightly more extreme cousins, the Greens. I support individualism, therefore I will always support the Liberal Party….unless an even more liberatarian alternative emerges.

Stockinbingal roo says:

12:51pm | 24/11/11

Harry is well respected by all of the parliament for his performance as speaker of the house. It appears that most commentators on this site don’t listen to or watch parliament when it is sitting.

Horthy says:

02:46pm | 24/11/11

Poor ol Harry. I’m going to miss:

NNNYYYOOOOOORRRDAAAAAH!

the most.

Neil says:

03:54pm | 24/11/11

Last time I checked the Greens got 11% of the Primary Vote in the HoR and 13% in the Senate. If they’re the ‘lunatic fringe’, what would you call the Nats with their 3%.

Rocksteady says:

05:55pm | 24/11/11

No Neil, it means nothing at all if party forms a political coalition with an anti-trade, protectionist party intent on stopping mining and globalisation just to win power.

Hang on… am I talking about the Libs or Labor? I can’t tell anymore.

charleyb says:

02:45pm | 24/11/11

And exactly how has the PM lowered herself.  The problem with you Liberals you detest democracy

Adam says:

07:02pm | 24/11/11

@charleyb

Yes, the Liberals, of all the parties, detest democracy. Can you tell me which party makes it part of being a member to swear you allegiance to socialism?

I can tell you one thing, it’s not the Liberals.

The sad part is, that there’s no argument in what you say charleyb. It’s the same hollow pathetic lines that Labor and the Greens use, day-in and day-out. “NO NO NO!” It’s simply pathetic. They aren’t debating on policy, Labor is constantly playing the man and not the ball. If they started picking holes at the Liberal party’s policies instead of making broad and meaningless statements like “NO NO NO!” they might get somewhere.

At the moment the political debate isn’t there to help us shape policy more carefully, but it’s done through back room deals out of the light of the public.

Needless to say, I don’t think any party as a whole detests democracy, least not the Liberals.

wolf says:

01:08pm | 24/11/11

Thats how I read this move.  So far the only one who would have the guts to pull the trigger is Wilkie (excluding dummie spitting faction hacks if Gillard is dumped).  Now the government can dump his bill and he can’t do a thing about it.
If they’re feeling brave they can dump one other too.  Since they need the greens in the upper house it gives them the freedom to tell Oakshot or Windsor to go jump.
It will be very interesting to see the vibe from those two in light of labors increased minority.

idiocracy says:

03:55pm | 24/11/11

Unpopular? According to who - vested interests and simpletons that are manipulated through advertising by those vested interest groups. oh wait - that’s about 2-3million voters. Carry on

Tony H says:

12:55pm | 24/11/11

The detailed polling shows Turnbull is the preferred Liberal leader amongst Labor voters and Abbott is preferred by Liberal voters. It simply doesn’t matter what Labor voters think of the Liberal leadership. With Labor primary support having hovered around 30% for a year the only Labor voters left are the rusted ons who would never switch to Liberal anyway. You know the type, public servants, trade unionists and people whose lifestyle choice is funded by the taxpayer.

Alf says:

01:07pm | 24/11/11

@Jeff. Everyone???? Not according to the polls.

Rocksteady says:

03:59pm | 24/11/11

@ Tony H, so if they change to Turnbull, some Liberal voters will go to Nationals, and all the swinging Labor voters will go to the Libs.

Landslide!

Do you really think that Turnbull leading the LNP will make rusted on conservatives vote for Labor or the Greens?

I don’t like Gillard but will never vote for the Libs while Abbott is at the helm.

Think about it mate.

Horns Up says:

01:50pm | 24/11/11

Apparently anyone who does not subscribe to Tony Abbott’s far right conservatism is a Labor plant including Turnbull. Throwing Turnbull under the bus for not being rabidly far right just goes to highlight just how ludicrous rhetoric from some on the right has become.

The sooner the Libs ditch Abbott and his win at any cost approach the sooner we can have some common sense restored to the political discourse going on in this country.

At that point we might actually get an opposition which holds the government to account and provides a better alternative.

\m/

Robert Smissen Of rural SA says:

02:30pm | 24/11/11

@Horns Up, how do you come to the conclusion that Tony is a “far right” person? ? One of the few when in power to vote against Work Choices” in the party room, is far more woman friendly than Julia (nearly all his staff are female fiercely loyal)the list goes on, that flag won’t fly. Are you hoping that if you tell your lies often enough they will become true?

