Tony Abbott - Leader of the Opposition!

[redandblack]

Regardless of our bias, all of us should be sad that the Liberal Party has been taken over by the extreme conservative faction of their party.

We can look forward to the likes of Sophie Mirabella, Bronwyn Bishop and the like.

Debate about a climate change policy is going to be irrelevant. It's all about the Liberal Party reinventing itself at some time in the future.

[Gozu]

Just over 48 hours and already Julie Bishop wants AWAs back on the agenda. These cretins obviously have very short memories. Um....you lost government because of them....remember????

I know it's difficult but try to ignore them. They know they're not winning next year's election and it's all about appealing to their base in an effort to save their seats.

[Jimmy_041]

I know Gozu likes to keep a balance in his postings but I'll save him the trouble and post the results.......

It seems they are not so irrelevant...........

Libs easily win Bradfield and Higgins
The Australian
December 05, 2009 8:55PM

The Liberal Party has easily retained the blue-ribbon seats of Higgins in Melbourne and Bradfield in Sydney in the two by-elections contested today.

As counting proceeds, the indications are that the Liberals will hold both seats without the need for preferences to be counted.

This is despite the recent turmoil in the party over climate change policy, and the fallout from the change of leadership from Malcolm Turnbull to Tony Abbott.

In Higgins, the Liberals look poised for victory with more than one-third of the votes counted.

Liberal candidate Kelly O'Dwyer suffered a 0.6 per cent swing against her, but polled 51.7 per cent of the primary vote.

Greens contender Dr Clive Hamilton had 35.3 per cent of the primary vote, a swing of about 24.6 per cent, owing mostly to the absence of a Labor candidate.

Almost 37 per cent of the vote had been counted at 8pm (AEDT).

The swing against Ms O'Dwyer progressively narrowed as the votes flowed in.

If the counting pattern continues, the result is unlikely to go to preferences, continuing an unbroken Liberal Party tradition in Higgins.

The blue ribbon seat of Higgins in Melbourne's inner southeast went to a by-election after former treasurer Peter Costello retired after two decades as the local member.

It has always been held by the Liberals and the party entered the by-election with a seven per cent margin.

Democratic Labor Party (DLP) candidate John Mulholland was third in the Higgins race, with 3.6 per cent of the primary vote, trailed by The Australian Sex Party's Fiona Patten with 3.3 per cent.

A total of 10 candidates are contesting the by-election.

Meanwhile in Bradfield, Liberal candidate Paul Fletcher also looked headed for a comfortable victory.

At 8.25pm (AEDT), Mr Fletcher had gained 19,889 votes, or 56 per cent of the primary vote, with almost 40 per cent of the vote counted.

His nearest challenger, Greens candidate Susie Gemmell, collected 8959 votes, or 25 per cent of the primary vote.

There is a 14 per cent swing to the Greens and a three per cent swing away from the Liberals, though these figures are distorted by the ALP not standing a candidate.

Bradfield became vacant after the resignation of former Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson.

With AAP

[Jimmy_041]

So Tony Abbott (and Bob Brown) want to debate Rudd on climate change and the Emissions Trading Bill but Rudd has said NO

What is he afraid of?

I thought he wanted a bi-partisan approach - if so, lets hear all sides of the argument because it looks like it aint going to happen until he does agree to it

[redandblack]

So Tony Abbott (and Bob Brown) want to debate Rudd on climate change and the Emissions Trading Bill but Rudd has said NO

What is he afraid of?

I thought he wanted a bi-partisan approach - if so, lets hear all sides of the argument because it looks like it aint going to happen until he does agree to it

I don't think he's afraid of anything on this issue, Jimmy. As for a bi-partisan approach, he thought he had it. After long negotiations, the Liberal Party negotiators agreed to back the bill and said so.

Unfortunately, they ratted on the agreement.

As for the by-election results, I'd hardly get excited about the Liberal Party retaining two of its safest seats with no ALP candidate standing. By-elections tend to go against the Government and there was hardly any movement from a base that elected Labor comfortably overall last time.

