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What to do about Tony Windsor?

Malcolm Farr

by Malcolm Farr

18 Jun 05:55am

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Filed under: Barnaby Joyce, Independents, Nationals Party, Politics, Richard Torbay, Tony Windsor

84 comments

The Nationals proved they did not know how to deal with Tony Windsor in 1991 and 2001, and in 2012 they appear to be working vigorously to entrench the trend.

Yes, this is nice but you should see my place in New England. Photo: Craig Greenhill

It’s not certain Mr Windsor, 61, will contest the election scheduled for late next year, but the Nationals are operating on the basis that he will, and in desperation have gone outside their own ranks to compete with him.

Richard Torbay, a former ALP member who currently is an independent state MP will become a National to contest Mr Windsor’s seat of New England. Cop that Barnaby.

But while he is keen to stand for the party in the federal poll, he is not so keen on being a Nationals state MP in the meantime and will retain some of the freedoms of being unaligned. He will be on board eventually, but not just yet.

This odd marriage of political convenience is one of many signs that Windsor has angered and prodded his political foes into befuddlement. They don’t know how to handle him.

Tony Windsor is a figure of ridicule and, in some overly excitable quarters, of hatred. This is for the simple reason that he has supported Labor’s minority federal government. When as an Independent he supported a minority NSW Coalition government he was not considered so evil.

But backing Julia Gillard has been a clear sign for some of his foes, and for some journalists who have never met him, that he is morally, ethically and intellectually flawed.

There is the usual claim that Mr Windsor is acting contrary to the wishes of his electorate. That might be proved so at the next election.

But the assessment ignores the fact that Tony Windsor has contested and won three state election and four federal elections. This is either a fantastic fluke or proof that he does have at least an inkling of what is best for the folk of New England.

And it could be that the locals have not so much been terrifically impressed by Mr Windsor, as resolutely unimpressed by the Nationals for the past 21 years. The voters elected Mr Windsor and not the party’s state candidate in 1991, and did so against in 2001 when he replaced the Nationals’ one term successor to Ian Sinclair, last of the Country/Nationals giants who had retired from New England in 1998.

So what to do about Tony Windsor in 2013?

It could be that because Mr Windsor was a Nat who turned independent, the party’s deep thinkers have decided that if they get someone to follow the reverse course they will have victory.

But if that is the motivation it would be superficial thinking of the type which has surrounded opponents of Mr Windsor for the past 21 years.

Back in 1991 he was set to get National pre-selection for the state seat of Tamworth but was denied it by a last-minute controversy over allegations of a drink-driving offence. Robbed of his expectation, Mr Windsor decided to run as an independent.

It was a tough campaign. Liberal Premier Nick Greiner and Nationals leader Wal Murray set up a team to help the Nationals’ candidate but Windsor won. It was a deep embarrassment. And he kept on winning.

Yesterday there were allegations and counter allegations that Richard Torbay had in 2009 been prepared to join the ALP. He has strongly denied this but Labor secretary in NSW Sam Dastyari has not withdrawn it.

But it seems obvious that somebody at some stage thought it might be a good idea were he to sit with Labor.

This could readily be seen as an endorsement of Mr Torbay’s talents. The Nationals also think he has the makings of a fine federal member and indeed Mr Torbay might win New England next election.

If he did win, it probably would be in spite of being a member of the National Party.

Follow Malcolm on Twitter: @farrm51

Most commented

84 comments

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    • T-rev says:

      07:21am | 18/06/12

      Wndsor will retire.

      He won’t want the embarrassment of the flogging he will get at the polls.

      This is a non issue, even if Labor are freaking out about it.

      Reply

    • Dan says:

      07:36am | 18/06/12

      I take it you’re not from Tamworth, and haven’t actually met the voters who’ve enthusiastically endorsed him…how many? 7 times now?

      61.9 percent of the primary vote. A margin of 21.5 percent. But yeah, he’s totally like hated and stuff.