Horns Up says:

03:21pm | 24/11/11

“Are you hoping that if you tell your lies often enough they will become true? “

As much as you’re hoping that if you make it up it will become true I guess.

BTW. Abbott defended Workchoices in “Battle Lines”.

\m/

ThatOneGuy says:

12:37pm | 24/11/11

Slipper left the Coalition to become an Independant.

That’s why the numbers change.

MDG says:

12:48pm | 24/11/11

Harry Jenkins was never paired, as far as I know.  They might have asked for it, but Abbott has denied, or threatened to deny, pairings for people to attend international conferences, the funeral of a personal friend and the birth of their own children so I’d be surprised if he ever agreed to voluntarily sacrifice one of his votes when he was under less no compulsion from either convention or decency.  I will stand corrected, of course.

iansand says:

12:51pm | 24/11/11

Abbott disrupted the pair system.  Perhaps something else will come back to bite him.

But as it seems that Slipper will leave the coalition there is no basis for a pair.

ibast says:

02:26pm | 24/11/11

I thought she was the Green’s and Independents’ puppet.  I’m confused.

MDG says:

12:44pm | 24/11/11

Legislatively speaking, this parliament is actually exceptionally productive.  It has passed more legislation in its first year than either Howard or Rudd managed to do in parliaments where they had thumping majorities (200+ bills to date?).  Beneath the colossal tantrum that the Coalition throws every day to confect an appearance of disorder and chaos, the parliament is humming along as well as it ever has.  It even passed the Budget on the voices alone.

You can take exception to the legislation it has passed, of course, but the fact that you dislike something doesn’t mean it doesn’t work.

fairsfair says:

02:10pm | 24/11/11

MDG, I dislike the very ‘colossal tantrums’ that you speak of (and I would argue that they are coming from both sides). I would much rather be talking about the legislation that is getting passed than this type of crap over and over again.

It does not instill confidence that things are getting done. Moreso, it makes you wonder what is being passed that is not given the opportunity for public discussion because we are too busy talking about Tony and Julia’s daily spat.

MDG says:

02:45pm | 24/11/11

I couldn’t agree more with that sentiment.  Even now, the overwhelming majority of legislation goes through with bipartisan support which means that a conflict-obsessed media tends to ignore it.  I would welcome a media more interested in the nuts and bolts and consequences of what it being done than in the personalities surrounding it, especially since this parliament is actually doing quite a lot.

Gladys says:

03:35pm | 24/11/11

You think Kruddy did a Gareth?

Steve Putnam says:

04:42pm | 24/11/11

Jenkins was sick of the constant negativity he had to deal with. Nineteen (lost) censure motions in a little over twelve months - how is this good for the country? Every time Abbott makes a speech in Parliament he yells it as if his life depended on it. Believe me, Jenkins was happy to go. He now has the opportunity to participate in debate and represent his electorate in the fullest sense -  as he has said. I wish every success!

MDG says:

01:45pm | 24/11/11

Well, there was also the structural separation of Telstra and the bills to commence the NBN.  The flood reconstruction levy.  The Budget.  Plain packaging.  The Parliamentary Budget Office.  That’s a lot of contentious high-profile issues for a single 12-month period, and that’s before you get down to the more mundane stuff that goes through with bipartisan approval and so never makes the headlines.  Like I said to fairsfair above, you can argue about the merits of the bills the parliament is passing, but you can’t deny that it is passing them and doing so at least as efficiently as any previous parliament has ever done.  Whatever criticisms should be made of the current parliament, it can’t be said that it is paralysed or unproductive.

