The leadership “challenge” in Australia

I’m calling for readers to send messages to their MPs. It does matter. The Coalition needs to hear from voters. It worked before, and it can work again. For foreign readers, yes, there are rumours of another leadership spill or challenge all over the Australian press.  See my comment #10.2 for background.

Malcolm Turnbull could’ve stayed leader in 2009 — all he had to do was agree to delay the emissions trading scheme until the rest of the world acted. But he fell on his sword for a pointless scheme which benefits few outside bankers, brokers and the renewables industry. And he has never said he would do anything differently.

We can’t get rid of a carbon market. Why risk it?

Malcolm Turnbull is the leader that the ABC wants for the party that most in the ABC won’t vote for. If you follow the ABC and Fairfax and feel despondent about our national debate, don’t give in to apathy. That’s exactly what the “consensus” crowd wants — your submissive acquiescence. The same people who tell us a carbon trading scheme is inevitable are the now ones calling the government dysfunctional, even though it achieved its three largest goals in the first twelve months. Tell the government and the media what you think.

The problems of the Abbott government are real (which government was perfect?) but they are not on the scale of the debacle of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years — when a major economy-wide transformation was denied before the 2010 election yet was delivered after the election, and when surpluses were promised each year but were never delivered. Abbott solved problems in six months that dogged the Labor government for six years. Our national discussion is consumed with inane red herrings. Should we debate the massive Labor debt created during a mining boom, or agonize over knighthoods instead? (Hint: NZ and Canada survived the princely honors issue without calling out a lynch mob.) Should we discuss the all pervasive entitlement culture, or whether Triggs was offered another job?

Some Liberal party supporters (and perhaps some MP’s) risk being fooled by the ABC and Fairfax. The ABC ignored some of them for years but suddenly shone the prime time glow all over them when their message was anti-Abbott. Do they suspect they are being used?

As I said a few weeks ago – there is only one choice for a real skeptic

Malcolm Turnbull lost his leadership in 2009 because he wanted an emissions trading scheme. But that extraordinary wave may get reversed. Australia may still end up with an emissions trading scheme which will send billions in broker’s fees to bankers, won’t change the climate, and will be almost impossible to unwind. It’s not about free markets, it’s about fake ones. What’s worse than a carbon tax? A carbon market.

If you worry about the endless, inevitable rush to bigger government, more freeloaders and less individual freedom, do something — express yourself.

Australia needs a real conservative-libertarian party.

The state of the debate: Steve Kates says “I would never vote for a Coalition led by Malcolm Turnbull“. Sinclair Davidson, says I would never (again) vote for a Coalition led by Tony Abbott. I confess to being unmoved by Davidson’s reasoning- – there is nothing pro-Turnbull there, and although Abbott should’ve repealed 18C (it’s pure freedom of speach) there is no sign that Turnbull will repeal it either.

If Turnbull becomes PM, much of the passionate support base for the Liberal party will switch to other conservative or libertarian parties. Abbott has let down his base by pandering to the bullies and greens, but he can change that. Does anyone think Turnbull will take them on?

See also: Andrew Bolt regarding Greg Sheridan: Abbott’s great strengths, and their danger.

Abbott is decisive, loyal, focused on outcomes, writes his own speeches, engages intensely with people; he is principled, pragmatic, stubborn, in love with the military, romantic, a sportsman, courageous, has immense willpower, and is conservative and religious…

[But] each one of his positive characteristics, which could make him a fine prime minister, is also potentially a negative characteristic and limits his effectiveness.

Bolt: Turnbull myth exposed: he has no deal with Bishop or Morrison

In the end, a Turnbull led Coalition may lead to the rise of alternate parties or a new Australian version of UKIP which might be a boon in the long run, but the price may be a permanent emissions trading scheme which feeds financial sharks. Do we really want to risk it?

Please keep your messages to politicians and news editors polite.

Thanks to Michael for this list below.

Australian Members of Parliament (Coalition) 2015

The Australian Parliament official page for contacting Senators and Members.

[email protected]

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Kevin Andrews) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Sussan Ley) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] (Kelly O’Dwyer) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Members of Parliament – phone numbers Coalition 2015

John Alexander (Bennalong) Tel: (02) 6277 4804 Fax: (02) 6277 8581
Karen Andrews (McPherson) Tel: (02) 6277 4360 Fax: (02) 6277 8462
Kevin Andrews (Menzies) Tel: (02) 6277 7560 Fax: (02) 6273 4122
Bob Baldwin (Paterson) Tel: (02) 6277 4200 Fax: (02) 6277 8447
Bruce Billson (Dunkley) Tel: (02) 6277 7930 Fax: (02) 6273 0434
Bronwyn Bishop (MacKellar) Tel: (02) 6277 4000 Fax: (02) 6277 2050
Julie Bishop (Curtin) Tel: (02) 6277 7500 Fax: (02) 6273 4112
Jamie Briggs (Mayo) Tel: (02) 6277 7020 Fax: (02) 6273 4126
Russell Broadbent (McMillan) Tel: (02) 6277 4233 Fax: (02) 6277 8485
Mal Brough (Fisher) Tel: (02) 6277 4970 Fax: (02) 6277 2860
Scott Buchholz (Wright) Tel: (02) 6277 4449 Fax: (02) 6277 8408
Steven Ciobo (Moncrief) Tel: (02) 6277 2330 Fax: (02) 6277 8452
David Coleman (Banks) Tel: (02) 6277 4188 Fax: (02) 6277 2353
Peter Dutton (Dickson) Tel: (02) 6277 7220 Fax: (02) 6273 4146
Warren Entsch (Leichhardt) Tel: (02) 6277 4803 Fax: (02) 6277 2238
Paul Fletcher (Bradfield) Tel: (02) 6277 4240 Fax: (02) 6277 8457
Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong) Tel: (02) 6277 7360 Fax: (02) 6273 4125
Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane) Tel: (02) 6277 4331 Fax: (02) 6277 8515
Ian Goodenough (Moore) Tel: (02) 6277 4651 Fax: (02) 6277 2082
Natasha Griggs (Solomon) Tel: (02) 6277 2392 Fax: (02) 6277 8479
Alex Hawke (Mitchell) Tel: (02) 6277 4430 Fax: (02) 6277 8522
Sarah Henderson (Corangamite) Tel: (02) 6277 4172 Fax: (02) 6277 2043
Peter Hendy (Eden Monaro) Tel: (02) 6277 4717 Fax: (02) 6277 4737
Joe Hockey (North Sydney) Tel: (02) 6277 7340 Fax: (02) 6273 3420
Luke Howarth (Petrie) Tel: (02) 6277 4018 Fax: (02) 6277 2361
Greg Hunt (Flinders) Tel: (02) 6277 7920 Fax: (02) 6273 7330
Eric Hutchinson (Lyons) Tel: (02) 6277 4918 Fax: (02) 6277 4299
Steve Irons (Swan) Tel: (02) 6277 4337 Fax: (02) 6277 8494
Denis Jensen (Tangney) Tel: (02) 6277 4156Fax: (02) 6277 8460
Ewen Jones (Herbert) Tel: (02) 6277 4693 Fax: (02) 6277 8551
Michael Keenan (Stirling) Tel: (02) 6277 7290Fax: (02) 6273 7098
Craig Kelly (Hughes) Tel: (02) 6277 4366 Fax: (02) 6277 8567
Andrew Laming (Bowman) Tel: (02) 6277 4258Fax: (02) 6277 8503
Craig Laundy (Reid) Tel: (02) 6277 4345 Fax: (02) 6277 8577
Sussan Ley (Farrer) Tel: (02) 6277 7220 Fax: (02) 6273 5188
Ian Macfarlane (Groom) Tel: (02) 6277 7070 Fax: (02) 6273 3662
Nola Marino (Forrest) Tel: (02) 6277 2318 Fax: (02) 6277 8450
Louise Markus (Macquarie) Tel: (02) 6277 2371 Fax: (02) 6277 8463
Russell Matheson (Macarthur) Tel: (02) 6277 2035 Fax: (02) 6277 8486
Karen McNamara (Dobell) Tel: (02) 6277 4055 Fax: (02) 6277 4293
Scott Morrison (Cook) Tel: (02) 6277 7860 Fax: (02) 6273 4144
Andrew Nikolic (Bass) Tel: (02) 6277 4954 Fax: (02) 6277 227
Kelly O’Dwyer (Higgins) Tel: (02) 6277 4155 Fax: (02) 6277 8453
Tony Pasin (Barker) Tel: (02) 6277 4864 Fax: (02) 6277 4865
Christian Porter (Pearce) Tel: (02) 6277 4275 Fax: (02) 6277 2231
Jane Prentice (Ryan) Tel: (02) 6277 4426 Fax: (02) 6277 8512
Melissa Price (Durack) Tel: (02) 6277 4242 Fax: (02) 6277 8554
Christopher Pyne (Sturt) Tel: (02) 6277 7350 Fax: (02) 6273 4134
Rowan Ramsay (Grey) Tel: (02) 6277 4967 Fax: (02) 6277 8440
Don Randall (Canning) Tel: (02) 6277 2090 Fax: (02) 6277 8425
Andrew Robb (Goldstein) Tel: (02) 6277 7420 Fax: (02) 6273 4128
Stuart Robert (Fadden) Tel: (02) 6277 7730 Fax: (02) 6273 3897
Wyatt Roy (Longman) Tel: (02) 6277 4646 Fax: (02) 6277 8539
Philip Ruddock (Berowa) Tel: (02) 6277 4088 Fax: (02) 6277 8468
Fiona Scott (Lindsay) Tel: (02) 6277 4270 Fax: (02) 6277 8422
Luke Simpkins (Cowan) Tel: (02) 6277 4009 Fax: (02) 6277 8423
Tony Smith (Casey) Tel: (02) 6277 4284 Fax: (02) 6277 8439
Andrew Southcott (Boothby) Tel: (02) 6277 4283 Fax: (02) 6277 8476
Sharman Stone (Murray) Tel: (02) 6277 4477 Fax: (02) 6277 8454
Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore) Tel: (02) 6277 4141 Fax: (02) 6277 8482
Michael Sukkar (Deakin) Tel: (02) 6277 4847 Fax: (02) 6277 4862
Angus Taylor (Hume) Tel: (02) 6277 4662 Fax: (02) 6277 2389
Dan Tehan (Wannon) Tel: (02) 6277 4393 Fax: (02) 6277 8538
Alan Tudge (Aston) Tel: (02) 6277 4354 Fax: (02) 6277 8487
Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth) Tel: (02) 6277 7480 Fax: (02) 6273 3776
Bert Van Mannen (Forde) Tel: (02) 6277 4719 Fax: (02) 6277 8553
Nickolas Varvaris (Barton) Tel: (02) 6277 4626 Fax: (02) 6277 8428
Ross Vasta (Bonner) Tel: (02) 6277 4632 Fax: (02) 6277 8535
Brett Whiteley (Braddon) Tel: (02) 6277 4387 Fax: (02) 6277 2335
Lucy Wicks (Robertson) Tel: (02) 6277 4738 Fax: (02) 6277 4739
Matt Williams (Hindmarsh) Tel: (02) 6277 4429 Fax: (02) 6277 2375
Rick Wilson (O’Connor) Tel: (02) 6277 4101 Fax: (02) 6277 2073
Jason Wood (La Trobe) Tel: (02) 6277 4982 Fax: (02) 6277 4994
Ken Wyatt (Hasluck) Tel: (02) 6277 4707 Fax: (02) 6277 8552

 

Coalition Senators Emails and phones 2015

To contact members in their Electorate Office use this Parliamentary list. The numbers below are for Parliament House Canberra.

Eric Abetz (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7320 Fax: (02) 6273 4115

Chris Back (WA) https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=J7Q Telephone: (02) 6277 3733 Fax: (02) 6277 5877

Cory Bernardi https://www.corybernardi.com/contact/ (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3278 Fax: (02) 6277 5783

Simon Birmingham (SA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7630 Fax: (02) 6273 5188

George Brandis (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7300 Fax: (02) 6273 4102

David Bushby (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3404 Fax: (02) 6277 3403

Michaelia Cash (WA) Telephone: (02) 6277 7610 Fax: (02) 6273 7093 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=I0M

Richard Colbeck (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 5814 Fax: (02) 6277 5823

Mathias Cormann (WA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7400 Fax: (02) 6273 4110

Sean Edwards (SA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3385 Fax: (02) 6277 5960

David Fawcett (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3418 Fax: (02) 6277 5964 [email protected]

Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3345 Fax: (02) 6277 3351

Mitch Fifield (VIC) Telephone: (02) 6277 7280 Fax: (02) 6273 4138 http://www.mitchfifield.com/Contact.aspx

Bill Heffernan (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6277 3610 Fax: (02) 6277 3614

David Johnston (WA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3249 Fax: (02) 6277 5766 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=00AON

Ian MacDonald (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3722 Fax: (02) 6277 5914

Brett Mason (QLD) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3756 Fax: (02) 6277 5725

James McGrath (QLD) Telephone: (02) 6277 3076 Fax: (02) 6277 5948 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=217241

Stephen Parry (TAS) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3300 Fax: (02) 6277 3108

Marise Payne (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6277 7200 Fax: (02) 6273 4406 [email protected]

Linda Reynolds (WA) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3296 Fax: (02) 6277 5764

Michael Ronaldson (VIC) Telephone: (02) 6277 7820 Fax: (02) 6273 4140 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=xt4

Anne Ruston (SA) Telephone: (02) 6277 3753 Fax: (02) 6277 5825

Scott Ryan (VIC) http://scottryan.com.au/email Telephone: (02) 6277 3483 Fax: (02) 6277 5824

Nigel Scullion (NT) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 7780 Fax: (02) 6273 7096

Zed Seselja (ACT) Telephone: (02) 6277 3187 Fax: (02) 6277 5712 https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Contact_Senator_or_Member?MPID=HZE

Arthur Sinodinis (NSW) [email protected] Telephone: (02) 6277 3651 Fax: (02) 6277 5954

Dean Smith (WA) [email protected] Telephone: 02 6277 3707 Fax: 02 6277 5792

Matt Canavan (QLD) [email protected] Telephone (07) 4927 2003 Fax (07) 4927 2004
Bridget McKenzie (VIC) [email protected] Telephone: (03) 5441 4251 Fax: (03) 5441 4260
Fiona Nash (NSW) Telephone (02) 6382 3400 Fax: (02) 6382 3499
Barry O’Sullivan (QLD) Telephone: (07) 4638 7555 Fax: (07) 4638 7199
John Williams (NSW) Telephone: (02) 6721 4500 Fax: (02) 6721 4544

 

I have updated my Australian Elected Representatives – Contacts page with these details.

9.8 out of 10 based on 73 ratings

222 comments to The leadership “challenge” in Australia

  • #
    Rick Bradford

    Naturally, the ALP and its broadcast arm, the ABC, would like to see a Liberal Party led by someone closer to their viewpoint, or ideally, considered unelectable because of his previous form.

    My favourite moment in Federal Politics was when Red Kerry O’Brien came on the air during the 2004 election and mournfully intoned “I have some terrible news from Tasmania” meaning that Labor had failed to win any key swing seats there and hence were doomed to another defeat.

    A moment to savour.

    280

    • #
      RB

      An article in the Good Weekend. A Fairfax publication that was full of Lefties back then and their opinion of Turnball in 1991.

      Turnbull, at 36, is one of the most powerful lawyers in Australia, and inspires a wide range of feelings among those who know him.

      “He’s a prick,” says ex-business-partner Nicholas Whitlam, who says he is being restrained in what he says so as not to fuel an ongoing feud.

      That was in the first two short paragraphs.

      There is only one good reason that he is being pushed by the Left now. He just wants to be PM. If he doesn’t lose the election, he will leave the running of the country to the public service.