    • TimB says:

      07:41am | 18/06/12

      It kind of makes me wish the Nationals had gone with Barnaby. Barnaby would have kicked his ass, and the humiliation would have been all the sweeter,

    • Rob says:

      08:12am | 18/06/12

      Hey Dan, that might be, but he hasn’t faced an election since propping up a Labor government…! People have voted for him, to date, thinking he’s a right-leaning independent. Fact.

    • dovif says:

      08:32am | 18/06/12

      Dan

      The ALP had the lowest senate vote in Tamworth of all the seats in NSW

      They do not want an ALP government, if Windsor recontest, he would be lucky to get 25% of primary vote

    • Steve Putnam says:

      11:19am | 18/06/12

      @ TimB The only chance “Barnaby would have kicked his ass” (sic) will occur when he has developed a clear idea of which way his own arse points.

    • TimB says:

      01:14pm | 18/06/12

      Steve, please click my link, look at the polling figures, realise a drunken monkey could beat Windsor at the next election, and then come back and attempt to make a sensible comment.

    • Carol says:

      01:20pm | 18/06/12

      It seem the LNP knows where to go to get quality candidates!  Still policy wise there is little difference in our parliamentarians is there?

    • Cobbler says:

      01:23pm | 18/06/12

      Seems the neo-cons have forgotten why Windsor is an independent to begin with.  I think it had something to do with total dis-illusionment of the LNP, which the voters incidently rewarded him for.

    • TimB says:

      03:39pm | 18/06/12

      “I think it had something to do with total dis-illusionment of the LNP, which the voters incidently rewarded him for. “

      And Cobbler, if you had been paying any sort of attention to events since the last election, you would know that those same voters are now totally disillusioned with Windsor.  He’s polling ALP-esque figures for his primary vote for a reason.

      One way or another, he will not be representing New England after the next election. Bank on it.

    • Charles says:

      07:21am | 18/06/12

      Jeepers Mal, missed the point again, but not close this time, really by a country mile.

      You are right in one sense that getting Torbay on board is probably a case of overkill, becuase I reckon the Drovers Dog could win New England in 2013.

      Windsor was supported when he went with his electorate’s general view of things, since he’s gone off on a junket tour of his own, he is about as popular as poo in a hat.

      Torbay will win it, Barnabay probably could have, even you might have given it a shake Mal if you toned down that natural lean towards the Greens/ALP.

      Reply

    • Tom says:

      09:15am | 18/06/12

      Well said, Charles. Conservative electorates are unlikely to dabble with independents again after Windsor and Oakeshott betrayal of their trust. Yeah, the drover’s dog would get in but ..., I think it is a good thing for the Nationals not to have that mindset.

    • AdamC says:

      01:14pm | 18/06/12

      Personally, I like to think that Tony Windsor supported Labor because of the NBN. After all, those regionals love a boondoggle. Since then, he has been acting a bit like a cornered animal. I suspect, at some point, he realised he had made a really, really big mistake. But, by then, he didn’t feel like he could do anything about it. As a result, he has become almost indistinguishable from any grizzling Labor backbencher, hurling silly barbs at Tony Abbott and blaming the opposition leader for everything and the kitchen sink.

      It is a little sad, in its way.

    • thatmosis says:

      01:47pm | 18/06/12

      Have to agree 100%. here we have a man who so hates the Liberal/National Party that he turned against his own voters for his 30 pieces of silver only to have them turn out to be clay. Idi Amin could win that seat in a landslide but i suspect the Windsor will not even stand and will go down in history as one of the people who foisted this almost Government on the Australian people for their own gain.

    • JoniM says:

      02:35pm | 18/06/12

      Having already made his millions selling out the family farms to the mining companies, Windsor probably couldn’t care less now, as long he can occasionally spew forth the odd bit of bile with a smile, generally aimed at indviduals in the Coalition Party who may have bruised his ego over the years ! The most cunning politician in many decades will now come to a most inconspicuous end !

    • Gregg says:

      07:24am | 18/06/12

      ” So what to do about Tony Windsor in 2013?