Your name:Le blogeur gai says:

02:20pm | 24/11/11

How dare you insult Dubya like that!

frank of Ingle Farm says:

01:53pm | 24/11/11

the only problem is jumping ship during a term // was elected as xx and should stay as XX til term fnished then restand as whatever // could abstain from all voting &meetings;

Le blogeur gai says:

01:55pm | 24/11/11

He’s also the biggest hypocrite in Parliament. He accuses everyone else of the very faults he himself possesses. He accuses Julia Gillard of lying, but since his days as Health Minister until today, he has been a more prolific liar than even his mentor, John Howard. But then we shouldn’t be surprised. He did say last year on national TV that you can’t believe anything he says unless it’s written down. Mind you, the Parliamentary Reform deal he signed was written down - and he welshed on it, proving that his written word AND spoken word are worthless!

nossy says:

02:49pm | 24/11/11

@Mark - bewdiful Mark - that he is indeed!  hhahaah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgyjlqhiTV8

Nick says:

03:12pm | 24/11/11

Le blog(whatever), the biggest hypocryte and the biggest liar in this countries political history goes hands down to Gillard.No one will ever forget her There will be NO Carbon Tax..Another Boat another policy failure ..statements.Gloat all you like but come the next election it will be a choice between Abbott and and the LIAR.

Le blogeur gai says:

04:00pm | 24/11/11

To Nick (04:12pm | 24/11/11) : Got a short, selective memory there Nick?

Hmmmmmm .... Abbott.

Who can forget his big lie as Health Minister - his “rolled gold, iron clad commitment” on the Medicare Safety Net? You know, the one he welshed on immediately after they won the election.

How many positions has he had on climate change now? Must be 7 or 8.

In 2009 he gave a TV interview where he supported a Carbon Tax!

In March last year, he announced his unilaterally decided Paid Parental Leave Scheme (something he vowed he would support “over my dead body”) to be paid for by a Great Big New Tax, despite one month earlier saying he would not implement any new taxes.

He stated on national TV last year that you can’t trust anything he says unless it’s written down. Well, the Parliamentary Reform deal he signed was written down, as were at least two pairing agreements, but he reneged on them all anyway. His written word is as worthless as his spoken word!

That’s just for starters!

Hypocrite - thy name is Abbott!

Bob says:

02:47pm | 24/11/11

Oh I forgot to mention Oakeshot and Windsor - but don’t have to as they are as good a guaranteed Labor vote (providing you give them a bag of goodies) as a Labor MP. So Brandt and Wilkie are no longer needed. So sad (not) - what a surprise - the joys of a minority govt.

MDG says:

02:18pm | 24/11/11

Really?  A Speaker resigned, as he is allowed to do.  The government nominated a new Speaker, as they are allowed to do.  Their nominee accepted it.  The opposition nominated new Speakers.  Several, in fact.  As they are allowed to do.  Their nominees refused, as they are allowed to do.  As there was only one nomination for Speaker, the nominee was elected unopposed.  There was then a ballot to elect a Deputy Speaker.  No law was broken at any stage.  No constitutional provision was violated.  The rules of parliament were upheld to the letter.  It wasn’t Gillard Labor that threatened expulsions and forced one of its members to resign from their party today.

Mike says:

02:32pm | 24/11/11

I would think Abbott has already done his best to make a mockery of parliament with ridiculous tactics like calling a censure motion every day. Gillard’s move has precedents from Westminster, the mother of all parliaments including our own, so how is it non-democratic?

Will says:

02:36pm | 24/11/11

How so Terry?

James1 says:

02:37pm | 24/11/11

How so?  Our democratically elected Parliament elected its new speaker.  How is that in any way undemocratic?  The election of a non-government speaker is not in line with Westminster parliamentary traditions, but it does not breach any procedures at all and is perfectly legal. 

Also, when the Coalition wins government in 2013, they will be able to use this to their advantage, particularly if they have a slim majority in the House.  Now that we have the possibility of non-government speakers, the path is clear for Bob Katter to be speaker.  That would be awesome.

DC says:

02:43pm | 24/11/11

How?  Parliamentary procedure has been followed.

Or are you just trying to take away the blame from Tony Abbott, a man who isn’t fit to lead ANY party and who has proven time and time again to be a liar?

Tony Abbott and the Liberals have been trying to replace Peter Slipper with Mal Brough by doing back room deals, and Peter Slipper was well aware of it.

Peter Slipper has made a mockery out of the Liberals - and they also made a mockery out of themselves.

Chris L says:

06:32pm | 24/11/11

Thomson should share the same political fate as Mary Jo Fisher. How’s she doing since being found guilty of assault anyway?