      150

      • #
        Ted O'Brien.

        No, RB. He is being pushed by the left to get rid of Abbott. If they succeed he will become the target of the same lies.

        100

        • #
          helen

          The poll this morning shows the press overdid the beat up and we are not complete mugs. Hope not complete mugs on CAGW either.

          30

      • #
        Originalsteve

        This is all just theatre……

        The data retention laws are been obscured by all this by design……..that’s what we should be focussing on.

        As a side point – Abbott and Turnbull are global it’s- Cecil Rhodes wanted world govt. if you vote out globalist Abbott you will get globalist Turnbull. Why do you think he always looks so smug?

        22

        • #
          OriginalSteve

          2 down votes – thats disappointing…. tell people the truth….oh well.

          Here is the gold plated simple reality – we actually have NO democracy.
          Our country is closer to a tin pot dictatorship in many ways.

          People need to accept that whoever selects the candidates, the same agenda, whether lib or labor, keeps rolling forward. Myopia will kill us.

          Lib = some form of ETS = Lab
          Lib = free trade agreement = Lab
          Lib = sucking up to corporations = Lab
          Lib = trading off ourr freedoms in the name of “security” = Lab
          Lib = keeping meta data = Lab

          Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35
          January 10, 1963

          Current Communist Goals

          EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. A. S. HERLONG, JR. OF FLORIDA

          IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

          Thursday, January 10, 1963

          Mr. HERLONG. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, Fla., is an ardent and articulate opponent of communism, and until recently published the De Land Courier, which she dedicated to the purpose of alerting the public to the dangers of communism in America.

          At Mrs. Nordman’s request, I include in the RECORD, under unanimous consent, the following “Current Communist Goals,” which she identifies as an excerpt from “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen:

          [From “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen]

          CURRENT COMMUNIST GOALS

          4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

          11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

          17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers’ associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

          19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

          20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

          21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

          32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture–education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

          38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat].

          40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

          Some light reading. ALl I’m doing is pointing out the obvious…

          10

    • #
      Dennis

      Regarding the 2010 federal election he remarked that it was a bad day for the ABC, cough umm, ALP

      70

    • #
      Santa Baby

      Democratic No Choice, and all due to the Media?

      10

    • #
      aussieguy


      Alan Jones talks about the campaign against Abbott this morning on radio. (2nd March, podcast link)
      => http://www.2gb.com/article/alan-jones-professor-david-flint-1

      Its basically a coordinated attack on Abbott.

      (1) The vipers, traitors, and LINOs (Liberal In Name Only) like Turnbull: Too gutless to be upfront about their intentions. But have no problems leaking to the media.
      (2) Various media outlets, Canberra Press Gallery, and “political commentators” (like Laurie Oakes on Ch9) who want to destroy Abbott because he took down their beloved Rudd/Gillard/ALP.
      => Intentionally downplaying any successes, pushing the “Abbott is gonna fall” rhetoric/tone, and maintaining focus on trivial nonsensical things that don’t affect the Nation’s future. Cooperating with (1) by publishing leaks.

      Ironically, its the grass-roots Liberal supporters who are totally pissed at (1) and (2). We’ve got to rip those political traitors a new one. (Dis-endorse them. Kill their public support.)

      As for the media? Well, the Commercial ones have no choice when a good number of people run counter to them. The media will eventually have to comply with the public; else they will lose marketshare and advertisement money. The hard part is the ABC.

      Just compare:
      Ch 9 earns approx $250 million per year. ABC leeches off the taxpayer approx $1.1 Billion per year. (Interesting how Ch 9 is more popular with about 1/4 the budget).


      On a side note 1:

      News Poll two-party preferred.
      Feb 28th 2015 => 53 ALP; 47 LNP

      Same numbers on:
      => Oct 21st, 2014
      => June 17th, 2014


      Here’s the interesting part…Today, Fairfax-Ipsos poll shows => 51 ALP; 49 LNP
      => http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbott-thrown-lifeline-in-fairfaxipsos-poll-20150301-13ryao.html
      (Now the vipers in the Liberal nest have to back down!)


      On a side note 2:

      I have long sat and thought about how to effectively counter the ABC. I’ve realised something. You cannot attack the ABC directly. Mark Scott will play political games with his ABC. Senator Nick Xenophon recently caught Scott in BS’ing Parliament with ratings. (This is to justify axing “7:30” show).

      So what can one do? Attack their purpose of existence by becoming a competitor. That is, analyse ABC broadcasts and come up with on-line alternatives that provide better quality, informative stories. ie: Locals do the stories that clearly explain things and distribute/air it on-line…Essentially, become a serious competitor of the ABC.

      I know, its not going to be easy. But when you think about it, how many Australians want to report something and its never told by the so-called national broadcaster that is “Our ABC”? The ABC is supposed to follow a charter. Their consistent behaviour in recent times shows us all they don’t. They are completely unaccountable. Introducing a competitor that threatens their existence seems like the only solution. This “citizen reporter” approach also needs its own charter that the citizens must comply with. It must set the standards of reporting. There also needs to be mechanisms in place that maintain that standard of reporting integrity…So it doesn’t become an activist tool for the political Left or other nefarious organisation or political movement.

      A Free Press with integrity is like an immune system for Western society. Without one, things horribly spiral downward. ie: Corruption and dishonesty aren’t reported. And political agendas are pushed in its place.


      On a side note 3:

      Abbott himself needs to take a leaf from:

      (1) John Howard => He used to turn up consistently on radio and explain exactly what he’s doing and why. Explain it to the people. And don’t stop explaining it.

      (2) Scott Morrison => He recently did a presentation as the Social Services Minister to the National Press Club . No one could argue against him because he laid out the problem we are facing, how bad it will be if we continue our current path, and his proposed plan/solution to steer the Nation away from this growing social spending that is eating the Federal Budget. It’ll be based on the New Zealand welfare model. (Since it has worked well for the kiwis).
      ==> http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/the-new-zealand-welfare-model–higher-upfront-investment-for-lower-social-and-budget-costs–heading-to-australia-20150227-13qinb.html

      20

      • #
        Michael P

        Aussieguy,I think that if Tony Abbott wins the next election they will have to be brought to account. I have a good method,that I think might work. Put Scott Morrison in charge of the ABC,with instructions to bring them back to abide by the charter,and his first direction should be to put Mark Scott and the board of the ABC on notice that they’ll be sacked unless they comply,for breaking the ABC charter laws.

        10

  • #
    Dariusz

    The Turncoat millionaire socialist. I demand his immediate dismissal and resignation from the libreral party as he does not adhere to the conservative values. Having money obviously is not enough for him. Destruction of the liberals in the name of momentarily rising his low self-esteem! Just like Crud.

    420

    • #
      toorightmate

      Agree

      100

    • #
      Dennis

      His mission is all about his self interest and international banker interests in more wealth creation at our expense. I do agree with your comment

      180

    • #
      Dariusz

      My letter to Malcolm turnbull that was sent

      Sent from my iPad

      Begin forwarded message:

      From: Dariusz Jablonski
      Date: 1 March 2015 9:04:56 am AWST
      To: “[email protected]
      Subject: I demand your immediate resignation from the liberal party

      Sir
      Your conduct is unbecoming of a liberal politician as you refuse to unequivocally support the current leader of the party Tony Abbott. I demand your immediate resignation otherwise this letter will be send to all your party colleagues asking for your dismissal from the party.
      Other issues that I am not happy with that pertain to you are:
      1. Your failure to provide the balance to the ABC reporting and journalism that should be adhered to according to the own ABC charter;
      2. Your continual believe in unproven and now non-existent global warming religion;
      3. You failure to explain allegation of your alleged corrupt behaviour reported by http://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2015/02/08/malcolm-turnbulls-dirty-laundry-of-fraud-theft-will-destroy-the-liberal-party-if-elected-leader/
      4. Your continuous pandering to the media at the expense of the Australia.
      Regards
      Dariusz Jablonski
      The geologist and the liberal voter that will never vote for you.

      220

    • #
      Unmentionable

      If they’re going to be that treacherous with Abbot they’d better not expect anyone to subsequently consider them any less than craven unprincipled opportunists.

      80

    • #
      Eddie

      Occasionally a leader turns up that you can believe might really think differently to the rest of them. Whether Abbott really does and whether he can act differently may be another matter, but a bloke who insists on manning the pumps when in such an exalted position might just be his own man.

      30

  • #
    Bobl

    I already wrote to my member who is the government whip, suggesting that I would never vote for any government led by a person that belives in fairy tales (cagw) or is a pogressive … oops regressive apologist like Turnbull and that they should kick the destructive leadership speculation and get on with what we put them there for…. fixing the economy.

    Get it pollies, we the electorate are sick to death of you putting your petty leadership ambitions and internal jealousies ahead of US the citizenry. Stuff those ambitions where the light don’t shine and get on with it, we want decisive, adult government in return for our taxes, not some jealous schoolkid rabble like we had for the previous 6 years.

    Moreover, a carbon market is NOT in our interest, get it through your heads that well over 70% of us are NOT WILLING to pay one red cent of our hard earned on this fairy tale. If you attempt to make us, by whatever means then you will be punished at the polls, like 7 or 8 parliaments before you that fell to AGW politics.

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    Andrew RIchards

    Dear Jo,

    Thanks for this post. Have just shot-off a politely worded email to my MP. Hope your other readers inform their MPs about their future voting intentions should Turnbull succeed in ousting Abbott. Your suggestion that Australia needs a real conservative-libertarian party is, I agree, the only viable long-term solution if we are to avoid complete enslavement to the socialist parasites.

    Would you consider running for political office Jo? Perhaps even forming a UKIP-style party here in Australia? Your intelligence, astuteness, integrity, charisma, passion and ability to connect and communicate with people is a rare combination in one person! Those who care for freedom badly need someone like you to take the fight to the free-loaders and would-be little emperors in Canberra. Just a thought…

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      Hasbeen

      Yep, me too.

      Never did it before, but I’ve emailed him. Told him quite nicely that either Turnbull, or Bishop, another warmist so not very smart, as leader would have a very detrimental effect on his prospects of re-election.

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        Retired now

        Emailed all the WA representatives. Have just started letting them no my thoughts. Thanks for the list of email addresses.

        If the Liberals lurch further left then how long will it be before we get a grass roots centrist right party rise up to take their place?

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          red breast

          It appears Ms Bishop doesn’t read her mail, or she tells porkys. Please EVERYONE send a message to her regarding her good friend of 20 years.

          Quote ANDREW BOLT: Listeners on 2GB, whenever I go on, I’ve got this weekly, daily program with Steve Price… Every time we mention the words, “Malcolm Turnbull”, we are flooded unanimously with people, listeners saying they will never vote Liberal if Malcolm Turnbull becomes leader. Never. Have you heard that from members as well?

          JULIE BISHOP: Certainly not members of the Liberal Party. But I know that there are somewho are great supporters of Malcolm. There are some who are great supporters of others…

          ANDREW BOLT: Spot on. But I’m saying this – this is not hypothetical. There’s a red hot anger in the Liberal base at the very idea of Malcolm Turnbull becoming Liberal leader, and I’m sure you would have received lots of emails to that effect.

          JULIE BISHOP: Malcolm Turnbull is a very close friend of mine.

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            Angry

            Julie Bishop must have her head in the sand if she is not aware of this !

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            Nathan

            Seriously what do you expect her to do, criticise Turnbull? How would that help? It’s Abbott’s choice to have MT on the front bench (keep your enemies closer?) and she has to play the cards she has. MT on the back bench would be a disaster as he would be free(er) to be his (??)self. Regardless of friendship or otherwise, they have to show a united front to the media no matter what goes on behind closed doors.

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          James Murphy

          Perhaps it is all in my head but is seems that the Greens got a boost in the polls thanks to Meg Lees effectively breaking the Democrats as a political force, albeit minor. For some odd reason, people seemed to think that a very left-leaning political party was a good place to put their ‘protest vote’, rather than with the (relatively) sensible centrists…

          As for Australian politics, I fear the tone has been set, and there is no longer any room for centrists, or moderates, it has been successfully polarised by Gillard and Rudd, with no effective argument from the Liberals. As with CAGW, ‘you’re either with us, or you’re against us’, there is no middle ground. It’s far easier for our political overlords to manipulate an increasingly poorly educated populace that thinks of politics like they do football teams ‘my team is better than your team…’

          I live in a fantasy land perhaps, but I have the belief that that the (successful) future of Australia depends on a majority of the voting public assessing policies based on content, not on defending, or attacking any particular party as a whole. Of course it would also help if ‘our ABC’ was not so brazenly biased…

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          clive

          Australian liberty alliance is set to go in October.They have similar “Goals” as “Ukip”and may be the way out of this “Mess”

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      Peter Carabot

      I wonder what skeletons…. their ABC will find in Jo’s closet…! They will never allow a commoner to become an MP. Pauline tried and failed. When you look back, most of her policies are now part of party platform..!

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    Peter Miller

    The economic future of the world depends on the jamboree in Paris later this year being a complete failure.

    The West is all too often represented by political pygmies, who are wedded to a belief in energy poverty for all. This determination to force their whim of total dependence on unreliable expensive fuel sources, all to try and solve a non-problem, is a threat to us all.

    Canada’s Harper and Australia’s Abbott are almost unique in the West in their ability to see the reality of the situation. We need them in Paris to represent sanity.

    Good luck with your appeal. The UK will likely not be able to help, as it is potentially looking at a nightmare coalition after the next election in May, an ecoloon socialist combination of the Scottish National Party and the Labour Party, This has the potential to be the most perfect ineptocracy the world has ever seen.

    Australia needs to prepare itself for a flood of economic refugees soon, this time from the UK.

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      Ross

      + 10 Peter

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      Dariusz

      Sadly only after 3 years queenslanders voted back in the worst government that borrowed more money per head than Greece. 3 months after the election Greece is burning again. What future Queensland has when the new labor premier does not even know the GST level? She already started spending more and expanding public service.
      I,m afraid that the U.K. economic refugees would have consider to go elsewhere (is there anywhere else to go?). The basket case Australia is already upon us. Jo,s action whilst noble and desirable will be drowned in the chant of the “give, give, give something for nothing” mantra.
      There is nothing except a deep economic depression of this system that would have to occur for anything to change. The “hidden recession” continues since 2008 and now lasts longer then the Great Depression of 1929-1933 (unofficially1929-1942). The parallels are frightening. The economic disaster disappeared only as a result of war and idiot Roosevelt dying that inventing new ways of “helping” the economy.

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        Peter Cynical of Sandy Bay

        The next wave of UK migrants could go to NZ, they just beat us at Cricket in the World Cup. There are reports Tony Abbott was “devustated”!

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    Tim

    The problem with Abbott is that he doesn’t possess the two things that matter most in political leadership: A. Hair and B. Verbosity. This is where the internationalist banker has the advantage.

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    Barry Corke

    If anyone is going to make the effort to contact these ratbags may I suggest that they do so repeatedly for the next couple of weeks to ensure that the message sinks in.

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      Ross

      Yes Barry,
      The Aussie voters have to fight back like your cricketers did yesterday. “it is never over until …… ” etc.

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    • #

      I told my MP that I will never vote for him in a Turnbull led Coalition and I intend to keep it up. Us mug voters are considered irrelevant by THEIR ABC/MSM as the regressive media decide what’s best for us. The value of my vote stolen by this mob.

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      Rereke Whakaaro

      Barry makes a good point. Most politicians have an attention span and memory retention, that is around the half life of a mayfly.

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        James Murphy

        When I lived in Australia, i was in safe state and federal Liberal seats, and the local MPs (Chris Pyne is the federal incumbent) would only surface in any significant way (predominately via posters) just prior to an election, only to fade into obscurity (as far as the electorate was concerned) after said election.