      It could be that because Mr Windsor was a Nat who turned independent, the party’s deep thinkers have decided that if they get someone to follow the reverse course they will have victory. “

      You need to get more romantic Mal and seal it with a KISS - Keep It Simple ( and not be ) Stupid.

      The Nationals want to oust Winsor if he is to run again and regardless win the seat so it becomes a case of selecting a candidate they feel will have community support.
      If Windsor runs in the next election, he needs to mend the fence he crossed by aligning with a party that had the minor number of voters.

      Reply

    • Brad McT says:

      07:24am | 18/06/12

      Mal more drama? Now involving our favourite Labor politician in Independent’s cholthing Tony ‘I’m a Gillard Toady’ Windsor. Do Labor ever have time to do their job inbtween all this drama!

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      07:35am | 18/06/12

      The best thing Windsor could do is resign today and right a wrong he perpetrated on Australian people - after all he gave us a minority government of clowns led by a backstabbing liar, and group of smearers, deceivers, the pessimism generators - . Australia deserves better

      Reply

    • Samantha says:

      08:08am | 18/06/12

      I agree Samantha, Windsor has done all Australians wrong, this will be all he will ever be remember for.

    • Samantha says:

      08:46am | 18/06/12

      Ooops I mean I agree Joan….my brain appears to be faster than my fingers this morning. Also forgot to mention Windsor is a Craig Thompson supporter so you know his moral leanings hehehe.

    • TChong says:

      09:10am | 18/06/12

      sammy
      Hi,
      re “ooops”
      you typing with your nose,  again?
                        wink

    • john says:

      09:44am | 18/06/12

      TChong
      re Sammy
      Hard to keep you’re sockpuppets in order when you are the village idiot atm.

    • TChong says:

      10:38am | 18/06/12

      sam
      sorry for upsetting your dad -john
      I thought sammy was big enough to play ,  Mr Sams Dad.
      Sorry about that.

    • james says:

      10:44am | 18/06/12

      Nice work Samantha, how many aliases do you have exactly?

    • Samantha says:

      11:21am | 18/06/12

      So this I get all this for a simple typo? I guess you guess are pretty desperate hehehehe but maybe if you can get some proof to back up your comments that would be nice. TChong how many handles do you have? I have no other aliases unlike Chongy boy hehehe Very funny commentds from TChong the union nurse and james who can’t even find an ALP surplus to save his honour hehehehe very funny. Why so angry and frustrated TChong, life not lazy enough for you in the healthcare system? wink

    • Murray says:

      11:55am | 18/06/12

      And an election will get us what?  Probably a government of clowns led by a backstabbing liar, and a group of smearers, deceivers, pessimism generators who represent the Lib/Nat Coalition.
      Joan, you are absolutely right about one thing - Australia does deserve better - it is just unfortunate that neither the Coalition or ALP can provide the decent government we deserve.
      Australian’s are a funny lot - the majority seem to think that the Coalition and the ALP have a God given right to “own” our democracy when time and again both parties prove incapable of governing for the greater good of our country. Give me good hearted, proud Aussie independents over the hacks from the ALP/Coalition any day,

    • McBoss says:

      12:06pm | 18/06/12

      TChong don’t act all innocent, I know your other handles.

    • Cobbler says:

      01:28pm | 18/06/12

      Joan, astro-turfing as usual.

      What does that pay?  I figure I could get paid to post mindless left-wing crap all over the internet.  Hell, I might even put some thought into it so my dark masters got some value for the coin.

    • Against the Man says:

      03:37pm | 18/06/12

      john why drag me into this?

      Still no border policy ALP? I win.
      Galaxy poll today. I win again.
      Anti ALP momentum growing. I win again hahaha

      A great day indeed!

    • Chris L says:

      04:40pm | 18/06/12

      Regarding the claims of TChong being a sock pupetteer, did Tory Shepherd’s confirmation that this claim is false not matter? Is this a silly question?