It's like cheering a goal to bring the margin back to 59 points

[Jimmy_041]

Gotta start somewhere!! Even if it is 10 goals behind (remember I barrack for Collingwood and have never forgotten 1970)

You're right though, nobody would have said anything if there had been a big swing to the Greenies or an Independent......

The media set it up as a test for the Liberals and they actually came through it. Interesting some of the comments in the electorates though - very conservative - talking about a backlash against Turnbull for caving in to Rudd

As I have admitted before, I am not up with the proposed ETS - I'd really enjoy a debate between the 3 sides.

[shoe boy]

I know Gozu likes to keep a balance in his postings but I'll save him the trouble and post the results.......

It seems they are not so irrelevant...........

Libs easily win Bradfield and Higgins
The Australian
December 05, 2009 8:55PM

The Liberal Party has easily retained the blue-ribbon seats of Higgins in Melbourne and Bradfield in Sydney in the two by-elections contested today.

As counting proceeds, the indications are that the Liberals will hold both seats without the need for preferences to be counted.

This is despite the recent turmoil in the party over climate change policy, and the fallout from the change of leadership from Malcolm Turnbull to Tony Abbott.

In Higgins, the Liberals look poised for victory with more than one-third of the votes counted.

Liberal candidate Kelly O'Dwyer suffered a 0.6 per cent swing against her, but polled 51.7 per cent of the primary vote.

Greens contender Dr Clive Hamilton had 35.3 per cent of the primary vote, a swing of about 24.6 per cent, owing mostly to the absence of a Labor candidate.

Almost 37 per cent of the vote had been counted at 8pm (AEDT).

The swing against Ms O'Dwyer progressively narrowed as the votes flowed in.

If the counting pattern continues, the result is unlikely to go to preferences, continuing an unbroken Liberal Party tradition in Higgins.

The blue ribbon seat of Higgins in Melbourne's inner southeast went to a by-election after former treasurer Peter Costello retired after two decades as the local member.

It has always been held by the Liberals and the party entered the by-election with a seven per cent margin.

Democratic Labor Party (DLP) candidate John Mulholland was third in the Higgins race, with 3.6 per cent of the primary vote, trailed by The Australian Sex Party's Fiona Patten with 3.3 per cent.

A total of 10 candidates are contesting the by-election.

Meanwhile in Bradfield, Liberal candidate Paul Fletcher also looked headed for a comfortable victory.

At 8.25pm (AEDT), Mr Fletcher had gained 19,889 votes, or 56 per cent of the primary vote, with almost 40 per cent of the vote counted.

His nearest challenger, Greens candidate Susie Gemmell, collected 8959 votes, or 25 per cent of the primary vote.

There is a 14 per cent swing to the Greens and a three per cent swing away from the Liberals, though these figures are distorted by the ALP not standing a candidate.
Bradfield became vacant after the resignation of former Liberal Party leader Brendan Nelson.

With AAP

Cmn Jimmy you are scratching at the bottom of the bucket here my friend.

Irrelevant and you know it!!!

[Jimmy_041]

Independents do well when one of the two main parties does not contest, and I might add, with the leadership and climate issues, the Liberal voters had the chance to deliver a very strong message without having to vote for the enemy. What - have you forgotten the 2009 Frome by-election already? This is what the media were salivating over and the result is obviously more significant than you think.

Here's a little bit of reality for you - the Liberal Party is anything but irrelevant whilst Labor don't have a majority in the Senate. That's why the system works. You saw what happened when the Libs held a majority in both Houses - its no good for anyone.

And here's another one for you, from the inside of Canberra - Labor is as scared of a Double Dissolution as the Liberals

[Sojourner]

Surprised there wasnt a swing to the Greens or the Independant Candidates as people often use the occassion to lodge a protest vote which does not neccesaraly have to be with the main opposition party.

Abbott seems in my opinion to be gaining some ground with his wording of the Emmissions Trading Scheme being a "big tax". Interest rates have gone up and further increases are forecast for next year, irrespective of what control the party in power does or does not have over interest rates, I dont think Labor should be slapping themselves on the back thinking that they have the next election in the bag. Those issues cost Labor from winning on previous occassions and they are going to be wheeled out and fought over again in 2010 one might think!