        I don’t expect them to come knocking at my door to enquire after my health and wellbeing every week, but some vague presence in the community would be appreciated.

        Such sentiment has been conveyed to these MPs, but I imagine such communications only reach low/middle level paper-shufflers in their respective offices, given the generic responses I received.

        If we give up, we sacrifice what little democracy we still have left.

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    Gbees

    I wrote to my MP as soon as the story surfaced. I also have my MPs mb number and will follow up my email with a call.

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      PeterPetrum

      I did exactly that three days ago with Louise Marcus, our MP in the Blue Mountains. Think I might compose a letter on the “Perils of Paris” and send it to each on the list over the next few days. What a bunch of wan#ers, all they care about is themselves and they cannot see that there is absolutely no chance of them retaining their seats if Macolm Warmist try to lead them.

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    Jo, when you find where the real conservatives and libertarians are hiding, let us know, because the Union is in dire need.

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      Bill, the libertarians hide in plain view, they all say different things, hang out in different places, never collectivize, don’t congregate…

      Our greatest strength is our greatest weakness. We need some damn networking.

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      Rod Stuart

      Bill
      The Libertarians are at the Liberal Democratic Party (not to be confused with the Lib-Dems in Jolly Olde). ONe of the most sensible, and perhaps even the ONLY sensible senator in Canberra is David Leyonhjelm of the Liberal Democratic Party.
      For some reason, the LDP has been slow in gaining traction.
      A new political party shows a lot of promise.
      If either of Malcolm Turncoat of Malcolm Bulldust (he’s two-faced you see) is successful, both of th9ose political parties will prosper.

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    michael hart

    Is there another big political-party vote on something going on in Aus?
    A bit of introduction/background helps for those of us in another hemisphere.

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      Bob Malloy

      Michael:

      Your point is well made and pertinent to the topic, a way for anyone in another hemisphere to check the political climate in the land of oz is to check out Andrew Bolts blog. Anthony Watts has a link under Political Climate. Andrew writes from a right wing perspective but you will find article’s on all things political there. Jo also has a link to Bolt’s site.

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    • #

      Good point. I’ll add a line in at the top. Sorry. There are very strong rumours of another spill vote coming this week all over the Australian press. Bolt argues that the Turnbull camp must feel compelled to act now because he has lost ground, and it will only get worse. The Coalition improved in the polls last week, Abbott is finding his feet, and the NSW State election won’t go so badly for the Liberals.

      Abbott will not cost Baird the Election

      Today Bolt has updated that Turnbull has overplayed his hand.

      Though a spill may still be on, there are a field of candidates now apparently.

      My fear is that it has become impossible for any half decent honest and principled center right* candidate to hold the PM’s spot for very long unless they aggressively take on the “love media” who hate hate hate.

      (The media spin is so strong possibly this applies to a good centre left candidate too. All meat for the grinder. People can’t apologize, and move on, because the spin machine will relentlessly keep holding up their admitted “failure” to roast them and every other future thing they say. Our national debate is all theatre and not content.)

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        Rereke Whakaaro

        There are very strong rumours of another spill vote coming this week all over the Australian press.

        Mostly stemming from the various editorial desks, I understand.

        If you don’t like the news copy coming in, then it is sometimes expedient to rephrase the wording into something that is closer to the story you would prefer. In the trade, it is known as “Fark”.

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        gbees

        Baird will win the election albeit with a reduced majority. The issue will be whether or not the LNP has the numbers in the upper house. The Union false & misleading advertising over here in NSW is breathtaking. Something really needs to be done about blatant lies in political advertising. I understand the LNP put a bill to parliament in relation to reigning in corrupt union officials but it was knocked back with the support of Jacquie Lambie and Ricky Muir. Unions and their officials really need to be captured/included under the corporations act. Treat Unions like corporations and officials like company directors. that would bring them to heal and go a long way to stemming the corruption. Are there any MPs out there willing to take this on?

        I fully agree with your networking suggestion Jo. We really don’t do enough of that. Be nice if we could also get a lot of smart young people blogging, doing social media in support of conservative values.

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    Ken

    Some climate scientists claim the science is “settled”. If that’s true, then why not immediately discontinue all climate research funding? After all, if there truly is nothing new to learn, then no more money needs to be spent.

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      Rereke Whakaaro

      Ah, climate scientists are only measuring global trends to tenths of a degree. That is far to course a measurement for predicting Armageddon. No, they need more funding so they can pinpoint the precise moment of Armageddon, and to do that they need to measure global trends to thousandths of a degree. Thus they need two orders of magnitude more funding.

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    Matty

    What is it with Political parties in Oz. Don’t they have any talent and imagination beyond ex Leaders ? It smacks of desperation or is it just a mid-term thing ?

    Far be it from aliens to interfere in Oz politics, but the World really is watching and we need Abbott to keep leading us away from the infectious madness that’s has duped most of our own pollies.

    I’m sure the good people here will rise to Jo’s readership challenge, and help the Libs. Get over their jitters.

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      Bobl

      Have your opinion Matty, we can take it – they make us tough in the land of oz…. oh well, before 1970 and outside of Tasmania they did anyway.

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    pattoh

    Is Turnbull a Round Tabler? ( as in Round Table/CFR/Rhodes/Rothchild)

    40

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      James Murphy

      Completely off-topic, but I have to admit I went on an (illegal) wander through the former Rothschild mansion in Paris. it was abandoned in the 1940’s, and is slowly falling down… I think the current owners want it to fall down even more before claiming it is completely beyond repair and knocking it down to build some sort of lavish modern monstrosity – although the current building is far from pretty.

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      Len

      Heis one of their minions. He was thinking of retiring when he was replaced as the leader. The lads from the Round Table would have instructed him to stay.

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    Athelstan.

    The political manoeuvring in Australian politics is specifically designed to undermine the democratic will of the people who voted quite clearly for Tony Abbot and for his no nonsense pragmatism – more specifically though not exclusively – where the great warming scam is concerned.

    The Gillard government was a cobbled car crash held together by a few green MPs, Joolya coundn’t run a bath without seeking advice and yet – the left leaning media drooled and Obama was smitten……..for crying out loud!

    Turncoat doesn’t give a damn for Australia, all he seeks is power and money and international prestige – via the auspices of the UN global warming scam.

    All Australians need to quickly wake up – your country is being overrun by the corporate Socialists of the political elite and they do seek to subvert democracy and freedom of choice and therein to silence all sensible [Tony Abbot government] policy designed solely for the benefit of Australians [as it should be].

    In Britain, we have nothing which could be recognized as ‘democracy’. The UK we are run by a cabal of corporate Socialists called liblavCON-green – very sadly I see that: Corporate Socialism it has travelled 12,000 miles to the island continent.

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      Dennis

      A Coalition cabinet minister sighted and reported at dinner with Rudd in Beijing and Palmer in Canberra last year, Palmer spent public and private times with Gore when he was in Australia last year. Another former Liberal leader, Hewson (a younger Fraser) who is a merchant banker is on side with Turnbull. Monckton warned that Abbott is under attack from both local and international sources with vested interests in climate change con related wealth creation schemes, and that the IPCC Paris meeting is a make or break point. Add the media wealthy shareholders to the list and look at what so many pf their MSM businesses have been smearing and undermining our prime minister.

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        Dennis

        I forgot to add that when Rudd was the PM he arranged for his RAAF VIP jet to fly him to Perth WA via Broome WA where he was reported to have spent time with the chairman of the 7 Network. Within months the Labor Government cut media licence fees for all media companies by $250 million a year and they have since saved over $1 billion for their shareholders.

        ABC/SBS were granted more funding and ABC was handed the Asia broadcasting Australian Government contract and special funding, they also received extra funding to develop and grow their social media network.

        When you analyse the well planned spin doctor campaign against AbbottAbbottAbbott the plot becomes clearer. In 2007 when Kevin07 Labor replaced the Howard Coalition the polling booth results pointed towards a very close 2010 result, which it turned out to be and Labor had to form the alliance to govern. The 2010 election results pointed to a 2013 defeat for Labor and they then set out to carry out economic vandalism and even more debt creation and squandering of monies, and then to cap their plot off they creatively accounted their 2013/14 Budget to hand over the budget financial crisis Labor now denies being responsible for and tries to blame the Coalition.

        I never expected to see politics sink so low (Labor antics) and at the expense of our national prosperity.

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      Athelstan.

      When you analyse the well planned spin doctor campaign against AbbottAbbottAbbott the plot becomes clearer. In 2007 when Kevin07 Labor replaced the Howard Coalition the polling booth results pointed towards a very close 2010 result, which it turned out to be and Labor had to form the alliance to govern. The 2010 election results pointed to a 2013 defeat for Labor and they then set out to carry out economic vandalism and even more debt creation and squandering of monies, and then to cap their plot off they creatively accounted their 2013/14 Budget to hand over the budget financial crisis Labor now denies being responsible for and tries to blame the Coalition.

      A fair precis but a pretty cynical political situation and one never designed to suit the people – “stuff the people” do the pols say, though not in so few words.

      Though, most Australians will not be aware of it, just how much outside read external influences cause political turmoil and financial penalization through such impositions like the ‘carbon tax’ policy.

      Sometimes I think [and this is just a pommie viewpoint], national government in Canberra should concern itself with major matters, ie collecting taxes for national defence, policing and ceremonial stuff and meet about four times a year.
      Then for the states to do the rest – of the day to day running of the country in their own regions – keep democracy local, ie; keep your friends close and the enemy politicians closer to you.

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    pattoh

    I suppose there is always the future option of deed poll for the children of the NWO/ Climate Quislings.

    40

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    James Bradley

    I e-mailed my local MP, Angus Taylor, and as is the case with uncomfortable dialogue I only received an automated response instead of the usual personal reply, at least that means he got it.

    If the LNP are stupid enough to dump Tony Abbott the tidal wave that sweeps them from government will make the Poseidon Adventure look like a boating mishap.

    Fairfax and the ABC are a bunch of ‘Lou Blooms’, not satisfied with merely reporting events as they happen, they seem now to be precipitating events through weak, gutless, and media hungry backbenchers.

    So when did manufacturing the cause of events become reporting the news?

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    The Backslider

    I wrote to Malcolm Turnbull!

    100

    • #
      Peter C

      Good,
      What did you say?

      50

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        Dennis

        No response to me but that Queensland mate of his Laming replied, and scoffed at the link I sent to an Andrew Bolt Daily Telegraph article criticising the Laming and the other disloyal rebels.

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    john robertson

    Good plan.
    The Pollies are most all self adsorbed fools, they obsess over the polls, yet seem incapable of understanding that most people will not give their time to answering pollsters.
    So flattery and threat of mockery manipulates them far too easily.
    Your politicians do not know what taxpayers think, because they very seldom hear from them.
    Surrounded by civil servants and advocates, they are kept in a constant state of confusion.

    To protect democracy, no one may serve more than 5 years in the civil service.
    State employees shall not vote and each taxpayer must pay their own taxes, fees and dues from their gross income.
    Far too easy to shrug off government theft if it is deducted by an employer.

    Amazing how gullible some elected people are, the media people who have opposed them from day one, are now considered a reliable source of advice as to who should run the government?

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    manalive

    Sinclair Davidson, says I would never (again) vote for a Coalition led by Tony Abbott. I confess to being unmoved by Davidson’s reasoning- – there is nothing pro-Turnbull there, and although Abbott should’ve repealed 18C (it’s pure freedom of speach) there is no sign that Turnbull will repeal it either …

    I agree.
    Unlike his colleague at the IPA John Roskam, Professor Davidson is an avowed warmist.
    I can say that because although he maintains an equivocal position in articles, he refers to “solutions to global warming” and consistently refers to CO2 as ‘carbon pollution’.
    Enough said.
    Back in 2008 he was advocating the carbon tax as the solution to ‘pollution’.
    Because of his job he naturally shares Turnbull’s attraction to mucking around in the arcane world of financial instruments so despite his list of objections to Abbott’s record in office (so far), I’m convinced he’s actually looking forward to Turnbull’s ETS.

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    el gordo

    My gut feeling is that if Abbott gets the shove then Scott Morrison would sit in the big chair. No boats, no ETS and no more trouble with Malcolm, who would become dead meat.

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    Dennis

    I understand that Union Labor & Greens foot soldiers have been bombarding social media with anti-Abbott propaganda and that they refer for ammunition to websites such as How to talk to a Liberal mate. This, I understand, is similar to the old Howard Lies website but today they are all far better organised with student union, GetUp and others providing the services to the spin doctors. As a result there are many under 30s and even more under 20s who have been convinced that the “mad monk” is not worth considering, or the Coalition he leads. A grandmother informed me that her grandsons and their mates all under 20 shocked her with their antagonism towards the PM.

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      Yonniestone

      Dennis the MSM has become a very powerful weapon in this country for the purpose of political control.

      At my work of over 100 people I’ve also been shocked at the Lemming-like following and acceptance of anything published in the MSM, many are older than me but when you try to get details of why they hate Abbott or what great wrongs he’s done they struggle for any reasoned answers, I’m astounded how some have survived to such an age with such idiocy,

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        Dennis

        Yonniestone it reminds me of the Kevin07 campaign that commenced during 2006 and which was supported by an extremely dishonest union movement advertising campaign against Work Choices industrial relations legislation. By the way, I rarely see mention of the habit Labor in government have, federal and state governments, of granting/gifting the unions taxpayer’s monies which are returned as donations directly or via advertising to the ALP. Doctor Des Moore was a senior federal bureaucrat during the Hawke-Keating Labor government years 1983-96 and he wrote a book about his experiences in Treasury. I remember him describing the grants to unions as “money laundering” and that during those years the grants amounted to close to $100 million over 13-years.

        In NSW the last Labor state government passed legislation prohibiting the Liberals & Nationals from receiving donations from property developers and other businesses but Labor support from the union movement remains legitimate. I do not know why the now Coalition state government has not amended the legislation but my guess is that it could become a media hot potato. Clever Labor.

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      el gordo

      The Leftoids are better organised this time because we are in the midst of a communications revolution and they have used the twittersphere to great effect.

      On the blogosphere there are a lot of old men’s sheds like The Australian Independent Media Network and the The Daily Trash. Their intention is aimed at attracting readers of the Oz and Tele in the hope of brainwashing waverers.

      Its all fair game, do not be afrayd. 😉

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    scaper...

    Why? Because of a rumour started by Fairfax and the rabid MSM jumping on it to fill the news cycle?

    Couldn’t be bothered reacting to the rumour as I’m ‘sceptical’ of a spill next week. Makes no sense.

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      Ted O'Brien.

      Why? Because the Liberals lost unloseable elections in Victoria and Queensland, and a seat in SA which greatly improved the ALP government’s position.

      Tony Abbott must bear much of the blame for this, because he declined to call out and fight the lies of the ALP and the Greens and their propaganda machine.

      He is the bloke who must fix this. Changing leaders would be to hand a massive victory to the forces of evil.

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        scaper...

        So, you believe there will be a challenge next week? Your reasoning if yes.

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          Sean McHugh

          Ted said, “Changing leaders would be to hand a massive victory to the forces of evil”. Surely that opinion, right or wrong, can be independent of whether there will be a challenge next week, later or never.

          There has already been one spill. Do you honestly believe that we should be sure that there will never be another? I have already written again to my local MP. I don’t mind it drilled into them, by as many as possible and as often as possible, the dislike for what’s going on, especially regarding any notion of Turnbull being made leader. The fact is, he is still blatantly doing his white anting – while denying it, of course.

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            scaper...

            Sean, what spill are you referring to? It’s a media beat up.

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              Sean McHugh

              Actually I referred to two. One that has already transpired and one that might happen “next week, later or never”. Did you see that?
              Scaper, you really hate people writing to their MPS don’t you? This is the third time (out of three) you have got curiously angry about it. Would you like to explain?