      (No, I am not TChong and I doubt Tory or Julie Gillard is either.)

    • Against the Man says:

      06:02pm | 18/06/12

      ChrisL why defend the ALP?

    • Inky says:

      06:37pm | 18/06/12

      Looks to me like he’s defending TChong, who has been acquitted of using multiple handles.

      I wasn’t aware that defending someone from wrongful accusations made you automatically support their arguments.

      Wait, because i’m defending Chris L who’s defending TChong, does that mean i’m defending the ALP too? :S

    • Seamus says:

      07:41am | 18/06/12

      I think Mr Windsor will retire gracefully with what little face he can manage after shafting his supporters the way he did.

      Reply

    • Dan says:

      07:43am | 18/06/12

      I think Mal’s right. Torbay will really struggle to knock off Windsor in New England.

      Firstly, Windsor is enormously popular. The ‘enraged voters of New England’ we hear about have always been enraged. New England should be Nationals heartland, and Nats voters have always hated Windsor. Now they can get their scathing soundbites on the national news.

      He hasn’t actually broken a single promise, since being elected. His platform heading into the election was to support carbon pricing - and he followed through. Comparing his platform with Labor and the Coalition’s, it was obvious his views were more at home with Labor.

      And he’s not the first Country Independent to hold enormous popularity with such views. Peter Andren held Calare - a deeply conservative country NSW seat - with record margins for over a decade. Yet he voted with Labor far more than with the Coalition.

      Secondly, Torbay sort of embodies the party politics country voters clearly dislike. The deal with the Nats, alongside the rumours of old deals with Labor, reek of political opportunism. He’s certainly personally popular - one of the few independents to survive the swing to the Coalition in the last State election. But he’ll be hard-pressed to convince voters he’s got more personal integrity than Windsor.

      He’s in with a chance. There will be a massive swing to the Coalition right around the country in 2013. But 21.5 percent is a very big ask.

      Reply

    • EthanEdwards says:

      08:13am | 18/06/12

      I was at a function on the weekend… about 15 blokes gathered for a catchup, a few drinks and a pig on the spit. Later in the evening the news of Richard Torbay running against Tony Windsor was discussed. Everyone there had voted for Windsor last time and everyone was going to vote for Torbay next time.
      Tony Windsor was a popular local member… but he’s as good as gone up here.

    • Denny says:

      08:27am | 18/06/12

      Dan, you are obviously not from New England either. What you fail to understand is that while people have turned away from the National’s they thought that they were voting for an independent conservative. Instead they got a Labor independent.

      It a subtle difference that most on the left fail to see. Windsor may as well be a member of the Labor party. While he pretends to be independent, he has embraced Gillard and labor in every aspect. He has never voted against them. He even voted to protect Craig Thompson, not the actions of a conservative independent that New England thought they were getting.

      People have now seen the real Tony Windsor. A man whose lust for revenge has outstripped any other consideration. A man filled with hate. A man who has embraced labor hypocracy. A man who has betrayed the people of his electorate. The word from Tamworth is that he rarely ventures outside his office. People scream abuse at him from across the street. he carefully stage manages any public appearance in his elecorate because he does not want to be confronted. He does not want to explain his actions. He is a coward.

      The sooner Windsor’s presence stopps darkening the doorstep of our democracy the better the parliment and the country will be. The man is poison.

    • Dan says:

      09:30am | 18/06/12

      @ Denny,

      In fact I’ve spent plenty of time in the New England region, and count many Tamworth voters among my close friends.

      I take it you’re one of those who never actually voted for Windsor, but like to speak as if you’re one of the “betrayed”. Those who ” thought that they were voting for an independent conservative. Instead they got a Labor independent.”

      Again, I’d point you in the direction of my point above about Peter Andren, a left-leaning country independent. But add to that list Tony McGrane and Dawn Fardell, both former members for Dubbo, and even Richard Torbay himself. All have a strong history of voting against the Nationals, and found support because - wait for it - they’re not the Nationals.