Steven says:

06:35pm | 24/11/11

I suspect your thoughts should be archived, just to prove someone was smart enough to work out why this happened…

Sober Remission says:

07:16pm | 24/11/11

Actually, the Libs are the kings of suborning. Howard suborned left, right and centre, hell, even Costello was at it once or twice, suborning right there in the parliamentary chamber. So please don’t you go on about suborning. Especially when we’re talking about a party that continues to have confidence in senators that go around bashing security guards

dobbo says:

03:11pm | 24/11/11

BP one thing thought that most have overlooked. Would seem that this cooperation between PM and Rudd will well and truly bury any rumours of animosity between them.  Quite a team by the looks of this latest bit of work.

BP says:

05:07pm | 24/11/11

@dobbo. If you really believe that Harpy and Krudd have buried the hatchet I have a bridge in Sydney for sale that I’m sure you’ll be interested in…...going cheap.

Enkl says:

09:39am | 25/11/11

Jenkins was clearly struggling with emotion as he announced his resignation to parliament. He made a gesture to a colleague as he took his seat in the backbench indicating that his throat had been cut. Mike Kelly tweeted that he had been convinced to “take 1 4 the team”. I don’t doubt that Jenkins was telling the truth, but I don’t think that it was the whole truth.

Groucho says:

10:12am | 25/11/11

Why Jenkins walked? Here’s why
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/harrys-back-in-the-party-hat-he-loves-20111124-1nwxv.html

Joan says:

10:28am | 25/11/11

Ms `Tough as Nails` Gillard turned to putty in Obama hands - giggled like a school girl. simpering and fawning.- like no other world leader ever. She will go down in history and already has made history as backstabber and liar- nothing will erase that , and Slipper just added to Gillard nasty list of deeds as she shows disrespect to the speakers chair and foists the disreputable Slippery Pete into Speaker role.

Chris L says:

10:36am | 25/11/11

That’s right Tom! Everyone knows it’s all State Labor’s fault!

dobbo says:

04:14pm | 24/11/11

Boss maybe it’s a hatchet rather than a knife that’s been buried.  Would seem that this cooperation between PM and Rudd will well and truly bury any rumours of animosity between them.  Quite a team by the looks of this latest bit of work.

Tom says:

09:46am | 25/11/11

Yeah, yeah. Another labor flake crying out “Bring back Turnbull.”

Tom says:

10:35am | 25/11/11

Great insight Joel B1. I had been thinking that she brought in a slipper-rat so she could do a ranga-rat on Wilkie. All the while it was to exterminate the pixie-rat.

mel says:

05:03pm | 24/11/11

I think you’ll find that there is no such thing as political parties covered in the constitution (as there is nothing about the role of Prime Minister either), so voters do not specifically elect a party member to represent their electorate. A parliamentarian has every right to vote as they see fit but if parliamentarians wish to band together and vote in a bloc, so be it. It is only party rules that demand loyalty to a party line, not the constitution.

The constitution also does not specify that a speaker comes from the ruling party (as I said, there is no mention of parties at all.) And it states that in the absence of a Speaker, the members of the House shall elect a member to perform the duties of Speaker (see sections 35-36). That’s what happened today.

Parliamentary convention, however, is another story.

Devastator says:

07:24pm | 24/11/11

Well there you go Frances..looks like anyone with a brain CAN answer. Mel has pretty much covered the situation exactly as it stands. So, after setting out to try to score a political point, it looks like your “impartial persons opinion” has been put through the shredder and handed back for you to digest

mel says:

08:54am | 25/11/11

Why thank you, Devastator. I aim to please.

Frances says:

08:59am | 25/11/11

Don’t believe so Devastator. BTW…interesting name you were given at birth by the way.

The underhandedness referred to the deal not the ambiguity of the party status…that was a genuine question. Troll.

Thanks mel. The constitution v convention aspect certainly covers the question about how it is so easy to transfer to another or become independent mid term.

mel says:

10:24am | 25/11/11

Why thank you, Frances. I aim to please.

Chris L says:

11:32am | 25/11/11

@Frances - Abbott threatened Slipper with expulsion, why shouldn’t he take pre-emptive action and quit the party? Just where are you seeing underhandedness?

Also please explain how you see Labor as having “shafted us” on this matter. I see a lot of people saying it, but they just don’t seem capable of clarifying what they mean.