              I asked you: “There has already been one spill motion. Do you honestly believe that we should be sure that there will never be another?”

              Is that a reasonable question?

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                scaper...

                Angry??? I don’t care what other people do but I, for one will not respond to media beat ups. It seems most here have been sucked in by the media, including your good self.

                Can not be sure of anything in the future but my gut feeling is Abbott will be PM when the next election is called.

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                Sean McHugh

                Someone here is giving you ticks for saying Jo is wasting her time and ours, something you have a habit of doing.

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                scaper...

                By the tone of your comments at me…you have the anger problem.

                Gee, I said it was a media beat up. How’s the spill working out? Oh, it was a media beat up after all. Funny that.

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              • #
                Sean McHugh

                How’s the spill working out? Oh, it was a media beat up after all. Funny that.

                The one I said might happen this week, later or never? You are far too clever for us. Pity about the Eng . . . . (never mind). And of course you knew that the polls would jump up this week and would put the troublemakers back in their boxes. It’s a shame you decided not to tell us that and it’s a shame you aren’t a columnist for a large newspaper.

                But you were wrong last time when you said don’t bother writing to MPs, because the emails wouldn’t be read before the spill motion. They were read and they registered. They latest ones will also be read and will at least serve to warn the government against tacking to the left, where Turnbull lives. You were wrong in saying don’t bother with the BoM thing, because nothing would come of it. You were wrong in your robust defense of the BoM as a reputable establishment. I have seen where you now are saying you no longer trust them or the CSIRO. Pure chance has all of us getting lucky sometimes. You aren’t special; not even the political ‘experts’ are.

                Scaper, it’s a shame (I mean that) that you don’t put as much energy into straightening out the Left as you do in trying to straighten out its critics.

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    Yonniestone

    On the subject of MSM bias I saw a definite shift harder left about a decade ago coinciding with the increasing vocal objections of CAGW skepticism, my local Fairfax paper has become a left wing propaganda rag that seems compelled to apologize for anything that the insidious PC reformism has deemed offensive, this list of offensiveness has grown so long that simply existing is a crime which explains the end game of such a program with it’s success relying on public apathy concerning it’s effectiveness, the program is working.

    The editor of this paper is stepping down soon not because of public outcry or continuous forced retractions of misinformed poor journalism but to be promoted in a larger managerial role, once again in the leftist world failure is rewarded as long as that failure is related to upholding or maintaining a fair democratic process then all is good with the PC state.

    I hold absolutely no hope of said editor being replaced with a more balanced centered person that wants to uphold the charter, this vacuum will be filled by another pseudo Australian that’s a product of a NWO infused higher learning system that will loyally follow the doctrine while fooling the readers that this great country is still about freedom and living the Australian dream, well people this is about freedom and living the dream except because of your laziness, your apathy, the freedom is what you have allowed to control it and the dream is very much an Orwellian nightmare you never wake from.

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    Truthseeker

    Sent to Joe Hockey …

    Joe,

    I live in your electorate and feel the need to express my strongly held opinion on the most important internal question that is facing the Liberal party at the moment.

    From the Liberal Party website …

    “In the inalienable rights and freedoms of all peoples; and we work towards a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives; and maximises individual and private sector initiative”

    When has Malcolm “turncoat” Turnbull ever espoused such principles? Never that I can remember. Why does the collectivist Left attach Abbott so viciously and not Malcolm Turnbull? It is because Malcolm is of the collectivist Left. He is a Trojan Horse in the ranks of the Liberal Party and must be expelled for continuos and ongoing disloyalty. Do you really think that Malcolm Turncoat would show you the loyalty that Tony Abbott has?

    We now have a Prime Minister that is honest, decent and not a narcissist. Can you say the same about Malcolm? Do you realise how many of the mainly silent conservative and libertarian minded voters out there would reject a Liberal Party that chose Malcolm Turnbull to lead them? Australia has been heading towards more government, more bureaucracy, more losses of freedom than ever in its history. It is time reverse this trend for the benefit of all and do you think that Malcolm Turncoat would really be better for anyone in Australia that is not in the banking industry?

    Support Tony Abbot. Attack and expel Malcolm Turnbull from your ranks. Follow the principles of the Liberal Party rather the tweets on Twitter.

    Yours sincerely,

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    • #
      Ted O'Brien.

      Today your letter needs to be shorter. They are getting thousands of them.

      60

      • #
        Safetyguy66

        Yup with the quality of advisors and the like your better off writing. “That Turnbull guy sucks ok bro”. At least they would understand what your saying.

        60

      • #
        Truthseeker

        Ted,

        He only has to remember the last sentence …

        30

      • #
        Sean McHugh

        “That Turnbull guy sucks ok bro”.

        Hopefully, despite the letter being a bit long, one can still extract that truth fairly quickly.

        30

    • #

      Truhseeker
      Politicians go, where the vote is. Every year old people die that didn’t believe in the ”global” warming – every year new votes come from school and university, brainwashed in the phony global warming. All because the ”skeptics” don’t know the difference between climatic changes and the phony global warming… who is to blame?

      Skeptics believed that: if they can keep repeating: ,, airport heat, what about LIA, and vikings on Greenland” and that will shock the Warmist…?! Truthseeker, only I have the truth, that makes the Warmist panic, reason I get blacklisted on Warmist & phony skeptic’s blogs: https://globalwarmingdenier.wordpress.com/2014/07/12/cooling-earth/

      40

  • #
    FIN

    The hilarious thing about all this is that the extreme right NJ brigade in the Coalition would rather see the Labor party in power than Turnbull. I have no doubt Bernadi is in that category.

    What’s even more amusing is that if the Labor party got to vote in the spill they would unanimously vote against the spill and for the continuation of Abbott’s “Prime Ministership”. What more do you need to know?

    I must say that as a political junkie/commodities trader the Abbott “Prime Ministership” has been wildly entertaining and great if you’re long corn futures. This guy makes Rudd look competent. Long may he cling to his position like a drowning man to a straw, until the next general election, and then watch the rout. I’m definitely writing to my Fed Lib member and pleading him to stick with Tony. QLD anyone?

    530

    • #
      Yonniestone

      So what’s your position FIN, are you the drowning man at the end of the straw or the psychopath on the surface gleefully smug at your position of power over the life or death of those you were too cowardly to engage personally?

      150

    • #
      karl

      Pink Batts anyone, 1200 dead illegal immigrants anyone? $300Bn debt anyone? $900 cheques to dead people anyone? best terms of trade in history and still went broke and then some anyone? Destroy live cattle trade and relationship with major trading partner because of a TV show anyone? Need I go on [snip] or are you going to reply with something inane about Royal awards as if somehow they impacted on us to the same degree the ALP [snip] did.
      I’m guessing the article Grace Collier wrote yesterday refers to you.

      60

    • #
      Winston

      as a political junkie/commodities trader

      Well, we sure as hell knew you weren’t a scientist.

      Commodities traders are, no offence, unproductive parasites playing at the margins of a big game, making money by “shorting” the livelihoods of the productive of society, cheering on the wreckage of our collective futures because they can magically predict failure while they cheer on the ineptocracy in its ongoing war against individual success. You are the problem, FIN. Too many people like you, and not enough people doing the hard yards of what makes everyone else’s life more comfortable, and enriching and strengthening the fabric that binds our society together.

      Funnily enough, I had you pegged as such, and therefore it’s no wonder you didn’t reply to my questioning of your “self-employed” status. Of course, in that line of work, a carbon tax would be manna from heaven, wouldn’t it.

      90

      • #
        James Murphy

        Why dignify that with ‘no offence’? Some could argue that the very existence of commodities traders is offensive, let alone the abominably ignorant and vapid rantings of same…

        60

      • #
        FIN

        Just adding a little liquidity Winston, that’s all!

        03

  • #
    Ted O'Brien.

    Have already done. But Mark Coulton is not on your list. Who else is missing?

    Find your reps here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members

    It seems that some people are too dopey to understand that a large part of Malcolm Turnbull’s apparent popularity is actually expressed for the purpose of undermining Tony Abbott. If the Liberals change leaders, Malcolm Turnbull will immediately become the target of the lies that have been directed at Tony Abbott.

    I would expect that he would make a better job than Tony Abbott has done to date of refuting those lies. But to change leaders on current terms would be to capitulate to the forces of evil.

    Mind you, were it not for the tax on energy issue, I would expect Malcolm Turnbull to make a good prime minister.

    I wonder: what part is Lucy playing in this whole business?

    51

    • #
      Ted O'Brien.

      For overseas readers who wonder who Lucy might be. She is Malcolm Turnbull’s wife, a successful politician and lawyer in her own right, and Liberal Party royalty. Her father was recognised as Australia’s leading lawyer.

      I have not heard her name mentioned in all of this debacle.

      10

    • #
      Bobl

      You honestly think that someone who earnestly believes in fairy tales would make a good Prime Minister? We might as well go back to Rudd so Good luck with that, for my part I think groundings in reality, integrity and pragmatism are far better qualities. Maybe even ethics (aka religious principles) are a positive.

      20

    • #
      el gordo

      ‘I wonder: what part is Lucy playing in this whole business?’

      She has kept out of the public eye since the Ute Gate fiasco.

      ‘Mind you, were it not for the tax on energy issue, I would expect Malcolm Turnbull to make a good prime minister.’

      Its the reason the Green/Left coalition like him, we must not allow him to get up because he would throw money around in Paris and bring in an ETS at home. This would spell an end to the Lib/Nat coalition.

      ‘…he would make a better job than Tony Abbott has done to date of refuting those lies.’

      Malcolm lacks the bottle.

      10

  • #
    Ken Stewart

    You missed (I think?) Michelle Landry, Capricornia:

    [email protected]

    00

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    mem

    Do not forget that Malcolm Turnbull above all else wants to go down in the history books for heralding in a Republic in Australia. He tried this previously and failed. He would try again using the ETS and UN connections to build his support base. The Australian people have previously said we do not want a republic and we certainly don’t want to vote on the issue until the details are put to us, otherwise it would be like signing a blank cheque with our country up for grabs. Malcolm is an egomaniac who wants his place in history. Well we don’t want him.

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    • #
      Dennis

      The republican push dates way back in our history and is a hangover from disgruntled red unionists who were British immigrants and they hated England and royalty, the same red unionists that undermined our armed forces by sabotage at the docks of supplies and ammunition during WW1 and WW2 at least. But today we live in our sovereign nation and do not answer to Great Britain, our laws are created by our parliaments and the overseeing the laws is the High Court of Australia. The Queen is a figurehead or ceremonial head of state when she is here, in between times her Governor General represents her in Australia. The Australian Flag accurately describes how our nation was established and our place in the southern hemisphere, and where the early settlers came from.

      One important part of our history is being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations all of which were colonised and became segments of the British Empire, and being a member nation provides a valuable platform and list of contacts for purposes of foreign affairs and trade and even defence.

      70

      • #
        Ted O'Brien.

        The “Republic” push is a Trojan Horse. We already have a republic in Australia. So what changes do these self styled “republicans” really want?

        60

        • #
          ianl8888

          1) Removal of the power of the Senate to defer or block Supply

          2) Repeal of all the Reserve Powers of the Governor-General, especially the power to dismiss a wayward Govt and force general elections

          51

          • #
            Ted O'Brien.

            If there was no Governor General the High Court would do that when circumstances demanded.

            Removal of the Senate altogether is probably part of their unstated agenda.

            10

          • #
            Graeme No.3

            Under the present system
            IF the PM dons a cocked hat and announces he will invade the south island of NZ.
            the GG sacks him and lets the Palace know when convenient.
            IF the GG dons a cocked hat and announces he will invade the south island of NZ.
            the PM lets the Palace know and they sack the GG
            IF King Charlie dons a cocked hat and announces he will invade the south island of NZ, the Palace announces that he is seriously ill and whisks him off to Highgate and Prince William takes over as Regent.

            Under the Republic (as they refuse to discuss the situation) IF the President dons a cocked hat and announces he will invade the south island of NZ, we find out that rugby and cricket aren’t the only things the Kiwis are good at.

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            • #
              ianl8888

              … as they refuse to discuss the situation

              And that’s exactly why we know my two points above are precise – an absolute refusal to admit the existence of, let alone debate, these points

              As it stands, the delicate balance between the GG and PM (who sacks whom first) is one I have come to prefer over all others. It really does keep both incumbents on the threshold

              10

    • #
      Dariusz

      Imagine Australia,s republic with Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd as presidents. In fact the only person that qualify for this honour may be Johnny be good. Otherwise no one . Why break something that works. Why replace someone who is incorruptible? Wake up Australia! We are independent what is the matter with you!
      Trust me I came for the country that habitually had killed its royals and now we have labor peasant hwam.

      40

    • #
      el gordo

      Malcolm would make an ideal first president of the republic, only a figurehead of course and no political power.

      11

  • #
    Allan

    I am a Liberal member who has generally supported party policy. In the factory that I work in, when ever politics comes up I will support the Coalitions policy.
    Imagine how I feel after arguing for the Paid Parental Scheme,Medicare Co-payments etc, they are axed.
    After PM Abbott knighted Price Philip, the ridicule that was heaped on PM Abbott and by extension myself has just silenced any active support I had for Tony Abbott
    As much as I like him at a personal level I cannot see him defeating Shorten and Labor.
    The parliamentary party leadership is the gift of the parliament party room.
    Always has and is the current method for selecting the leader.
    I hope the Party room selects wisely because we still need to recover from Rudd/ Gillard / Rudd and it is imperative that Shorten be kept from the Treasury bench’s.
    Tony Abbott cannot do that.
    Right or wrong, the people do not like him.

    111

  • #
    Mat

    The problems of the Abbott government are… not on the scale of the debacle of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years — when a major economy-wide transformation was denied before the 2010 election yet was delivered after the election, and when surpluses were promised each year but were never delivered

    Jo, both these points were exactly repeated by the Abbott government:

    1. Lying about major transformations: “No cuts to education, no cuts to health, …” before deciding to irreversibly damage universal health care and americanise tertiary education.

    2. In 2013, promising “surpluses in first year of govt. and every year after that”: he later walked away from that promise and is now a very long way from it. old article new article

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      Dennis

      Mat there were no cuts to health or to education.

      Health spending was increased but what your Labor comrades create their lie from is the distribution of federal health expenditure between the states and territories, for example Victoria complained about a reduction in their federal grant funds but what happened is what happens every few years, based on actuarial studies on ageing, births immigration and so on the federal budget reviews distribution accordingly, so another state or territory received money forward estimates had allocated to Victoria in the 2013/14 Labor Budget, so in the 2014/14 Coalition Budget distribution changes were made but total spending was not cut.

      Labor used to claim that when Abbott was Minister for Health he took a billion dollars out of a budget, well that was a lie too, the forward estimates had under estimated GST revenue increases (100% allocated/distributed to states and territories) so health grant estimates were adjusted down accordingly, in that example by $1 billion. But the Health Budget increased and according to the 200/07 Coalition Budget from $20 billion by Labor 1995/96 to $47.6 billion by Coalition 2006/07. As a percentage of total federal budget spending Health increased from 15% Labor Budget to 22% Coalition Budget. A couple of Labor cabinet ministers were forced to admit that the forward estimates were their lie basis,

      Now Education cut lie: The Labor Budget 2013/14 contained grants based on the Gonski Report recommendations, BUT Labor handed that budget to the Coalition in September 2013 with no provisions for funding the state grants. This and other unfunded commitments is why the Labor estimate of an $18 billion budget deficit changed to over $40 billion when the Coalition had to borrow funds to pay for that commitment Labor made. And Labor gleefully accused the Coalition of breaking a promise not to borrow money.