      The Nationals have made something of a comeback in just the past few years, most recently at the NSW State election. I think the Coalition realised they needed to support the Nats, to save losing more seats to Independents - and injected huge amounts of money into campaigns up this way. And it worked a treat.

      What you’re suggesting is that the voters of New England blindly voted for Windsor for over two decades, without actually bothering to read his policies. That the many thousands of voters who marked his name on the ballot paper, were taken for complete fools. Really? As I said - he’s only ever stuck to his policy platform.

      I think many people also have a misuderstanding about how country elections work. They’re completely different to elections in city seats, that are dominated by national issues. Country seats are generally dominated by local issues, where Windsor has a strong track record. Granted, so does Torbay - which I’d suggest is why the Nats went with him, over Joyce.

    • Bob in Hanoi says:

      09:34am | 18/06/12

      Dan, the Nats only need a swing of 11% to gain New England. Lets hope the good people there are not sheep and decide whether he has been a good servant of the electorate, not based on the Libs hysterics.

    • dovif says:

      11:44am | 18/06/12

      Dan

      2PP prefer senate vote for New England, NP 64% ALP and wannabe ALP’‘s 36%, if Windsor contest the next election, he will not get 40% 2PP

    • Nilbog says:

      03:19pm | 18/06/12

      Dan

      Windsor’s DOA mate, accept it.

    • TimB says:

      07:44am | 18/06/12

      Windsor is gone for all money (either through electoral defeat or voluntary retirement). That being said, I can’t help but wonder if the Nats are borrowing trouble here. They’re picking a guy who already went independent, and has previous links to the ALP?

      Come on guys, how does this end well?

      Reply

    • Knemon says:

      11:46am | 18/06/12

      Agree, probably not the smartest move TimB…A 22% swing is pretty massive?

    • TimB says:

      03:44pm | 18/06/12

      Oh I don’t think they’ll have any problems overcoming that Knemon. Windsor is seen as a traitor by his electorate and will be duly punished.

      I’m just worried that the candidate they’ve chosen could flip on the Coalition just as easilly as Windsor did. He’s a silly choice IMO.

      Of course with the majority Abbott is on track to get at the next election, it probably won’t matter so much…but I’m sure they said the same thing about Windsor all those years ago. And now look where we are.

    • robynne says:

      07:45am | 18/06/12

      Windsor was going to retire at the last election but his palm was greased by GILLARD TO STAY! He also bought a few farms he could sell in his retirement to COLD SEAM GAS COMPANIES!

      Reply

    • Mickey T says:

      08:31am | 18/06/12

      If you’re going to shout Robynne, at least get it right…COAL not COLD!

    • Onlooker says:

      07:50am | 18/06/12

      If it is not one drama…it is another. The Peter Slipper case is interesting, I doubt many Australian’s feel this man was not set up. Politics is a very dirty game

      Reply

    • CD says:

      10:09am | 18/06/12

      Where did you do your survey of ‘many Australians’?
      I detest people speaking on my behalf when I’ve never been asked.

    • robynne says:

      12:57pm | 18/06/12

      No one made Slipper send sexual reference texts to people ?

    • steve says:

      07:50am | 18/06/12

      Windsor is a traitor and has done a lot of damage to this country by lineing his own pocketas and putting in this communist government!He is a hateful resentful man !

      Reply

    • Steve Putnam says:

      11:25am | 18/06/12

      How has Windsor lined his pockets? Give an example otherwise your is comment is nothing but gutless slander.

    • Chris L says:

      04:42pm | 18/06/12

      Sounds like a hateful, resentful post.

    • Suzanne says:

      08:12am | 18/06/12

      Windsor will not stand, he knows he has no chance, so will retire or say he is unwell, and save face, if there is any left

      Reply

    • BVMKingmaker says:

      08:32am | 18/06/12

      A few years ago I had a few meeting with Mr Windsor and he was smart helpful and he actually got things done. He didnt use weasel words and spoke honestly.  He is about the only politician I respect

      Reply

    • Go Tone says:

      08:36am | 18/06/12

      Is this the same Windsor who has spent the past 8 months putting deposits on farms for sale to then on-sell them to mining companies?