Tom says:

10:55am | 25/11/11

She cannot afford to lose Wilkie and Rudd. One has to stay in (in reference to your earlier comment). My feeling is that Wilkie would “rat” whereas Rudd would wait. THat keeps open his options to serve some cold revenge on Gillard or pick up his UN trophy a bit later.

mom says:

07:48pm | 24/11/11

My 86 year old grandmother has voted liberal all of her life as have her children.  You know it’s bad when she says this opposition is a shambles and she will never vote liberal again.  I hope she gets the chance to vote to keep these liberal clowns out at the next election.

Glass Houses says:

06:00pm | 24/11/11

Power at any cost?  Have you conveniently forgotten the concessions/promises made by Abbott after the last election?  He couldn’t even fool the Independants they were that transparently deceitful, not to mention unfundable.  But there you go, that’s all forgotten now.  And now by his own mismanagement he is largely powerless, other than to say no, no, no….. but it’s all in vain.  He’s dropped the ball, and he’s got nearly two years to survive the sharks.  Notice how quiet Turnbull and Hockey are at present?  Even Robb, his #3 supporter behind Pyne and Bishop?  2012 could be an interesting year.

JerryB2 says:

07:27pm | 24/11/11

You mean like the “I will give $1Billion to rebuild Hobart hospital in order to secure your support” promise that Phony Rabbit tried to bludgeon the Tas independant with?

Ron E Coote says:

05:35pm | 24/11/11

They don’t hate it as much as Labor do, sunshine. Why else would they be turning themselves inside out to remain in power. Has there been any touted Labor (cough!) principle that hasn’t been trampled on by this bunch of rogues? Other than “Whatever it takes”, of course.
Seems they (Labor) are only prepared to hate rats leaving the SS Labor Party ship, not the ones clambering aboard. Anything to win. Asolutely anything.

Stiffy says:

06:55am | 25/11/11

@ronne You obviously have forgotten or don’t know of a politician named Mal Colston.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Colston

Chris L says:

11:40am | 25/11/11

How many Liberal principals does ex-PM Fraser think they still hold? None? Well, let’s just call him a Labor hack and ignore him.

mel says:

06:17pm | 24/11/11

With such a high and mighty tone, I’m guessing you said the same thing about Ju-liar and KRudd as well?

Joooooooliar says:

06:57pm | 24/11/11

And whose fault would that be? The Nopposition’s?

It’s a good thing the right wing commenters here never make up silly names. Oh, wait.

Kurisu Sonsaku says:

07:09pm | 24/11/11

@ mel;

You miss the most pertinant points that gillard is a liar and kevni was krapp or krudd if you will.

Pete from Sydney says:

07:03am | 25/11/11

Kurisu Sonsaku, you forget the mad monk also has issues with the truth…if ain’t in writiing then don’t believe me, or something to that effect. The noalalition is in strife again….two more years (at least) in the wilderness

mel says:

09:03am | 25/11/11

Kurisu, what I was suggesting that you can hardly complain about name calling by one side when your preferred side does it too. And one can hardly believe that only one side of politics tells lies when there is ample evidence (if you are prepared to take off your blinkers) that politicians of both parties lie. Or that politicians, of whatever stripe, have made both good and bad decisions.

Making up silly names is pretty childish, but I thought Joel B1 was being just a little precious in his criticism. It seems you are a touch oversensitive yourself.

Kurisu Sonsaku says:

11:44am | 25/11/11

@ mel;

My point was that juliar was based on the fact that she lied, and that krudd was complete rubbish as a PM so the terms are apt.

mel says:

01:01pm | 25/11/11

Well, Kurisu, given that Tony Abbott himself has said that he lies and you can’t trust anything he says unless it was written down (and even that seems doubtful now), then you agree Phoney Tony is an appropriate nickname? Given John Howard was a miserable bastard who was the meanest and most divisive PMs this country ever had, the way Alan Ramsey called him a toad (because he couldn’t use his preferred four letter word in the papers) was appropriate too?

We all could go on about politicians of either side, but surely you must be beginning to understand. (Surely?) As I said, politicians on both sides of politics have lied, and have done both good and bad during their terms of office. Name calling, making silly puns around people’s names is pretty childish, trying to defend it is even worse. Do you not understand that?

Chris L says:

11:58am | 25/11/11

It wasn’t Labor MPs installing insulation, it was businesses that didn’t follow the two rafts of regulations Garrett put in place to ensure safety. The school halls were a success and the vast majority of schools, teachers, students and parents are happy with the contributions.