      Furthermore, the Coalition 2013 election commitment was to maintain Gonski grants to the final year of the 2013/14 Labor Budget but no guarantee after that as the Coalition planned to discuss changes to public school education with the state governments and aim for a return for teaching the basics again. A far less expensive and far better goal for our young students. So the Labor Lie cut was the end of Labor’s Gonski as promised by the Coalition.

      Tricky aren’t they the ALP.

      As for the real promise to get the budget back into surplus, the Coalition also said a number of times that until they were in government they had no access to Treasury and Finance books and had to rely on the Labor Budget figures as published. When they formed government they appointed an independent audit committee of accountants from the private sector who discovered the Labor tricks and budget accounting flaws and that there is a budget financial crisis, including a budget deficit more than double what Labor had estimated and admitted to for 2013/14 financial year.

      And since the Coalition took office Labor and Senate friends have held up approval of the first Coalition Government Budget, 2014/15 since May 2014 and at December 2014 20 per cent remained locked in the Senate, including $30 billion of budget savings. Whatever your comrades can do they will and they care nothing about us, and our national prosperity in decline because of Labor dirty tricks.

      180

      • #
        Mat

        Hi Dennis,

        Thanks for the long reply. I never said I supported Labor, but your (and Jo’s) wilful blindness are a little disturbing. I’ll quote from the Liberal’s Budget Documents:

        On health: “This $5 investment will come from reducing [Medicare Benefits Schedule] rebates for standard GP consultations and out-of-hospital pathology and imaging services by $5″

        On tertiary education: “Rebalance the Commonwealth’s contribution towards course fees for new students, with a reduction of 20 per cent on average, with effect from 1 January 2016.”

        On surpluses, sure the “situation changed”, but that is the exact same excuse Labor gave, and were pilloried for it. My big concern here is that Jo and yourself, because you like Abbotts policies on Climate Change, make excuses for broken promises and are blind to the poor performance of the Govt. I’d just suggest you be more honest, just say that the broken promises don’t matter compared to the policy difference in Climate Change.

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        • #
          Bobl

          That would be a mischaracterisation. The current government has delivered, no boats, repealed carbon and mining taxes, two very important free trade agreements, sorted out the absolute mess that Rudd/Gillard caused in our relations with indonesia and have displayed some budgetary discipline despite those measures being blocked in the lefty controlled senate.

          There are things that the government could do to patch the hole in the fiscal bucket, but at the moment they are too distracted by internal childishness to listen. That has to stop, blind freddy can see that.

          The current government is actually pretty good, especially compared with the last one but it’s weakness is their own backbenches unwillingness to wait for a opportune moment for a organised handover of power when Abbott judges he has made his place in history. Instead we see petty jealousies destroy what is actually a pretty reasonable government. (In spite of a few minor promises broken… eg efficiency divident imposed on the oh so poor ABC). Patience is what is missing in politics today.

          100

        • #
          Dennis

          Always an answer isn’t there Mat, and ignoring what was very clearly refuted and exposed.

          20

          • #
            Mat

            Dennis,

            I was responding directly to your main point “Mat there were no cuts to health or to education”. I backed up what I was saying by quoting Liberal party documents. I ignored your remarks that were off point (for example I explicitly said tertiary funding, you decided to discus Gonski). You ran around in rings trying to justify why a Liberal self-described ‘reduction’ is not a ‘cut’. So yes, when it is this clear and blatant, there is an answer. Don’t get hung up trying to defend the indefensible. Admit the mistake and we can move on to discussing more important issues.

            06

            • #
              FarmerDoug2

              Mat
              Gotta give you the point. Tony has made some mistakes and should never have made the promises but his mistakes haven’t cost $billions and thousands of lives.
              Your pick for leader?
              Doug

              20

  • #
    Just-A-Guy

    I don’t get it. I thought you-all were finished with all of this two weeks ago and that Abbott remains in charge. Has there been another challenge to leadership?

    If so, I would remind all those who may have forgotten, or are unaware, of the havoc and destruction visited on the US and world economies by the Gold-In-Sacks executives ever since they began their revolving door strategy in and out of the White House.

    Why would Turnbull be any different?

    Abe

    70

    • #
      Safetyguy66

      Because Turnbull is Labour not Libs, he signed the wrong form by accident.

      80

    • #
      Retired now

      Just-a guy, there is a media beat up – orchestrated and pushed in a very intense way by the media who want to install a more sympathetic lefty who accidentally got into the wrong party. When their first effort failed a fortnight ago they then decided they had to have another go. I’ve never seen anything like it.

      110

      • #
        Ross

        Assuming TA has another vote ( because of challenge or just to shut the MSM up) and he wins again what is likely to happen ?
        Will he say to Turnball –“you’ve tried at least twice and lost ,so go cool off on the back benches” or is there a way to push him out of the party ?

        20

  • #
    pat

    while it’s weather…what more would it take for the govt to expose the CAGW scam?

    28 Feb: Daily Mail: Wills Robinson: Battle to keep the Hudson open: Ice breakers sent out in New York big freeze as hundreds flock to see ice caves opened by perfect winter conditions
    Dozens of states from coast-to-coast are set to be hit by snow over the weekend and into next week
    On Saturday there is snow expected in all 50 states, something that has not happened since February 2010
    Sub-zero temperatures are expected in New England and the Midwest, with more records expected to be set
    Three of the five Great Lakes have frozen over and thousands have been left without power in the South
    Detroit has experienced its coldest winter in 140 years while Chicago is set to break the record set in 1875
    More than 7,000 flights across the country have been cancelled because of snow in the past seven days
    The U.S Coast Guard has deployed ice breakers in the Hudson Valley and Philadelphia to create shipping lanes
    The relentless snow and winter storms sweeping the country will continue into March after one of the coldest months in history…
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2972300/Spring-freezing-Snow-winter-storms-continue-March-record-breaking-spree-Arctic-blasts-set-make-February-5th-coldest-month-history.html

    60

  • #
    Safetyguy66

    I routinely write to MPs of all persuasions on a variety of topics.

    Interestingly I have had the following experiences.

    Most dismissive/robotic responses (your call is important to us) – award goes to Labour and The Greens. With a special mention to Peter Garrett who when he did reply was barely comprehensible and just down right dismissive.

    Least Responsive – Middle level Libs/Labour. Conroy/Bernardo and the like. If they reply, its cut and paste.

    Best Responses – High level libs. PM’s office, Howard and Abbott, Hockey. Almost always a fast response that has been thoughtfully written by a staffer who seems to have read my rant.

    I have always been pretty active in this respect and I often tear into them pretty savagely. Im convinced its basically a waste of time, but I always feel better for it and the responses are often so puerile they at least provide amusement.

    50

    • #
      Rod Stuart

      Like you, safety guy, I generally get a response from a PA or something along the lines “there, there now, everything will be OK”.
      However, I have had some rip roaring verbal spats with Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott.
      Windsor must have looked for my emails, because he would just mock my disgust with him, Gillard, and the rest of them.
      Conversations with Oakshott were the most idiotic, illogical inane and peurile that anyone can imagine. It was like having a discussion with an imbecile.
      I had a rip-roaring old argument by email with Hunt once. His entire argument consisted of the call to authority, and argumentum ad publicum. Nothing but pure and simple logical fallacies repeated in several different ways. How can you argue with the experts? You are no climate scientist! Why do you insist when 97% of scientists don’t agree with you? The man is a complete nincompoop. Either that or he is hiding something.
      Believe it or not I actually got satisfaction once, and that was from Krudd. I got some mail from local Medicare, and in the envelope was a brochure for some sort of greenie gathering in Launceston. I immediately wrote to Krudd and asked him why the Hell my tax dollars were being used to mail out shit like that. He responded with a copy of a letter he had sent to the local Medicare office that this sort of thing cease immediately if not sooner, and it did!

      30

  • #
    pat

    Fairfax radio talk show “overnight” last nite:

    paraphrasing:
    Brisbane caller: what planet does Tony Abbott live on?
    he says global warming isn’t happening. look at Cyclone Marcia. a Category 5 cyclone. look how far south it went. hit Yeppoon & Rockhampton, then came down to Brisbane – as a Category Five – and hovered over Brisbane all day Friday and Saturday, dumping rain.

    host does mention Qld has had cyclones previously & that Marcia had been downgraded by the time it reached Brisbane???

    caller says he realises that but, in 5 years, it will be Category 5 cyclones hitting Brisbane.
    then repeats what planet does Tony Abbott live on?

    host says well yes, we do have to address climate change (he even mentions at one point that it used to be called global warming) because we lose respect internationally because of our stance.

    caller says Malcolm Turnbull will not be the next PM, he will be the first President of Australia, President of an Australian Republic.

    ——

    Disclosure: i’m in favour of a republic, but not the model Turnbull put forward, and certainly not one with a Turnbull President.

    p.s. the host had no clue there was a separate weather system bringing rain to SE Qld on Friday/Saturday, & that Marcia could never have reached Brisbane on Friday.
    host had no clue whether or not a Category 5 cyclone hit anywhere in Qld & seemed not to know there were any questions raised about that.
    who does know how far South TC Marcia went? and i do mean Cyclone Marcia, not the weakened system.

    40

    • #
      gbees

      Pat – I’m interested in why you think we need a Republic? What kind of Republic model are you in favour of and why? What is wrong with our current constitution which requires we change it? Just interested.

      00

  • #
    Paul Bamford

    Unfortunately the liberals are tearing themselves apart with continuous headlines saying that they think there leader’s no good. No wonder he’s sliding in the polls. It seems that the back benchers are on Bill Shortens side, always undermining the PM. Shorten must love it, sitting there with nothing to do, and rising in the polls anyway.
    The Liberal leadership was dealt with weeks ago, and the back benchers are just trying to destroy the party. I can’t understand what they can be thinking. In December 2009 when Turnbull was replaced by Abbot, Turnbull was only polling 30%; have they all forgotten that? I have made my thoughts known to the party, I hope they can finish this and get on with governing, now when we really need them.

    60

    • #
      scaper...

      How do you know it is the backbenchers or anyone in the government doing the leaking to the left wing press? Did it ever occur to you that certain people in the press might just be making it up?

      It astounds me how so called “sceptics” here accept the crap the left media dish up as fact!

      60

      • #
        Bobl

        Whether or not, it is however an opportune time to remind the Liberal Party of the day the electorate went nuts and Turnbull was overthrown by Abbott in a last ditch attempt to avoid US, the electorate, decimating them over the ETS.

        I think that same grass roots voter tsunami that precipitated the Turnbull overthrow back then is back to ensure we don’t end up with Turnbull sneaking back in the back door.

        MESSAGE TO COALITION
        Turnbull was one of the many victims of PRO – CAGW policy positions, others were Rudd, Juliar, Cap’n Bligh, almost every state Labor Government in the last 10 years (except Canberra) was overturned on AGW / ETS sentiment. Oddly even Howard lost partly because of his AGW policy. There are close to 10 political carcasses stinking up the place almost directly due to voter discontent with carbon (energy) taxes and charges. How much evidence do you need that the public does not want to be taxed on it’s air? Don’t play this game, we, the electorate don’t want to play!

        50

        • #
          Sean McHugh

          Whether or not, it is however an opportune time to remind the Liberal Party of the day the electorate went nuts and Turnbull was overthrown by Abbott in a last ditch attempt to avoid US, the electorate, decimating them over the ETS.

          Absolutely. Beats me why anyone would think otherwise.

          10

      • #
        James Murphy

        I just assumed it was the predominately left-leaning media trying again, after their 1st attempt failed. In a country with a ridiculously (shamefully) narrow spread of political views in the media, if they say it often enough, it does get believed.

        I don’t doubt there are opportunists and disgruntled back-benchers ready to side with whoever they think will be the winner, but that’s to be expected in any political party.

        20

      • #
        Paul Bamford

        The press can say anything they like but it is the caucus that changes leaders

        10

    • #
      janama

      well actually he rose in the polls despite their carry on.

      50

    • #
      Annie

      I meant a red thumb…not green.

      10

  • #
    Ted O'Brien.

    You mentioned 18c. This was withdrawn in the interests of more efficient government because of a perception that the senate would not allow the change, therefore it would be a waste of time to present it to them.

    This is a very big part of Tony Abbott’s trouble. He should be forcing the senate to justify itself. If he hasn’t presented the legislation to them, then he must bear the blame for its not passing.

    40

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      Dennis

      It was debated in the Senate with Senators Brandis and Wong notably having an argument which Brandis convincingly won, but the fact remains that backing Senate opposition to amending Section 18C of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1975 (18C added during Keating Labor years in government) there were a large number of groups and individuals outside of Parliament expressing disapproval of the amendments, most of the churches, human rights organisations, civil libertarians and even a couple of state premiers. The PM announced that repeal would be deferred for the time being and said rightly that it was too divisive and there were more important matters pending, for example the Bill to strengthen anti-terrorism laws, and we all now know why that was a matter of urgency late in 2014.

      30

    • #
      Annie

      Up to a point but he has so much that is being blocked by the joke of a Senate.

      20

  • #

    Half of the Abbott government members are Warmist, including Hunt, Payne and Hockey. Abbot has being letdown by the phony ”Skeptics” in the blogosphere…

    Paris conference is coming, ABC needs Turnbull; what ABC wants, ABC gets. Nationals probably will separate, if Turnbull is in charge -> Shorten can become PM before you think…

    I have the ”real proofs” that can put people like Flannery and prof. Karoly in jail, if the public knows the truth; unfortunately: the ”Skeptics” are the only people that believe in the phony global warming… unfortunately, the skeptics don’t want to know the difference between ”climatic changes” that is regulated by H2O, not BY co2 AND the phony global warmings… for most of them in Sydney and Simpson desert is same climate, because both places have same amount of CO2… CONCLUSION: one gumtree has more knowledge about the climate than all the ”skeptics” and Warmist combined. Warmist cannot have any legitimate proof, because is no such a thing as ”global warming” temp self adjusting mechanism doesn’t permit that – Warmist are striving on ”skeptic’s ignorance and pagan beliefs… who is to blame if Turnbull wins?!

    07

  • #
    Robber

    I have emailed my local member telling him that the mudslinging needs to stop now, and to let Tony get on with the job.

    50

  • #
    Sceptical Sam

    OK. Here’s mine.

    It’ll be in an envelope with a real postage stamp on it. It will go to all Liberal Senators and Members in WA via snail mail.

    “Senator NAME
    POSTAL ADDRESS

    Dear Senator NAME,

    Please Stop the Nonsense (in bold)

    I am writing to encourage you to reject any change in the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party. Indeed, I am asking you to do whatever you can to re-establish some discipline and common-sense within the ranks of the Parliamentary Liberal Party.

    I am one of the many Liberal voters who will not vote for a party led by Malcolm Turnbull.

    Malcolm Turnbull has demonstrated his poor judgement sufficiently through his Godwin Grech debacle and his support of a Carbon (Dioxide) trading scheme before he was replaced by Tony Abbott. In his current portfolio he has been ineffective in bringing the ABC to understand that it has a national obligation to act in an unbiased way and in the national interest.

    The very fact that both the ABC and the Fairfax press (and the “Guardian”) are promoting the disunity within the Liberal Party should tell you where Malcolm Turnbull’s loyalties lie.

    Please focus your attention on getting the deficit and debt under control. That’s the priority now that the boats have been stopped, the Carbon (Dioxide) tax has been removed along with the industry destroying mining tax. The recent statements made by the new Secretary to the Treasury, John Fraser, need to be acted upon with urgency. That is unlikely to happen while-ever the Party is arguing amongst itself; or, if Malcolm Turnbull were to succeed in his deceitful behaviour and his undermining of Tony Abbott.