      A gentlemen of high morals and ethics, a person who cares for his farming communities…..

      Reply

    • ChrisW says:

      09:18am | 18/06/12

      Mr Farr it may not suit your leftist politics but Mr Windsor did go against the clear wishes of his electorate. If he had remained “independent” and accepted that the democratic choice of his electorate demanded the support of the current federal opposition he might be respected. 
      He would struggle to retain his seat simply because people now believe he cannot be trusted to do as his electorate wants him to do.
      Remember politicians are, supposedly, there to represent the people. Our party system means they end up representing their parties but, if you run as an independent, then you have no excuse for not representing the people. That means taking into account where the preferences which elected you come from.

      Reply

    • Manila Farmer says:

      09:54am | 18/06/12

      Funny that,
      I thought that voters elected people to represent their interests, you know, be in tune with what are the important issues for New England and get results for the electorate at a federal level.
      I’m assuming this is what you meant when you said “to do as his electorate wants him to do.”

      Kellie below this post has pointed out some of the benefits that have come from Windsor representing their interests.

      Sounds like you are one of those “people who arent from our electorate” You know the ones, that “are only hating because their leaders have not achieved such a feat for them. ”

    • David says:

      10:53am | 18/06/12

      Manila Farmer, Kellie - I think you might find he would have got the same results siding with the opposition - because his vote would have been needed for them too. It has nothing to do with what he has done and everything to do with the position of power he is in. If his vote was not needed he would be ignored.  If the electorate tries to do the same again they may find themselves very disappointed.
      He claims Labor has not breached its agreement with him…he bribed them and they bribed him.  Simple.

    • Kellie says:

      09:25am | 18/06/12

      Tony Windsor has done exaclty what he always promised to do. By siding with Labor he has cemented key local issues for our community. He has given us a pipeline for Barraba, the redevelopment of the Tamworth Hospital, national broadband scheme etc etc. Without the Labor deal our electorate would not of achieved any of this. People who arent from our electorate are only hating because their leaders have not achieved such a feat for them.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      10:06am | 18/06/12

      Vote #1 : INDEPENDENT - in all electorates.
      Empower the individual instead of the vested interests ! And turn every vote in parliament into a conscience vote !

    • CD says:

      10:22am | 18/06/12

      While you make good points Kellie why have the polls got Windsor so down as opposed to when he won this election?

      Does his electorate still want a conservative independent even though they turned from the Nats? Isn’t this the first time Windsor fully supported a Labor govt with such low support now they’re goners in 2013?

      That being the case in spite of all you nominate as his achievements it seems the electorate look further than their own backyards and will punish him next election if he has the courage to face them.

      A lot may have been achieved but their back packets have been hit just as others have around the nation.
      Time will tell.

    • dovif says:

      12:40pm | 18/06/12

      Acetroll

      When paid up ALP members cannot vote for the ALP government

      We know how bad it is

    • Karen from Qld says:

      10:13am | 18/06/12

      Windsor an independent???? Isn’t he a de facto member of the Labor Party.

      Reply

    • vox says:

      11:22am | 18/06/12

      Karen, you have obviously done your research into the voting pattern of the many-times elected member under discussion. But do you think that he may have backed Labor because they have sensible policies and policies advantageous to his electorate?
      Did you also research the voting pattern of Mr Katter who parted company with the Nationals acrimoniously, berated them for being “retarded”, but supports them and the whole coalition in every vote, regardless of merit for his own electorate? You are a silly billy, aren’t you!
      Do you have any idea what the use of multiple question marks indicates? It is generally taken, (as is the use of any unnecessary excess of punctuation), as a sign of immaturity. As in ‘childlike’.
      And do you know what “de facto” actually means? No? Never mind, you’ll learn in time.

