Comments on: Premiers to wooden spooners

By: Rocket

Rocket — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:59:13 +0000

If the Liberal Party and the Coalition had such brilliant campaign strategies over the last few years, why did they never use them in the State and Territory elections, where they have lost 21 in a row?
I think that in the end the number of elections where campaign strategy makes a difference is small – ones like Federal 1993, Queensland 1995 & 1998, Victoria 1999. Usually all the campaign “brilliance” in the world does not bring a dead parrot back to life – ‘E’s kicked the bucket, ‘e’s shuffled off ‘is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!

By: Arjay

Arjay — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:29:43 +0000

I’m really disappointed with Malcom Turnbull.He should not positioning himself at this stage of the campaign with pseudo-popular concepts of Kyoto when even Kevin Rudd half admits that it is flawed without including China and India.
I hope the Coalition do not self destruct like the NSW Liberal Party, since the whole country could end up like NSW.
I’m changing ships.Peter Costello for Prime Minister.

By: Alan

Alan — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:02:47 +0000

The current state of the Liberal Party is neither surprising nor hard to believe. Within a few years of Howard becoming Prime Minister, the total number of Liberal members of all parliaments in Australia had dropped by about one third. He won the last two elections on luck – his last piece of luck being Mark Latham. He is a control freak, frightened and resentful of almost everything that has happened since the retirement of Menzies, who has sought to do little more than wreak vengeance on the union movement.
Imagine the Tampa had been a US Navy aircraft carrier: Howard would have vanished. Imagine that three years ago the Labor party had found a personable, stable, economically competent leader: Howard would have vanished.
In the last six years, the Liberal Party has ceased to be an engine of policy. It has become a personality cult, mesmerised by a vindictive, dried-up little old man.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:01:28 +0000

Well I think he’s saying similar things to what you’ve been saying, but from a slightly different perspective. I guess you’re both asking similar questions about how the Libs campaign is being run. Let’s hope they let their candidates start getting amongst it soon and meeting their constituents! Doesn’t seem like they have much to lose, and they’d be doing democracy a favour.

By: Graham Young

Graham Young — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:59:36 +0000

He makes some good and obvious points – so obvious that I wish I had thought of them! I guess as he’s advising on the ALP campaign he’s more aware of what’ happening in letterboxes than I am.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:42:47 +0000

Graham – given your recent readings of the campaign’s progress, you may be interested in reading Bruce Hawker’s post on the ABC’s “Unleashed” pages.

By: cam

cam — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:58:08 +0000

The Liberals will probably do at least three elections in opposition at the national level is the slow oscillation of government change is anything to go by.
The good news for the Liberals is that many state governments are reaching the same limits and are ready to flip. Even mildly competent oppositions in many states, such as NSW, will win elections against government IMO.