As for Joyce “reading between the lines”, I guess we can all play that game but the results will vary.

marley says:

08:11pm | 24/11/11

Well, it looks like the ALP have got Mr. Slipper now.  It is to be hoped they can manage his travel claims better than he has managed to do himself.

Groucho says:

10:26am | 25/11/11

Hardly.  He’s an independent, having resigned from the Lieberals

Catching up says:

12:58am | 25/11/11

For a government with no power, they have done wonders getting all bill through with no amensments.  They got the budget through in record time.

Very clever lady.

Groucho says:

08:56am | 25/11/11

“duplicitously join the Labor party”?

Dolt. 

Slipper’s now an indpendent. No party.

And he’s Speaker. He doesn’t get a vote.

Mr. Grey says:

12:56am | 27/11/11

Slipper was voted in by the people of his electorate to be a voting voice for the Liberal party. To help the Labor party by abstaining from voting the way his voting electorate expected is joining the Labor parties cause and gives labor a clear advantage which is duplicitous. I didn’t think that part was going to need explaining.

milo of Brizvegas says:

08:00am | 25/11/11

All this bleating from the LNP. Slipper hasn’t joined the Labor party he will be an Independent just like Mal Colston who became a Qld First Senator. But to be sure Labor learned a lesson from John Howard who supported Mal Colston’s (under a cloud of travel rort allegations) defection from the Labor Party because Howard desperately needed Colston’s vote to pass the GST and sell Telstra

Aussie taxpayer says:

09:06am | 25/11/11

It’s great to see Abbott’s dishonesty come back to bite him on the arse. He signed an agreement on the pairing of the Speaker, but then reneged on the agreement when he couldn’t get the Independents to side with him. If he hadn’t done so, this wouldn’t be the disaster it is for him. Has anyone ever seen political desperation like the Liberals nominating member after member yesterday for the position of Speaker, until eventually they had to lay in the bed of Abbott’s own making?

Thanks, Harry. You’re a legend, and we couldn’t have asked for a better Xmas pressy.

Groucho says:

09:14am | 25/11/11

Ah, the Lieberl mind. Greed, grasping, cheating, lying greed. The only motivators.

Why Jenkins walked? Here’s why
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/harrys-back-in-the-party-hat-he-loves-20111124-1nwxv.html

Groucho says:

10:10am | 25/11/11

Dolt.  He was already Deputy Speaker, already!

How do you s’pose *that* happened? Hey?

J Richards says:

05:48pm | 25/11/11

It’s ok Grouch…with numbskulls like Dick J on their side spraying their filthy unsubstatiated bile, the Libs are no chance now. I think he’s talking about himself when he says “Bogans rule” since he didn’t even know the fact about the deputy speakership

Ron Vincent says:

08:31am | 26/11/11

Forget Turnbull, he’s smart but a bit too smart for his own good.
Labor wont like to be reminded that Tony Abbott supported 87% of their 252 Bills. He’s had to fight the other 13% because of their stupidity and wonton waste. And don’t kid yourself that hasn’t taken a massive amount of energy by the Liberals. The remarks by the bleeding heart Labor supporters will be interesting to note once they see the size of the deficits handed down in the next two budgets. They will believe Swan when he tells them that they were caused by the global situation.

palone says:

10:50am | 26/11/11

Ron Vincent is right for once. We can’t afford to waste them Wontons.

Groucho says:

01:18pm | 25/11/11

Nice analysis Babs.

Without Minchin there to do it, wonder who’s pulling the strings now for the hard Right. And are they working the phones already?

Views? The Toad Brandis, mayhap?

palone says:

05:11pm | 25/11/11

I told “Super D” and “Tim B” a couple of months ago that an upset was on the cards, and they didn’t believe me. But then again they are Abboteers so they have no political acumen.
Now they know, but as I said earlier on this thread, for anyone who really followed the political weathervane in Australia, it was a lay down misere. They are both a bit naive. Now they both have been informed about the realities of Canberra, and the ‘corridor talk’ they might, (?), understand, but I doubt it. Some fools are bound to stay on the ‘outside’.
Abbott is a fool, a liar, a pretender, and temporary. They deserve him, and he deserves them.