    • Karen from Qld says:

      07:14pm | 18/06/12

      Vox for starters Bob Katter’s electorate is mainly conservative so hence he supported a conservative party. After all he is supposed to represent his electorate as Mr Windsor is supposed to. However we all know that Windsor supported Labor despite the fact that he comes from a very conservative electorate. Mr Windsor has continued to support Labor with all of its policies including the carbon tax. Now here’s the twist Tamworth City Council has been listed as one of the councils that is going to be slugged with this tax.  I’m guessing that won’t make him the most popular person around when the Council passes on the extra charges to the good folk of Tamworth and I bet that they won’t think of this tax as an advantage.
      Mr Windsor also stated that the would not support a corrupt govt yet he has voted with Labor to keep Thomson in Parliament and indeed has supported Labor’s gag motions in order to prevent debate about Thomson.
      Mr Windsor has been very inconsistent with statements he has made about Abbott stating firstly that Abbott would have done anything in order to become PM and then later contradicting that he did not think that Abbott was that interested. These sorts of contradictions leads one to doubt his statements on anything.
      Vox it seems he backed Labor because of his hatred for the Nationals and Tony Abbott. He was never going to support the coalition.
      As for your assessment of my maturity - have a guess what. Since I don’t value your opinion I don’t give a monkeys what you think

    • H B Bear says:

      11:01am | 18/06/12

      Windsor is finished.  The only interest is whether he will have the courage to allow the New England voters the pleasure of throwing him out at the next election.

      More solid gold analysis from Farr Out.

      Reply

    • SD1981 says:

      12:03pm | 18/06/12

      Those who are saying that Windsor went against the wishes of his electorate miss the point. When the majority of voters in the New England electorate voted for Windsor, they knew they were voting for an independent candidate who would act independently when making decisions in relation to political issues. If they had wanted to vote for a Coalition government, they probably would have or should have voted for a Coalition candidate.  And the low Labor vote can also be partially explained that many Labor voters or potential Labor voters vote for Windsor because he is their favored non-conservative choice of candidate as preferred to the Labor candidate (and also to boost his primary vote). I do concede that this is a conservative electorate and therefore the Labor vote wouldn’t be the majority but the Labor vote in the electorate is understated due to Windsor’s presence on the ballot box

      Were those who are moaning about Windsor betraying his electorate moaning when Liz Cunningham -who won a Labor electorate in Queensland as an independent -decided to go against the probable Labor-leanings of her constituents and support the ouster of a Labor state government and usher in coalition government rule?

      And I don’t even like this arrogant, bumbling, incompetent, pathetic excuse for a government and want to see it thrown out decisively at the next election. But Torbay sounds like an opportunistic fluke who has sold out his principles for political power and I don’t trust him one bit

      Reply

    • Bomb78 says:

      01:04pm | 18/06/12

      So the case of Tony Windsor should be a lesson to all those thinking of voting independant. If you want a Conservative government, vote for your Liberal of National candidate!

    • Ron e says:

      01:20pm | 18/06/12

      Torbay is an “opportunist fluke” (whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean), and Windsor is the perfect claytons ALP candidate in an electorate you admit has historically conservative leanings.
      Absolutely first class political analysis! There’s a big future for that type of thing over at Fairfax.

    • Gordon says:

      12:25pm | 18/06/12

      The Liberal idiots who preferenced Greens in city electorates just to make trouble have more to answer to their adherents for than Windsor does to his.

      Reply

    • Steve says:

      01:52pm | 18/06/12

      So the voters in New England are not going to vote for Windsor because he supported he ALP in negotiations, but they will vote in a turncoat former member of the ALP.

      Seems perfectly logical, not. I happen to think that the voters aren’t that stupid, and if they are then they deserve what they get. Of course they will enjoy the NBN and offer no credit to Wndsor who helped the project continue by choosing the party which didn’t want it destroyed.

      Reply

    • Joe Blow says:

      02:07pm | 18/06/12

      The worst secret in town is now well and truly out.  The fact that the ALP dirt campaign has immediately gone into overdrive to try to save little Tony Windsor is the final proof that he’s ‘their boy’!