    Malcolm Turnbull would be a “do-nothing”, left-leaning, pro-greenie disaster. I cannot in conscience vote for such an outcome. If Malcolm Turnbull becomes Prime Minister during this term of government I’ll be voting for an Independent in the Reps and for the National Party in the Senate at the next Federal election. And, I’ll be encouraging as many others as I possibly can to follow my lead.

    Yours sincerely,

    NAME
    ADDRESS
    DATE

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      Sceptical Sam

      In light of the potential for a spill motion this week, I’ve emailed this to all WA Liberal Senators and Members today.

      The snail mail is on its way – notwithstanding a public holiday in WA today (What for? I’m buggered if I know).

      10

      • #
        Sceptical Sam

        First prize for the quickest acknowledgement goes to…….

        SENATOR THE HON. MATHIAS CORMANN.

        “Thank you for your email to the Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann.”

        Hopefully, Senator the Hon. Cormann finds time to read it and circulate it amongst his colleagues as an indication of how we feel about this nonsense.

        I’m still waiting for my local Member to give me an acknowledgement.

        10

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        Sceptical Sam

        Second prize goes to:

        IAN GOODENOUGH, MP
        Member for Moore.

        This is his reply:

        “Dear (ME),

        Thank you for your email.

        Please view my message of support for Prime Minister Tony Abbott at https://www.facebook.com/IanGoodenoughMP

        If you are so inclined, adding your own message of support, Liking, and sharing the post on Facebook would be appreciated.

        Kind Regards,

        Ian

        Ian Goodenough MP
        Federal Liberal Member for Moore
        3 Boas Avenue, Joondalup WA 6027
        Phone: (08) 9300 2244 | Fax: (08) 9300 2245 | Email: [email protected]

        Now, that’s how it should be done.

        Visit his Facebook page and have a look.

        Thank you for your response Ian.

        00

  • #
    Robber

    What would you call a Turnbull-led party?
    – The TurnCoat Party
    – The MalTurn Party
    – The Disunity Bulls

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    • #
      Yonniestone

      The;
      – Maladjusted Records Party.
      – Malthusian Selective Growth Party.
      – Rodeo Clown Party. (turn bull) 🙁
      – Petty Coat Policy Party.
      – U-Turn Left Party.
      – Rhode Island Red Party.
      – Malcolm he wrote Party.
      – Malcolm’s Allied Nation Utopian Republic of Environment. M.A.N.U.R.E.

      30

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    pat

    Samantha is the Murdoch attack dog today:

    1 Mar: Herald-Sun: Samantha Maiden: Tony Abbott should beware a Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison affair

    2-in-1 Top Pic plus video: Clive Palmer and Malcolm Turnbull after dining together in Canberra (old story)
    plus Sky News video: Turnbull plays down leadership speculation (Malcolm besieged by female “journos”, confident, smiling, no comment, says he will leave it to the media. PM not given a quote)

    MALCOLM Turnbull’s penchant for intriguing dinner companions was once dubbed “chopstick diplomacy’’ after he wined and dined Clive Palmer over a $17 banana split.
    Just weeks after the May Budget, the pair was captured laughing as they emerged to a mob of photographers.
    For his critics, the dinner was evidence Turnbull simply had not given up on his dream of becoming prime minister…

    These days, it’s Turnbull’s dinners with rising star Scott Morrison that should worry the Prime Minister. For two blokes who fell out after the 2009 leadership spill, the rupture has clearly healed. Indeed, they opted to dine together not once, but twice in three days.
    They’re dating again. And it’s serious. On Wednesday night it was Morks at Canberra’s Kingston Foreshore — outside table no less.

    ***Environment Minister Greg Hunt and Morrison’s good mate Liberal MP Steve Irons were in attendance.

    Canberra’s hottest new couple also dined on Monday night at Walt & Burley, near Turnbull’s penthouse. That night, Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert was on hand…
    Robert, a former army intelligence officer, is best remembered as that bloke getting verbally ripped to shreds by a finger-wagging Peta Credlin in that great vision from the last election.

    Some MPs suggested Turnbull and Morrison dined on Tuesday too, but that’s the night Morrison attends Bible class when Parliament is sitting and it’s a chips-and-dips-only affair.
    Turnbull didn’t turn up…
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/opinion/tony-abbott-should-beware-a-malcolm-turnbull-scott-morrison-affair/story-fni0ffsx-1227243059104?sv=46ba99d927817af7e9f7903d87daff98

    unbelievable.

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    Robdel

    I have written to the members of federal parliament in my state as well. I hope it has some effect. If it does not, they will not get my vote. Simple as that.

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    pat

    Samantha again. basically, there isn’t a single quote given for this specific article, but there are quotation marks in every other line, e.g.

    “fait accompli”, “not conservative enough”, “unpredictable” “toxic” are attributed to “they” or groups of anonymous MPs?

    other quotes are the usual anonymous individual MPs.

    the rest of the quotes were not given for this article.

    1 March: Herald-Sun: Samantha Maiden: Liberal Party faces three-way tussle if leadership spill called
    PICS: (TOP OF STORY) Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop
    SMALL PIC OF A PERPLEXED-LOOKING PM WAY DOWN THE PAGE, CAPTIONED: Prime Minister Tony Abbott will be up against some tough competition if a leadership spill happens

    JULIE Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull will both stand for the Liberal leadership in the event of a spill motion, setting the scene for a Melbourne Cup’s field of candidates that could even include Trade Minister Andrew Robb.
    The Foreign Minister’s supporters have indicated the mood of the party room is clear: Liberal MPs want a choice and don’t want a “fait accompli’’ where powerbrokers form a ticket in the event that Tony Abbott resigns or faces a second spill motion…
    Mr Robb does not support a spill but has not ruled out running if the leadership were to become vacant…
    While cabinet ministers have hosed down reports a challenge could come as soon as this week, they admitted the situation was “unpredictable’’…
    But as angry backbenchers urge the divided ministry to tap Mr Abbott on the shoulder, Mr Turnbull is steadfastly refusing to be drawn into a premature strike. As one MP described the standoff, “the generals have got to act.
    “They want Malcolm to fix the bayonet and charge and they all just want to say, “we’ll just sit in the trenches and see how you go,’’ a Liberal MP said.

    ***Mr Turnbull’s supporters have accused pro-Abbott ministers of attempting to trap Turnbull into an early strike by briefing the media last week that he has the numbers and urging him to challenge this week…

    The Sunday Telegraph has confirmed a significant group of frontbenchers publicly loyal to the Prime Minister say privately he will not survive to the next election…
    Others argue the leadership should be resolved before the Budget with another spill, possibly on Thursday …
    They argue that party polling suggests the Prime Minister is “toxic’’ and will drag Mr Baird’s vote in NSW by up to seven per cent in some key seats.
    In the National-held seat of Ballina, there is talk of a huge anti-Abbott vote that could see the seat fall to Labor or the Greens.
    “If there was a spill, I don’t think there is any doubt Turnbull will stand. It would be ridiculous if he didn’t,’’ a Liberal MP said.
    However, the situation remains “unpredictable’’ and “febrile’ with a degree of unhelpful and unauthorised freelancing by junior ministers.
    Originally published as Bishop to run if leadership spill comes on.
    http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/liberal-party-faces-three-way-tussle-if-leadership-spill-called/story-e6frf7jo-1227243019196

    unbelievable…

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    John Watt

    What some democratic country should try is real democracy…where all citizens get a chance to vote on all issues relevant to the management/government of the country. The current Australian system reduces all issues to a couple of ideolologically driven “solutions”. Frequently such solutions do not make it past the next change of government. A recipe for going around in circles…certainly not a system of effective management.

    So get rid of the parties , get rid of the politicians…no need for pointless hours of discussion of politicians’ personalities. No need to obsess about rumours or about who dined with whom in some Canberra cafe.

    If you are reading this you have the means of being an active part of this nation’s management ..true democracy needs all of us to vote on all issues …not just on some personality presented by some party once every three years.

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      Gary in Erko

      Population voting on all issues is a loverly idea as a theory and should be left as a theory. I guess you’ve never been on the committee of a small volunteer club, when members have been asked (for instance) what day is best for meetings. From 100 members, 15 will respond, and no choice will satisfy more than three. Now scale that up for a country of 23 million and see if anything gets finalised and done. Give more people a say and you’ll get more accusations of ignoring the voters, or favoritism of minority voters.

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        Graeme No.3

        100? Hell, I’m on one of 16 and despite set days for the bi-monthly meetings we’ve cancelled 1 and re-scheduled 2 out of the last 8.

        No John Watt, we elect politicians to ‘run the country’. They are (despite claims) well paid and should be able to work full time at the job. The problem is that gradually the ranks fill with those who are “in it for themselves”.
        A classic example is the present mess. Why the determination to change the PM now? He’s had a bad press and may have bruised a few egos, but to get rid of him 18 months before the next election is due, and when your polls are low is stupid. Any “honeymoon period” won’t last long enough unless the incoming PM seeks an immediate election. So we have a choice between “it’s snouts in the trough time” or a move to get rid of Abbott before the Paris Con. I am not a fan of conspiracy theories, mainly because I think that the greens couldn’t find their way out of a paper bag, but it sure looks like a concerted effort to oust one of the few leaders smart enough and brave enough to stand against the scare.

        And that would never do (the Emperor’s new clothes) and there are far more trough opportunities under the AGW scam.

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  • #
    Russell

    One of the few bipartisan truths of the Climate Wars is that people who believe in Mickey Mouse climatology tend to end up with Mickey Mouse politicians.
    [This comment was originally held in moderation, because it points to a false website. People who cannot discuss the physics of climate, in an adult manner, and so resort to cheap theatrical tricks, tend to end up looking very stupid] Fly

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    • #

      It points to the website of the gentleman who advocated microbubbling the oceans to make them brighter, and thus more reflective of the sun’s rays. From Sciencemag:
      Seitz says adding bubbles to a 1-square-kilometer patch of ocean is feasible, but scaling it up may be technically difficult. Energy is not the limiting factor, he says, estimating that the energy output of 1000 windmills might be sufficient to add bubbles to an entire ocean.

      Russell Seitz. Really. May be “technically difficult”. Bubbles.

      It’s now widely suspected that he was in the pay of Big Soda.

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      • #
        Yonniestone

        You get plenty of dodgy links to claims of increasing “Libido” but increasing “Albedo” is a new one!

        Doesn’t sound like this guy has thought this one through, he just needs time to reflect…..

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        • #

          I checked briefly to see if Russell was connected with the Onion or if the reportage on his idea was some sort of satire. But it seems to have been a serious suggestion from him back in 2010, and reported in all seriousness by Sciencemag. A thousand wind turbines per ocean making the entire surface of eg the Pacific go fizzy: that seems to have been the plan. My apologies to Russell if this is some leg-pull or hoax gone wrong, but as far as I can see both Russell and Sciencemag were being quite serious about this mind-numbing feat of geo-engineering.

          What was that Jo said about a good civilisation going to waste?

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    • #

      Thanks Fly. The ambush url given by Russell is the v v attsupwiththat.

      Be warned. Golly, what a great testament to the power of the real wattsupwiththat!

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    pat

    this is what you are up against. u will need to contact everyone on your email lists and get them to email their MPs, etc.

    1 March: Bolt Blog: The Bolt Report today, March 1
    Bolt: Some interesting highlights, including pregnant silences and pointed non-answers…

    ANDREW BOLT: Listeners on 2GB, whenever I go on, I’ve got this weekly, daily program with Steve Price… Every time we mention the words, “Malcolm Turnbull”, we are flooded unanimously with people, listeners saying they will never vote Liberal if Malcolm Turnbull becomes leader. Never. Have you heard that from members as well?
    JULIE BISHOP: ***Certainly not members of the Liberal Party. But I know that there are some who are great supporters of Malcolm. There are some who are great supporters of others…
    ANDREW BOLT: Spot on. But I’m saying this – this is not hypothetical. There’s a red hot anger in the Liberal base at the very idea of Malcolm Turnbull becoming Liberal leader, and I’m sure you would have received lots of emails to that effect.
    JULIE BISHOP: Malcolm Turnbull is a very close friend of mine. We’ve been friends for over 20 years. And he’s a strong Liberal. A good performer. ***He’s doing a fantastic job as Communications Minister. He is the one that is able to get the NBN back on track, and stop all of the shocking waste that occurred under Labor.
    ANDREW BOLT: Absolutely.
    JULIE BISHOP: ***I think he’s done an extraordinarily good job as Communications Minister…

    BOLT: UPDATE Incredible. Insiders devotes around 45 of its 60 minutes to showing journalists and cartoonists agreeing with each other that Tony Abbott is terrible, hopeless, finished, divisive, strident, a bully, mean to Muslims, vicious to a woman, nasty to Phillip Ruddock and boring enough to make people fall asleep.
    Somehow not one of the panellists or the host managed to find a single word to say in Abbott’s favor…
    The program even included yet another peddling of an unsubstantiated rumor to hurt Abbott and panic his wavering supporters – that Four Corners has a document showing Abbott signed a deal with Japan to let it build our new submarines. The peddler, Chris Uhlmann, concedes he does not know if this is actually true and did not contact his Four Corners colleagues to even find out. He did not add that the Government denies any deal.
    This is no longer even close to reporting or analysing. This is a witchhunt with not the slightest attempt at balance. And it is journalists doing their damnedest to make their predictions of Abbott’s fall – so often thwarted – come true.
    http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/the_bolt_report_today_march_1/P0/

    random excerpts from the comments which Bolt allows on his TV prog thread on weekends:

    Hi Andrew, just heard this morning on The Insiders Chris Ulhman say that Four Corners is going to release a document stating that the Abbott government has already signed a document with Japan for them to build the submarines. Four Corners is going to release this 1 week before the NSW election – quite convenient is it not. More scaremongering

    Both Albrechtsen and Kroger are no longer supporting PM Abbott.
    Albrechtsen bucketed the PM on Sky this week.
    I am weary of people like Albrechtsen…the sideline coach who has never been in the game giving advice to the PM. Her skills are limited at best.

    Foreign Minister Bishop’s evasive non-answer to your first question was disappointing. She should have supported her leader by saying much of the media coverage against PM Abbott is over-the-top. But she went off on a side journey…deliberately.

    I have lost any repspect I had for Julie Bishop. Yet another silver tongued tax and spend socialist. Same mould as Turnbull.

    Bishop was brilliant up to the point where she defended Turnbull. He’s done a brilliant job of Communications Minister, she says? Where is the evidence? All he has done is appear on ABC and undermine Abbott, thus promoting himself, which is disgraceful

    I had admired Janet Albrechtson, that no longer applies, she has come out obviously against the P.M., and for Turnbull….
    She (Bishop) advised no members of the Liberal Party felt outraged by Turnbull, would not vote Liberal if the P.M. was removed. I don’t know where she gets her information, SHE”S WRONG.

    Bishop reckons that’s not the message the party is receiving. I call BS on that Julie

    I hope that the media takes hold of the fact that Julie Bishop has lied on National television.
    To make out that she is not aware of people complaining of Malcolm Turnbull is just plain bull. And you Andrew should have called her out on it.
    I know for a fact that she has received emails that they will not vote Liberal if Malcolm Turnbull is made PM.
    If she hasn’t read them well she is not doing her job.
    I am certain she will receive many more today after her performance.

    And I know for a fact that my local federal minister has had more than enough phone calls and emails telling them what their constituents think of Turnbull.
    The person that answered my phone call told me they have been inundated with calls and emails telling them NO to Turnbull

    So there’s a campaign from the Left to hound Abbott from office?
    Since when has the Murdoch press been of the Left?

    The Australian has gone to the Left(ish).
    They protect John Lyons in his column which was proved completely untruthful and refuted under oath by Defence chiefs.
    A whole bunch of lies and The Australian defends it.

    Bishop shows once again she cannot be trusted. Good friends with Malcolm says it all.