[Gozu]

The media set it up as a test for the Liberals and they actually came through it.

Why do you think that might be? Maybe a case of intentionally setting the bar so low so any result would look like a Liberal triumph? We're talking about two safest of safe Liberal seats here that Labor didn't even bother fielding candidates in

A tongue in cheek thread on "Higginsgate" and the spin:

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2 ... gginsgate/

[redandblack]

Regardless of our bias, all of us should be sad that the Liberal Party has been taken over by the extreme conservative faction of their party.

We can look forward to the likes of Sophie Mirabella, Bronwyn Bishop and the like.

Debate about a climate change policy is going to be irrelevant. It's all about the Liberal Party reinventing itself at some time in the future.

This is one time I'm not glad that I was spot on.

The new shadow cabinet is a sad collection of right-wing troglodytes, just as predicted. I left out the odious Phillip Ruddock, as even I didn't think they'd resurrect him.

As quoted on TV tonight, a Liberal MP said it wasn't a night of the long knives, more a night of the living dead.

Sad day for Australian politics and the Liberal Party.

Good day for the Flat Earth Society.

[Gozu]

Call me crazy but I just wouldn't being placing too much stock in the demands of a handful of frothing far-right lunatics.

As suspected it was far-right fringe groups who bombarded the Liberal MP's with emails like the disgraceful Catch The Fire ministries.

"Urgently call your Federal Coalition MP and Senators MONDAY and tell them to:
(a) replace Malcolm Turnbull as leader: and (b) vote down the ETS."

"The holy war on climate change":

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the ... te-change/

[redden whites]

It's not really going to happen.God wont let the planet get destroyed.As disaster approaches he will send down another son to save us.This will be good as we have been telling the unbelievers that he is coming soon ( basically 2000 years so it must be close cos lets face it it's getting a little embarrassing that he hasn't yet) so this may well force him to act. Let's do nothing and get saved and prove we were right.This will give us a chance to prove Mohammed was wrong and we have been doing just fine the whole time.................... Now lets oust Turnbull who may is trying to stop this even being given the chance to happen.

[Jimmy_041]

You seem to think Rudd is the son of God and his response is the only way to stop the destruction of the earth

Hearing both sides of the story and seeing what comes out of Copenhagen may be a more prudent measure - I'm sure another 6 months is not going bring on armageddon. Its been 2 years since the combined Labor govts were going to fix the Murray problem - they've done a good job there

I would like to see what the main polluters in the world intend to do - I note some of the Africans countries are kicking up because they are getting so little money to help them. That money will come out of our pocket and they are so good at spending aid money

[redandblack]

No comments on the shadow front bench?

I understand completely

[Jimmy_041]

Was I meant to comment?

Bronwyn Bishop in Seniors - at least they are giving the jobs to some people that have an interest - I had no idea she was still even in there. I saw her on a plane once - scared the bejesus out of me. I thought I'd died and gone to hell

Cory should have got Defence - I want to drive/fire a tank

[Gozu]

Bernard Keane on Abbott's front bench:

http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/12/10/abb ... -the-libs/

[Gozu]

Barnaby Joyce is on the CEC's mailing list!

"Barnaby Joyce voices a far-right platform":

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politic ... 5809560799

[redden whites]

Oh dear, the wacko's are trying to rise

[Jimmy_041]

You seem to think Rudd is the son of God and his response is the only way to stop the destruction of the earth

Hearing both sides of the story and seeing what comes out of Copenhagen may be a more prudent measure - I'm sure another 6 months is not going bring on armageddon. Its been 2 years since the combined Labor govts were going to fix the Murray problem - they've done a good job there

I would like to see what the main polluters in the world intend to do - I note some of the Africans countries are kicking up because they are getting so little money to help them. That money will come out of our pocket and they are so good at spending aid money

Some beauties coming out of Copenhagen

The South Americans want money to help fight illegal deforestation- where are all those troops with nice shiny pewter helmets?

Robert Mugabe being there - I wonder how much I can screw out of this?

Is China still regarded as a developing nation? They have more foreign reserves than any other country and now own about 65% of the USA