      Reply

    • JoniM says:

      03:50pm | 18/06/12

      Yeah ! It’s quite unbelieveable, Joe Blow !
      Only a few hours after Torbay announced he would join the Nationals for the next Federal election, the ALP dirt group went into immediate action to catch the weekend papers ! Lies and smears abound yet again in an attempt to give their psuedo “independent” mate a hand to fend off another Coalition seat !
      The Tele even forgot that they dissed the story as total rubbish 3 years ago when it was originally muted, but this time the ALP thought it was worth another run to try to hoodwink a few unsuspecting types !
      And they got away with it OK , until Torbay exposed them as being at their grubby, deceptive game , yet again.

    • mikem says:

      02:43pm | 18/06/12

      Did it ever occur to some of you Luddites to ask why Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott chose to not side with Tony Abbott?  What was it about him that made them prefer Labor and Julia Gillard?  Couldn’t be anything to do with his arrogance and divisive vision for Australia could it?

      Reply

    • St. Michael says:

      03:34pm | 18/06/12

      Nope.  What it had to do with was that the ALP would have to bend over further to the Independents than the Liberals would.

      Had the Liberals formed a government they would not have had to form a coalition with the Greens, and Windsor/Oakeshott’s bargaining power would have been therefore reduced.  Both of the independents chose a party they could leverage more effectively than the Liberals.

    • Babs of Syd says:

      03:50pm | 18/06/12

      Nah - she bribed them just like Wilkie.

    • Tropical says:

      03:58pm | 18/06/12

      Nope had nothing to with Abbott. Both of them hate the Nationals, pure and simple and there was no way they would back the coalition.
      Hence the mess we are now in.
      Now take a slow deep breath and…...

    • Tropical says:

      03:58pm | 18/06/12

      Nope had nothing to with Abbott. Both of them hate the Nationals, pure and simple and there was no way they would back the coalition.
      Hence the mess we are now in.
      Now take a slow deep breath and…...

    • mikem says:

      04:24pm | 18/06/12

      Folks don’t let the facts get in the way of a convenient story.  It those delusions which will make the next election a lot close than you think.

    • mikem says:

      05:29pm | 18/06/12

      Two good examples of Abbott’s arrogance and divisiveness from today:
      - Abbott has decreed that the Liberals can’t have a conscience vote on Gay Marriage.
      - Malcom Fraser has criticised his asylum policy:
      ‘In an opinion piece published in Fairfax newspapers on Monday, Mr Fraser, who is an outspoken refugee advocate, takes a swipe at Liberal Leader Tony Abbott, saying his stance on asylum seekers is “the closest thing to evil you can get”.’
      http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/fraser-attacks-abbott-on-asylum-policy/story-e6frfku0-1226398356214

    • Bill Ward says:

      03:39pm | 18/06/12

      Who cares? Windsor won’t have the stones to face up the the electorate he has betrayed because of personal vindictive reasons.

      Run a trained monkey against him if he stands and it would still beat the man. The seat is a natural for the Nationals and the story is not that they don’t know how to deal with Windsor - the ectorate will do that. The story is how many decades will it be before the Nationals lose the seat again.

      They have much to thanks Windsor for

      Reply

    • Marvin says:

      11:52am | 20/06/12

      Bill I would love to vote for a trained monkey; they work for peanuts and due to their short lifespan will never collect the taxpayer funded and overly generous superannunation.  Also the are very very cute,  I especially like the ones with the red arses.
      Cheers

    • BASSMAN says:

      04:45pm | 18/06/12

      Simple:-the Nats kill TWO birds with ONE stone…they win BOTH the State AND Federal seats and will hold them forever.

      Reply

    • roberto georgio says:

      03:10pm | 22/06/12

      A very recent poll indicated Windsor had a popularity of around 20% and I think that is a little generous, considering the way be back stabbed the people he claimed to represent. Windsor will not contest the next Federal election.

      Reply
 
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