    A COUPLE OF THE MOST RECENT COMMENTS SUGGEST BOLT’S PROGRAM IS NOT SHOWING IN WA TODAY:

    aargh!! Turned on to watch your show Andrew and all I saw was cars going round and round. Big , loud complaint to Channel 10.
    Verity of Perth

    Are we in the west gettig the bolt report today?
    Brian of Safetybay

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      Retired now

      Well I for one emailed Julie Bishop with the header saying “Say no to Turnbull.” So she had at least one email to that effect.

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      Ron Cook

      Pat,

      Channel 10 put Bolt’s afternoon edition on their channel 12 at 3:00pm – because of the race, I guess.

      R-COO- K+

      10

  • #

    I think this will blow over. Bit like over hyping Marcia.
    Problem is that Abbott doesn’t have the ticker to be PM. Even the ghastly J.W. Howard (no friend of liberty, he)had the ticker to be PM even though he misused the power and was too stupid to see it was time quit while he was ahead. Imagine being beaten out of his seat by a has been, tickets on herself, ABC presenter.
    If Abbott had enough mongrel in him he’d fire Turnbull and send him to the back bench, likewise with the useless Joe Hockey and get a couple of better advisors, leaving Credlin to do the scut work.
    But he won’t and so we’re doomed to suffer under the Shorten-Plibersek government from 2016 on.
    New Zealand is starting to look good. Pity the weather sucks.

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    robdel

    This is what I wrote to the Liberal Party reps in our state:
    —-
    Hobart 1 March 2015

    Dear Member of Parliament

    There is much talk in the media (press and TV) that a spill on Tuesday might occur, with the aim of ousting Tony Abbott as PM. In the event that this takes place and Turnbull is chosen, let me say that I would never vote Liberal again and would very likely park my vote with the Australian Liberty Alliance, or heaven help me with an independent.

    I consider myself a member of the “silent majority” who supports our present PM (despite some of his stumbles) and who yearns for stability of government. I suspect that many persons fall into my category and remain quiet, politically speaking, holding the mainstream media in utter contempt, especially the unbalanced reporting by the ABC, which is under the charge of Turnbull.

    The main reason why I distrust Turnbull is that, in his heart of hearts, he believes in CAGW and an ETS scheme whatever he may now claim. Also he supports 18C without a doubt and is an enemy of free speech in my eyes.

    I am a well-respected scientist and have read widely about “Climate Change”. I do not dispute that the climate changes but I do dispute that the small increase in the miniscule proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere will lead to catastrophe, as some would have us believe. The statement often bandied that the “science is settled” is preposterous; science is NEVER settled by its nature. The present proponents of CAGW have pushed me into the sceptics camp by their outrageous clamour.

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    Sean McHugh

    I wrote to my MP last week.

    Hey, was anyone else annoyed to hear Julie Bishop saying, on The Bolt Report today, how great Turnbull is and how he is a good friend?

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    • #
      PeterPetrum

      Yes! Her $200,000,0000 to Bob Brown’s bank and now saying what a great communications minister he has been (has she not heard about the ABC) has lost me. The Australian Liberty Association is starting to look like a good option, rather than voting informal.

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  • #
    Rereke Whakaaro

    Pity the weather sucks.

    That is intentional. Sucking weather is a good way of keeping Aussies, and other undesirables who can’t play a decent game of cricket, away from our good-life.

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    pat

    1 Mar: News Ltd: Tony Abbott rejects his leadership is again in doubt as Labor calls for an end to the dysfunction
    EMBATTLED Prime Minister Tony Abbott has made light of the latest round of leadership speculation as recycled rubbish.
    ***Speaking to reporters at a Clean Up Australia Day event on New South Wale’s south coast, the PM played down reports he could face another spill this week.
    “This is Clean Up Australia Day, and I’m just not going to do anything but recycle the rubbish,” he joked. “And that’s what’s happening, we’re just recycling rubbish today.”…

    Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen says the dysfunction of the Abbott government has reached a new low.
    “It’s affecting the way they govern,” he told Sky News.
    LINK: LEADERSHIP RUMBLES: Malcolm Turnbull ‘has the numbers to beat Tony Abbott’ in a leadership spill
    “Australia deserves better than this constant destabilisation that we’re getting.”…

    Mr Abbott is facing reports that a majority of Liberal MPs and senators now want to dump him, with Julie Bishop and Malcolm Turnbull touted as challengers.
    “Frankly, I think the people of Australia are sick of the insider obsessions of people in Canberra,” he said…
    Rumours continue to swirl that a second spill motion is imminent, with reports the majority of Liberal MPs and senators now want to dump Abbott…

    BIG PIC OF DAPPER TURNBULL: Out and about … other rumoured challenger Malcolm Turnbull spent the weekend pressing the flesh with voters in Sydney. Source: News Corp Australia …
    ***(STATESMAN) Mr Turnbull refused to buy in to the leadership talk during his morning walk in Sydney, saying it was “absolutely critical” Liberals concentrated on the NSW election and the return of the Baird government…

    PIC OF BISHOP NODDING OFF (ORIGINALLY ATTRIBUTED TO ABC, NOW “NO SOURCE”): Nodding off … Julie Bishop insists she supports the PM, but nodded off during one of his speeches in New Zealand on Friday. Source: No Source …

    LINK: SERIOUS BACKLASH: Tony Abbott’s attack on Human Rights Commission president Gillian Triggs reignites leadership questions
    Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Warren Truss said the Liberal Party leadership was resolved three weeks ago, when the spill motion was defeated 61-39.
    “The issue should really rest there,” he told reporters in Canberra.
    “You can’t keep revisiting this issue every week because someone remains discontent.”
    http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/tony-abbott-rejects-his-leadership-is-again-in-doubt-as-labor-calls-for-an-end-to-the-dysfunction/story-fns0jze1-1227243503155

    remember the days when the journos would be making a big deal about caring for the environment on “Clean Up Australia Day”. not today.

    it seems the entire MSM mob are either following the dapper Turnbull on his campaign stroll, or interrupting the PM to ask leadership questions while he gets down and dirty cleaning up the environment. have found nothing today from ABC/SMH/Age, & just four AAP lines in Fairfax Brisbane & Canberra Times, saying “founder Ian Kiernan is convinced the country is a cleaner place”…
    —-

    the MSM may be getting down and dirty, but not by participating in Clean Up Australia Day…

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    Gbees

    Scott Morrison keeps his views on climate change close to his chest. It is reported in the Sunday Telegraph today that he just had dinner with Turnbull and Hunt. I think we can now make an educated guess as to what his views are. Morrison impresses but if he’s a warmist that’s it for me.

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      Yonniestone

      True Gbees without their open disclosure or inside knowledge the average person is taking a real punt on who they support.

      Nice avatar BTW. 😉

      40

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      el gordo

      Thanks for that tip Gbees, apparently Irons is also a warmist, judging by this comment a couple of years ago.

      “I accept the premise that climate change exists and that greenhouse gas emissions are contributing to the accelerated rate of climate change. There is evidence to support this and I lend my weight to those arguments.”

      Morrison is probably another dill.

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    sillyfilly

    Australia needs a real conservative-libertarian party.

    and a real conservative-libertarian leader.

    On climate, take account of a true conservative-libertarian, one I voted for, John Howard. How conservative-libertarian should assess emissions and GHG reduction
    “Since its election the government has addressed the critical issue of global warming in a way that effectively promotes Australia’s national interests. Those interests lie in both protecting Australian jobs and Australian industry whilst ensuring that Australia plays her part in the worldwide effort needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”….”Today I announce the largest and most far-reaching package of measures to address climate change ever undertaken by any government in Australia. The package carefully preserves a unique environment and lifestyle for our children’s sake, defends wealth creating efficient industries and promotes lasting employment into the future. It provides a durable framework to promote Australia’s national interest towards the year 2010 and beyond. In a comprehensive manner, it replaces and far exceeds the random, disjointed projects of the former government. The world’s climate scientists have provided us with a clear message—that the balance of evidence suggests humans are having a discernible influence on global climate.”

    Send that to the MP’s and tell them to get with it, rather than tolerate the tragedy that is Tea Party Tony!

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  • #
    Bob Massey

    Hi Jo,

    How can we humble folk ever thank you enough for the tireless effort you keep on giving.

    This is such a disaster that I believe the Libs are finished. Not only are they finished but every formalised party in Australia have been shown to be totally deficient in morale backbone ie there isn’t one party you can now trust to uphold their promises or principles. They all fold under the underwhelming weight of News Polls.

    They are all feeble minded!

    Nevertheless I have sent Tony Abbott an email just now which was cc’d to all the Lib MP’s giving him my families total support with a promise that if any other MP ousted TA I would be voting informal at the next election they will not get my vote. Hopefully there will be enough voter backlash to dispel this idiocy.

    For those that may need a CC address for your emails of all the MP’s. I have edited Jo’s list so it’s a copy and paste, as below:

    [email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected]@aph.gov.au;[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected];[email protected]

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      PeterPetrum

      Thank you Bob (and Jo). I thought that I was going to have to sit down and send the same email to each MP in turn, but now I can just copy and paste your list. Jo, perhaps you could replace your list up top with Bob’s?

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        PeterPetrum

        Thanks again, Bob. Email duly sent, as below. You may like to note a couple of issues A ; is required between Bob.Baldwin and B.Bilson and Tony Smith needs an .au (you only have an .a)

        Dear Member of Parliament,

        Tony Abbott was elected to be our Prime Minister by a grateful Australian people who were sick and tired of Labor’s wastage and self-serving governance.

        BE WARNED – any move to remove Tony Abbott from this position and replace him, especially with Malcolm Turnbull, will result, not just in the loss of two votes from this household, but the loss of thousands of votes from erstwhile loyal Liberal supporters who will not tolerate such perfidy. The Fairfax poll published yesterday shows clearly that Liberal voters want Tony Abbott to stay in the job.

        If you are one of those who is actively campaigning against Tony Abbott – shame on you! It is clear that you are only concerned with your own survival. Your actions are treacherous and totally unwarranted. Get out there into your electorates and do some real work. Tell the voters in your electorate about the significant and important successes of this Government in the last year and a half. Convince them of the total incompetence of Shorten, the Labor team and the Union bully boys.

        If you are one of those who truly support your current Prime Minister, then do something to deal with the insidious leaking to the non-supportive media that some of your treacherous colleagues are involved in. We – the people that voted you into your jobs – are sick of it. And you too, get out there and sell the significant successes of the LNP over this term of Government.

        Have those of you – the disloyal doubters – forgotten what Turnbull was like when he led the party to defeat against Kevin Rudd; arguably one of the worst Prime Ministers that this country ever had. Have you forgotten Godwin Grech and Utegate? Have you forgotten his rush to support Rudd on an ETS? A process that would do nothing for the climate, would devastate our industry and our economy and would only benefit financiers and climate traders, like Goldman Sachs!

        The Fairfax poll shows very clearly that the only people who really, truly, want Malcolm Turnbull as Prime Minister are Labor and Green voters. They will never vote for him, or you, but they know he is Labor Lite and will go along with Labor/Green policies when he is in opposition, as he, and you – if you survive the election – will be.

        BE WARNED – if you replace Tony Abbott with Malcolm Turnbull, we and thousands of others will never vote for the Liberals – read the Blogs!

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      Retired now

      I tried to use this list but somehow my computer doesn’t like it and won’t send it. Pity.

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    ExArdingJas

    Dear Joanne,

    You should stand for Parliament at the next election (I’m sure this is not a new idea as in previous comments – although I started writing this a week ago, this thread is very timely).

    I do not know if you have any political party affiliations but it would seem to me that a National Party ticket for the House of Reps or Senate in WA would be the best fit. Any attempt to create a new party is likely to dilute the impact of the result as has happened in the past.

    The Nationals could do with some more articulate, rational, female, representatives. The original concept of a NATIONAL party to represent the interests of the whole nation should be revived and articulated. As has now become more apparent to the electorate the Nationals are not necessarily anti “the environment”. I reckon I’ve planted thousands more trees than most of my ‘green’ friends put together. Mind you I have never been a member of any political party but might do so if encouraged by a change in the Nationals.

    The next Federal election must be fought squarely on the dishonesty of the Labor and Green parties (aided and abetted by the ABC, SBS and Fairfax press) and in particular the falsity of the ‘Carbon Pollution’ notion.

    Labor has refused to take any responsibility for the economic mess they left and should be held to account.
    Tony Abbott squibbed on the carbon tax debate at the last election and this issue should be front and centre of the next election.

    The idea that the ‘progressive’ ABC camp followers keep harping on about, namely the need for “good policy” should be debunked. One sees it in the tweets from Q&A – whenever I can bring myself to watch that horrendously hideous sideshow. This idea should be thoroughly steamrollered with the notion that GOOD MANAGEMENT based on rational thought and HONEST science is what we need in a Federal Government. Any number of White Papers, indeed mountains of White Papers will not solve any real world problems. Hoards of bureaucrats will achieve nothing without clear direction and action (eg Scott Morrison).

    A few questions I’d like to see answered:

    Why can’t a government change it’s mind/policy if the evidence for a different point of view becomes overwhelming? Why do politicians allow the media to drive this ideologically bankrupt notion, vis ‘breaking promises’ as a capital crime? Call the hypocrites in the press on it; “have you never changed your mind before making an important decision?”.

    Why don’t candidates stand on their own merits – explaining their past record as having been successful in their chosen field before entering the political arena? Where are the CVs? You can’t get many other jobs in Australia without a half decent CV!

    Why don’t more Australians vote for who they think is the best candidate in their electorate rather than vote for a ‘party’ or worse the ‘captain of the footy team’?

    How is it that a failed lawyer can be the Prime Minister of Australia or indeed even a Member of Parliament?

    My preferred future Cabinet:

    – Scott Morrison – Prime Minister
    – Julie Bishop – Foreign Affairs
    – Joe Hockey – Treasurer
    – Barnaby Joyce – Minister for Agriculture
    – Joanne Nova – Minister for the Environment
    – Tony Abbott – Communications (combine the ABC and SBS and set new guidelines for funding based on demonstrated balanced factual reporting – don’t hold an enquiry Tony, just go and do it – I realise it might be bit hard to get through the Senate at the moment but still I needed to say it for my own sanity!!!)

    etc…

    Regards

    ExArdingJames

    PS. I for one would contribute to your election campaign even though I wouldn’t be in your electorate.
    [I am holding this in moderation for Jo to see] Fly

    Thankyou, and to others who have suggested the same thing. It is a tempting thought, though a tough gig with a young family in Perth. – Jo

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    TedM

    Why would anyone vote informal just because the silver spoon polishing Malcolm Turnbull took the leadership of the libs (God forbid). “How about the Nationals”, still voting conservative and showing this pompous “Pr#k” that conservatives have options. If he should gain leadership then what justice it would be to see him in a minority party in a minority Govt. Maybe I’m dreaming but please give me that freedom.

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      Ted O'Brien.

      The Nationals only nominate in a small number of seats.

      Malcolm Turnbull may have a silver spoon, but I thought he made it himself.

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    PeterS

    If Turnbull ever becomes the leader of the Libs, we might as well vote for Labor. At least they are more honest in their leftist trash. Besides, he’s been proven to be a slime much like Rudd. In fact they were buddies in some polices, such as the carbon tax and ETS.

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    Catamon

    Good to see much hyperventilation by the usual suspects again. 🙂

    I think (to use Scoot Morriscums terms) you can all stop wetting yourselves…..again.

    Libs seem to be getting a poll bounce at the moment:

    “@GhostWhoVotes: #Ipsos Poll Federal Primary Votes: L/NP 42 (+4) ALP 36 (-4) GRN 12 (+1) PUP 2 (-1) #auspol

    ”“@GhostWhoVotes: #Ipsos Poll Federal 2 Party Preferred: L/NP 49 (+3) ALP 51 (-3) #auspol”

    Which will most likely stave off any challenge to Abbott…..at least until he screws up again which face it, is about as likely as the sun rising in the east.

    The person i have sympathy for at the moment is Baird. Since NSW is Abbotts home state they can really exclude him from campaigning like they did in QLD.

    Will be interesting to see if the rumored “depth charge” gets popped by ABCs 4Corners just prior to the NSW election though. Apparently they have been creeping around parliament house interviewing over the last week?

    With that, Brandis doing the “inducements” to a statutory officer thing, Bishop the Younger getting her facts wRONg, and Abbotts general propensity to screw up everything he so much as looks at, you may find that in a few weeks the only possibilities for Liberal #leadersh$t are Turnbull and Morrison. 🙂 Still happy days while the Tony/JoHo team hangs in.

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      Jeez, Catamon,

      I didn’t really realise just what a bitter twisted hater you really are.

      Nine or ten separate hate oriented comments within just this one comment.

      And you call us out for what you perceive as offensive.

      Tony.

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        Catamon

        And you call us out for what you perceive as offensive.

        Lol! Tony i will freely admit you are one of the least offensive of the regular posters here.

        My comments are not hate oriented. Its possible to be sarcastically derisive of that which deserves derision it without hating. Its more amusement and disdain for idiots. Although RW oriented people do seem to be VERY sensitive to slight ribbing, particularly when they think things aren’t going their way?? Curious trait we will no doubt see more of over 2015 as Tony’s political career death spirals. Things just aren’t the same for the Libs since Nick left. 🙂

        Makes for fun though, particularly on the poorly moderated sites where the RWNJ’s run free seeming to the despair of the RWsl<NJ's. 🙂

        You only come here when there is a political thread, which is a fair indication that you are ignorant on the science of CC.

        That would be because any evidence anyone puts up here that doesn’t support the group think on CC gets rejected with vitriol by the residents. doGs, you get more variety of viewpoint on Bolts site FFS! The politics / policy interaction is a particular interest of mine and the irrationality of the behavior of groups (like the Liberal Party Room ) under self inflicted stress is fascinating.

        Anyhow i think you can all sleep easy that Tones has a little time to go as PM yet. June is when it will get serious, depending on the 2015 budget. All depends on what they do on the revenue side this year, and who they decide to hit.

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          RWNJ’s, a little like you LWFW’s I guess!

          Tony.

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            Catamon

            No Tony, they seem much more earnest in their NJieness, tend to gravitate towards tighter groups, are more vitriolic in their nastiness online, and i seem to have inflated ideas of the importance of their self selected forums in influencing the wider debate.

            In general, more sadly amusing, but interesting in terms of observing one of the outer bounds of public discussion.

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              Heywood

              Clearly you haven’t spent much time on Twitter Cat.

              It’s a LWNJ (Or like Tony said – LWFW’s) paradise, and are far more vitriolic and nasty than anything I have ever seen on this forum.

              Interestingly, of all that I have encountered, nearly all of the most abusive and vitriolic are followed by Greens MP Adam Bandt. Speaks volumes really.

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              James Bradley

              Catamon,

              If that were true then shouldn’t you be trolling LWFW sites.

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          el gordo

          ‘That would be because any evidence anyone puts up here that doesn’t support the group think on CC gets rejected with vitriol by the residents.’

          We actually crave a robust conversation on CC, to sharpen our thinking. Jo and the mods wouldn’t snip you on the subject, so give us a go.

          Over the years I have spent a lot of time at Deltoid, arguing the toss, it was always robust and intellectually stimulating being in the minority.

          ‘The politics / policy interaction is a particular interest of mine and the irrationality of the behavior of groups (like the Liberal Party Room ) under self inflicted stress is fascinating.’

          And mine too, coming from Labor’s left faction and moving to the right of centre is treasonable.
          How quickly we forget the Rudd/Gillard years ‘of self inflicted stress’, but of course that was only because of the Murdocracy.

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            el gordo

            Just to add weight, every blog needs a devil’s advocate and Cat is bright enough.

            ‘In common parlance, a devil’s advocate is someone who, given a certain argument, takes a position they do not necessarily agree with (or simply an alternative position from the accepted norm), for the sake of debate or to explore the thought further. In taking this position, the individual taking on the devil’s advocate role seeks to engage others in an argumentative discussion process. The purpose of such a process is typically to test the quality of the original argument and identify weaknesses in its structure, and to use such information to either improve or abandon the original, opposing position.’

            wiki

            Years ago at Marohasy’s blog there was a character called Luke Skywalker, a warmist who could argue the science and he did it in a confident robust style. I always considered him a great asset and on reflection I’m sorry I once called him the resident troll.

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      Heywood

      “Will be interesting to see if the rumored “depth charge” gets popped by ABCs 4Corners just prior to the NSW election though.”

      I wouldn’t be surprised. That’s typical ALPBC style.

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      el gordo

      ‘Still happy days while the Tony/JoHo team hangs in.’

      That is the view of the hard core left, preferring no change and continued destabilisation all the way to the election.

      You only come here when there is a political thread, which is a fair indication that you are ignorant on the science of CC. This is a common trait among political leftards.

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      Sean McHugh

      You need to take the pills, the blue ones. Get better soon.

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    Another Ian

    Jo

    Check out a photo of Malcolm Turnbull.

    Is he the “Shiny Pony” of Australian politics?

    http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2015/01/oh-shiny-pony-132.html

    (as in a recurring theme at SDA)

    It will be interesting to see if this gets posted here as Michael Smith News doesn’t like it

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      Another Ian

      Dear oh dear

      Obviously I have sinned there

      Can’t even get a pointer to this to happen

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    pat

    for overseas readers who wonder why all this talk of another challenge to the PM when the issue was decided in the PM’s favour on 9th February, our media (much like MSM everywhere) aren’t too keen on the democratic process. i posted the following on jo’s ‘What to call a “doubter” asks Justin Gillis’ thread just ten days after the vote the PM won. anonymous chatter of course:

    19 Feb: Age: Mark Kenny: Dumping Tony Abbott has fringe benefit of ending unpopular policies
    Leadership chatter has not stopped. It may all come to a head sooner than you think…
    Chatter in the government shows no signs of abating and could yet manifest itself in a sudden move to replace Abbott with Malcolm Turnbull as early as the first full sitting week beginning March 2…
    http://www.theage.com.au/comment/dumping-tony-abbott-has-fringe-benefit-of-ending-unpopular-policies-20150219-13imix.html

    Malcolm Turnbull isn’t keen on the democratic process either (link posted earlier in the comments):

    1991: SMH: Raging Turnbull by John Lyons
    Turnbull, whom Dale knew only as “Malcolm the Footballer” because of his solid frame, announced to Dale he wanted to be Prime Minister by the time he was 40.
    “For which party?” asked Dale.
    “It doesn’t matter,” responded Malcolm the Footballer…
    He (Turnbull) says he has given away any political ambitions: “I’m not sure that I’m really suited to the democratic process.”…

    it’s similar to the undemocratic European Union:

    1. Ireland has already said No – politicians should respect that
    On 13 June 2008, Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty in a referendum by 53.4 percent votes to 46.6 percent. Turnout was 53.1 percent.
    But no sooner had the count finished, EU politicians were saying Ireland had got the ‘wrong answer’ and would have to vote again. The Irish government claimed there was no intention to make people vote again, but eventually gave in to pressure and organised a second referendum. This is in spite of a poll of Irish voters taken 6 weeks after the referendum which showed that 71 percent did not want to be asked again.
    This is a matter of democracy…
    Why should they have to vote again? …
    2. The Lisbon Treaty is the EU Constitution in all but name, which has already been voted down by France and the Netherlands
    This is not the first time EU leaders have refused to take no for an answer. Unfortunately, forcing the Irish to vote again on exactly the same text is part of a growing trend in Europe of politicians ignoring voters’ wishes regarding the EU. It has to stop.
    The Lisbon Treaty was originally called the Constitutional Treaty. In referendums in both France and the Netherlands voters said ‘no’ to the Treaty in 2005. Turnout was even higher than in last year’s Irish referendum. But instead of respecting the no vote in these two founding members of the EU, politicians pressed ahead with the Treaty anyway.
    In one of the most dishonest exercises in recent political history, EU politicians changed the layout of the text, tinkered with some of the language, and renamed it as the Lisbon Treaty. Several leaders admitted that the idea of this was to pretend the text was different, and release many governments from their promises to hold a referendum on the original text. 96% of the original text is in the Lisbon Treaty…
    5. Most Europeans have not been given a vote
    Many people claim that the rest of Europe is just waiting for Ireland to say ‘yes’ to the Treaty.
    But Ireland is the only country to have given its citizens a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. Voters in several EU countries were promised a referendum on the Treaty, but were denied a vote when EU leaders began to fear that the Treaty would be rejected.
    This is despite the fact that, according to the only independent poll of all 27 EU member states, 75 percent of voters across Europe, and a majority in every EU country, want to be given a say on any new Treaty which gives more powers to the EU…
    Irish EU Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has estimated that 95 percent of countries would have voted no to the Treaty if they had been given a referendum.
    An independent poll of all member states showed that at least half of EU member states would have rejected the Treaty if they had been given a vote.
    Pressing ahead with such an important Treaty without consulting the people will spell disaster for the European Union in the long run…
    7. The Treaty is bad for democracy in Europe – less powers for national parliaments …
    http://www.europesaysno.org/why_we_say_no.html
    .
    16 months after the first vote, Ireland voted again, and this time said “yes” to the Lisbon Treaty.

    in the UK, Ukip Party’s Nigel Farage has declared an early in/out referendum on UK membership of the EU was Ukip’s “red line” in negotiations on Government formation if the May 7 (general election) poll produces a hung Parliament.

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    pat

    1 Mar: ABC: Liberal leadership: Josh Frydenberg says Tony Abbott will never be able to convince some colleagues he should remain Prime Minister
    By political editor Chris Uhlmann and political reporter Jane Norman

    ***(REALLY, ABC!)Mr Turnbull’s backers said if Mr Abbott’s former supporters believed his position had become untenable, then they should confront him and tell him to go.
    They want the Prime Minister to resign, believing that is the cleanest way and in the best interest of the party, but they doubt he will…

    ***While there is a joint party room meeting scheduled for this Tuesday, the Liberal Party room is not due to meet again until Tuesday, March 17, which means it is highly unlikely that a leadership spill motion will be moved this week.
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-01/frydenberg-says-abbott-cannot-convince-everyone/6271764

    SUCH A COSY BUNCH THESE TURNBULL BACKERS AND ABC!

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    pat

    liberal voters should start a petition, calling on Malcolm Turnbull to resign, for attempting to destabilise the Govt. i say this because i can well imagine a petition will suddenly appear demanding the PM resign.

    Bolt’s thread can be found on his blog:

    1 Mar: Bolt Blog: IPSOS poll – stunning Abbott recovery to just 49 to 51 against
    Wow. Despite everything they’ve tried to throw at Abbott – false claims about “unilateral invasions”, heckling at media conferences, wall-to-wall ABC and Fairfax attacks, open campaigning for Malcolm Turnbull and constant peddling of false claims of an imminent challenge – the media have not destroyed Tony Abbott.
    In fact, they have failed to stop an astonishing recovery, if the latest IPSOS poll can be believed. The Sydney Morning Herald grudgingly admits…
    Incredible. How far would the Liberals be ahead if Malcolm Turnbull were loyal?
    The reporter here is Mark Kenny, the man so biased that on the weekend he claimed that one single anti-Abbott businessman represented the entire business sector of Australia.
    So imagine how hard Kenny tried to find negatives in a poll that, on the face of it, is a stunning tribute to Tony Abbott’s resilience and an even more stunning rebuke to the media pack trying to destroy him…
    Sky News, increasingly losing its precious even-handedness, also beat up every negative in the poll in its news reports, missing the big picture of a huge recovery against all the massive odds.
    To repeat, had the media been remotely fair and the Liberal traitors less feral, can you imagine how well Abbott would be doing now? And what pressure Bill Shorten would be under?…
    ***At this rate Abbott might even be tempted to say something honest about the great global warming beat up. Given the right opening, of course.

    same poll…same Fairfax media…but can u believe this HEADLINE & this reading of the poll? tomorrow i will look for the raw data:

    1 Mar: Age: Peter Hartcher: PM Tony Abbott’s ‘positive’ poll shows he’s a dead man walking
    Tony Abbott’s supporters will claim today’s poll as proof that there is life in his prime ministership yet.
    Only a superficial reading can support this conclusion. In truth, it shows that it is already dead…
    Therefore, the Abbott advocates will argue, the voters are giving Abbott another chance and so should the Liberal Party caucus…
    But look a little further. Seventy-two per cent of voters say that Abbott does not have the confidence of his own party…
    “They have read the writing on the wall for Mr Abbott,” says the Fairfax pollster, Ipsos’ Jess Elgood.
    This is consistent with the odds in the betting markets. Sportingbet says Abbott has a 75 per cent chance of being removed from the leadership before the next election.
    “Our punters are convinced that it is only a matter of time before Mr Turnbull has the nation’s top job,” according to Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown.
    Elgood has a similar reading of her poll data: “It possibly indicates that the voters have already moved on from Mr Abbott.
    “But they have not despaired of the Liberal Party,” anticipating a change of leader…
    Public support continues to build for the two leading candidates to replace him.
    Asked to choose their preferred prime minister, 39 per cent nominated Turnbull, up by 4 percentage points in a month. Another 24 per cent chose Julie Bishop, also up by 4.
    Abbott ranked third, 19 per cent, down by a point, with only half the support enjoyed by Turnbull.
    Tellingly, Abbott’s supporters of last recourse, avowed conservative voters, are also leaving him.
    Among self-identifying Coalition voters, the share choosing Abbott as preferred PM fell 3 percentage points, from 41 per cent to 38.
    And those preferring Turnbull rose by 6 points, from 24 per cent to 30…
    http://www.theage.com.au/comment/pm-tony-abbotts-positive-poll-shows-hes-a-dead-man-walking-20150301-13s2t0.html

    the ugliness of the Hartcher headline is matched by this Birmingham one. these people get paid to write for the once-respected Fairfax newspapers? incredible.

    27 Feb: SMH: John Birmingham: It’s time someone put the Prime Minister out of his misery
    It’s getting a little uncomfortable, isn’t it? Creepy even. Watching Tony Abbott beat himself to death. It’s coming to a point where Malcolm Turnbull is going to have to step in and deliver the killing blow, because some people are starting to feel bad about themselves for enjoying this too much. OK. Me. I’m starting to feel bad…
    PHOTO CAPTION: Killer blow: Malcolm Turnbull…
    http://www.smh.com.au/comment/its-time-someone-put-the-prime-minister-out-of-his-misery-20150227-13pjqz.html

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    Angry

    Email sent to them all !

    Our family, neighbours and friends will never ever vote for a party that has the LEFTIST TRAITOR TURNCOAT turnBULL as its leader !!

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    maurie

    Tony’s email [email protected] returns a ‘no longer active’ so either he’s turned it off to give his school kid advisers some rest or they just wanted the day off – some kids are like that. Must have been tiring for them to advise putting increased security around the bullying medieval dune rats – the victims have apparently had long enough to get used to it by now.

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      Rod Stuart

      He probably has you blocked. That address works a treat. Just this morning I put a question to him and I got an answer right back. I think the PMO has a machine with an uncanny knack of identifying cretins and wiping them. They call it Peta Credlin.

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    Brett_McS

    “Dear Sir,

    The Prime Minister has stopped the boats and canned the carbon tax. That’s two major achievements that will be rewarded by the electorate at the next election, provided he is retained as leader.

    Australians respect a fighter.

    Best regards,

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